Mermaids (1000 BC- ) are creatures of the sea that look like women, often with a fish’s tail instead of legs. Best known in the West is the tragic mermaid in Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” (1836), made untragic by Disney in a film of the same name in 1989.
Mermen are their male counterparts but hardly anyone ever talks about them.
Mermaids were sometimes seen as good luck – in China the ones with purple tails were said to smell of happiness – but they were often bad news. Blackbeard and other pirates, for example, avoided them as having the power to make men give up their gold and drag them down to the bottom of the sea. In Shakespeare and Homer they drew men to their destruction with their songs.
Some reported sightings of mermaids:
- 1493: in the Caribbean by Columbus
- 1609: in the Hudson River (near present-day New York City) by Henry Hudson
- 1610: St John’s Harbour, Newfoundland by Richard Whitbourne
- early 1700s: by Blackbeard
- late 1800s: near Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia, Canada
- 2009: off the coast of Kiryat Yam, Israel
- 2012: near Gokwe and Mutare, Zimbabwe
Columbus saw them well enough to report that they are ugly, unlike in their pictures.
Hoaxes:
- 1500s: Jenny Hanivers in Europe, made out of the bodies of rays or skates
- 1842: the Fiji mermaid, which appeared in P.T. Barnum’s museum in New York. It was made out of a baby monkey and a fish sewn together. Robert Ripley later copied the idea and put one in his sideshow at Coney Island.
Mermaids appear in stories, art and religion all over the world: Europe, the Middle East, India, Cambodia, Java, the Philippines, China, Japan, the Caribbean, West Africa, etc. Narnia had mermaids. The sirens of Homer and Ovid are often pictured as mermaids. So sometimes is the Yoruba orisha Yemanja, called La Sirène in Haiti.
The earliest recorded mermaid is from 1000 BC in the story of the goddess Atargatis, mother of Queen Semiramis of Assyria.
According to science there is no proof of mermaids. The National Ocean Service of the American government stated in 2012:
No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found. Why, then, do they occupy the collective unconscious of nearly all seafaring peoples? That’s a question best left to historians, philosophers, and anthropologists.
Things that may have led to mermaid stories:
- Manatees and dugongs, sea mammals that at a distance might look like mermaids. They were in fact called mermaids as late as the 1800s.
- People born with sirenomelia, who are born with their legs stuck together. They rarely live more than a day or two because their kidneys and bladders are screwed up too.
- Ama divers, who can stay under water a long time. Most are women. When they come back up they breathe in a deep sighing that the Japanese call the “song of the sea”. It is something women can train themselves to do but is hard for men. In the past the practice may have been more widespread.
– Abagond, 2012.
See also:
- Christopher Columbus
- Ovid
- The Chronicles of Narnia
- Sade: No Ordinary Love – Sade turns from mermaid to woman
Like this post. Mythical creatures always have been my favorite thing to read about.
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I co-sign with mary burrell. Mermaids have always interested me. A few years ago, there was a popular Philippine tv drama about a mermaid. It was a remake called “Dyesebel”. The actresses who played the mermaids were very pretty.
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I looked at manatees from a distance, and in my opinion, they resemble mermaids like I resemble Hulk Hogan.
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If mermaids were actually portrayed to look like manatees, that would once and for all end the myth of them. 😉
I suppose no one talks about mermen because the idea of them just seems, I don’t know…creepy?
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The Mami Wata–Yoruba for “water maiden” shows up often in West African literature; however she is not necessarily half fish/human, she is a very beautiful young woman who can grant fertility to barren women in return for something else.
She can also give a man prosperity in return for his love.
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I also love reading about mythological creatures and the tales surrounding them. It’s fascinating and really stirs the imagination. I think the fact that my brother and I both believe we saw a mythological creature when we were children also piques my curiosity.
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Well there is that creepy merman on Spongebob lol!
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In many southern African Cultures, mermaids are always part and parcel of folklore. When talking to elders, a lot of them will tell you stories about them and some claim even to have seen them or know someone who has. Before reading this passage I thought mermaids were ones of the so-called “African superstitious beliefs”.
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@ Brothawolf
I have heard that Manatee Explanation several times but I have never bought it myself. For one thing, the descriptions themselves rule it out. Columbus, for example, was close enough to see their faces. So was Whitbourne:
Manatees look nothing like that.
The range is also wrong – I added a map to the post showing where manatees and dugongs live
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From my perspective The Little Mermaid is quite tragic. If you know what I mean.
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I think mermaids would be more interesting if they had a fish top and woman’s bottom:
(http://www.fleen.com/uploads/2011/02/reverse.jpg)
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Hopefully, a better picture of the above tragedy
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But the free-divers who can keep their breath the longest, are all men. Bigger lungs, higher capacity. Nothing to do with orgasms, which I agree, women have a higher capability. Besides, amas were well known, only foreign seafarers would have made the mistake.
I always thought the highest likeness of human face of all sea creatures was that of the ray: http://pcdn.500px.net/3000274/e3e889b76ac2843b98d3b113667056549a380676/4.jpg
I personally think that during long sea journeys many sailors were so desperate of female company (and malnourished, tired, possibly delirious), that they started seeing the object of their desire in marine animals/mammals. A bit like mirages of the seas. Human beings have the innate tendency of seeing forms and patterns everywhere, even in totally random context, like seeing Holy Mary’s face in a burnt toast.
