Their creation and display may have been primarily about aesthetic communication — the expression of beauty and artistry — rather than primarily about spiritual or mythological content.

The truth is probably some combination of these: the hybrids are simultaneously beautiful, spiritually meaningful, and mythologically specific.

The three dimensions are not mutually exclusive.

What is certain is that the griffin-deer on the Ice Maiden’s shoulder was not randomly chosen.

It was placed there by someone who knew what it meant and why it belonged on this person’s body.

The specific creature, the specific location (the left shoulder, which Polosmak notes was the first tattoo location for Pazyryk individuals), the specific style of execution — all of these were intentional choices.