Modern Artist's Depiction
The serpopard is a mythical beast from ancient Egypt that resembles a large lion or lioness with glowing red eyes and a serpent's long winding neck. The word serpopard is also used as a term for many mythical beasts originating from ancient Egypt or Mesopatamia. A mythical animal that whose depictions have been found on ancient Egyptian artifacts. Images of this creature have been painted on the Narmer Palette and the Small Palette of Nekhen.
Two male serpopards fighting in a position often found on pottery.
The Serpopard is a cross between a leopard and a serpent. It has the body of a leopard and the head of a snake on a very long neck. Some state that its appearance resembles a reptile's head on a long-necked lioness. The Serpopard has no markings on its body, round ears and a tail that ends with a tuft of hair much like that of a lion. Since it bears a strong resemblance to a lion, many believe that the Serpopard is a heraldic beast symbolizing royalty and protection, since this is the symbolic meaning of a lion in the religious concepts of Upper and Lower Egypt. The Egyptians are well known for their accurate depictions of animals and so this has led some archeologists to believe that the Serpopard is not a mythical creature but a picture of a lion with an exaggerated neck designed from artistic license for the purpose of filling space on a plate or other item.