Assyrian human bearded winged lion from Ashurbanipal's palace at Nimrud, c.865 BC. This protective spirit guarded the entrance into what may have been a banquet hall. If one looks at one of these monsters from the side, one sees that it has four legs, striding purposefully forward. If one moves head-on from the front, it has two front legs at rest. Both views in isolation look logical, however when viewed at a three-quarter viewpoint with all legs visible, the animal has not four but five legs. British Museum