Lions often sat atop tombs in ancient Greece ... the body of a jungle cat and a majestic set of wings. "Yes!" he said with delight. "A griffin!" The surface of the sculpture was once covered ...

Around 600 Ptolemaic statues, which included several intricate depictions of the cat goddess Bastet ... was also discovered.

Contemporary writings on art, including a book by Roman author Pliny the Elder, mention the fact that sculptures in ancient Greece were painted and not left with the white marble exposed.