Quote Originally Posted by gilmore View Post
I doubt that anyone in Britain ever saw a dragon or a gryphon, but there they are as heraldric beasts.
Exactly. The reason why beasts and other symbols are chosen in heraldry is for their symbolic attributes.

Our chief's crest is a Rampant Lion holding a dagger. I doubt anyone's seen a real lion doing that, but that doesn't take away the significance of the crest.

Look at it this way: many folks have used the double-headed eagle (the Byzantines, the Hapsburgs, etc.) to symbolize an Empire in the East and West. It's not about actually seeing a double-headed eagle.

Regards,

Todd