These are power packs and keys to the higher realm. You will see pictures of Egyptian adepts using them to endow mortals with the power of ascension.
As Empedocles recorded, there was a time of experimentation a few thousand years ago, when those of the next higher dimension took on hybrid forms. I have written about the Birdmen and the Tetramorphs in other articles on this website.
In the modern world it is rare for humans to be visited by Masters who carry these keys to ascension with them. One needs to resonate with the Frequency of Unconditional Love before they can break free from the repetitious mundane cycle.