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(Very) loosely linked to mermaids, is the legend the Sea Serpent, which is thought of originated from sailors seeing surfacing Oar Fish. What a magnificent creature:
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@Bulanik
I did not try imply that you meant men have no orgasmic capacity. I don’t think it is related at all to the mermaid lore. Just making a notice.
I suspect the octopus fantasy is a male fantasy. Not sure about the other artists depicting similar encounters, but Hokusai was surely a male. I could be all wring here. After all, octopuses having sex with female divers sounds a bit far fetched. Female sexuality has traditionally been surpressed, especially in Japan.
Mermaid lore is a global trend, not just a japanese one (especially if you think that Japan was very isolated for centuries). But like in the case of most mythologies, the original source or inspiration is nearly impossible to find.
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I think the mermaid myth can be attributed to the obvious olfactory references concerning the opposite gender.
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What is wrong with you? I guess you read Bulanik’s post and thought sushi , huh?
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In Brazil, there is the story of the Amazon dolphin , who at night, turns into a man , dressed in white with a white hat, and , he comes into the river villages to seduce the women
Im always fascinated to see dolphins, which come only occaisionaly, there is something almost human to hear them breathe in the water
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sorry, I thought I had entered B. R. in the id, that is me above
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It may not be Politically Correct in today’s world, but I think the reference is fairly obvious. Sometimes the cigar is not actually a cigar.
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^ I have no problem with political incorrectness, as long as it is in the form of disrespecting black women (sometimes, a monkey is actually a monkey) or dissing white people. Anything else is just wrong
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So how do mermaids differ from sea nymphs?
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^Bulanik,
I don’t know i’m asking. I watch too much Charmed.
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Bulanik:
i thought I was merely offering other alternatives, not being competetive ‘much’ nor little. By no means did I try to ridicule your idea.
If that was the impression people got, I apologize in general and especially you, Bulanik. Your vast knowledge and understanding has impressed me. Believe, it was not my intention to undermine you. Maybe my habit of having an online discussion needs an improvement.
I apologize everyone for the inconvienince. It’s just that mythology is my quilty pleasure, but by no means do I try to claim any expertise in this fascinating subject.
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@ Bulanik
Having worked in the porn industry, I can assure you, women can be far worse than men in that department.
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I believe in mermaids…i also believe in fairies, wood nymphs,vampires etc…
hey these things exist
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REALLY?!
Anyway, they didn’t have no black mermaids in Pirates Of the Caribbean. SUCKS!
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The earliest recordings of mermaids are of the greek lore, so I believe. The origin of mermaids is a fascinating one, one that seems to be as old as the maritime history of humans.
@Bulanik
No, I have no knowledge of land faring mermaids. Very interesting and fascinating idea. I suppose it might be intertwined with the human race’s habit (and fear) of the connection with the more primitive, animal side of us. Much like the werewolf lore, being afraid of the animal ancestry within us.
After all, mermaids are mostly depicted of being treacherous (like women are often seen), luring men with their feminine charms, but eventually inviting them to their wet grave in the arms of the cold ocean.
Might it be another version of men’s lust for the opposite sex as well as the assumed danger of female sexual power?
Interestingly, in the much known “Arabian Nights” collection of stories of different eras, female sexuality is seen (and tested in one of the stories) to be stronger than that of the man.
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I’m aware of the monofins. They definitely give superior thrust o divers. But when were the first such devices invented?. I could be wrong, but I am under the impression that it is a fairly new invention. But if it was used in classical times, it definitely would have helped to crete mermaid lore.
So, if the monofin was created in the ancient times, would the users of them be mostly female divers – in the mediterranian? That would explain a lot. I agree that female divers probably would have influenced to the birth of mermaid lore, After all, a monofin is able to give a thrust way superior compared to to two separate fins.
Buti is there any archeological evidence to support this theory?
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Monofins were actually so efficient, that they had to arrange separate competitions for them. I have tried them once, and the extra thrust it gives is incredible.
However, record breaking freedivers used weights to descend to the desired level and after that use a carbon oxide ampul to launch them up to the surface. Having used all of their oxygen they would barely have had any energy to swim up to the service.
But of course I agree, that humans must have observed sea mammals and trying to copy their efficient and energy saving ways of propulsion. It might have lead to the misconception of them being confused for mermaids. I’m still not totally convinced, since mermaids are a global lore. But maybe different kind of sightings were mixed together by foreign sailors meeting up in ports like in Shanghai and telling themselves of the oddities they had encountered on their voyages in far away seas, eventually forming a somewhat unified lore of the sea dwelling, beautiful but potentially treacherous marinefemals. After all, what could be more dangerous for a sailor than jumping overboard to chase an elusive female charms… leaving him alone on the mercy of the cold, deep sea…
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I find it really difficult for experienced sailors to make a mistake between a human female diver and a half human-half fish female. Sailors couldn’t possibly have been so blind as to mix a human female from other marine mammal.
No doubt female divers did a lot of underwater foraging, but the traditional depictions of mermaids differ significantly from female divers. I find it difficult to believe that sailors would have mixed them to, because they more than likely saw the female divers to be completely human, lacking any kind of fish tail.
Anyway, I’m tired of this useless crap. This or that, the mermaid lore’s origin can probably never be solved.
Over and out.
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In my culture there are water spirits as Yemanja. I do not know if they exist on the other continent. I do not know if they are the ones who have inspired legends of mermaids. But the spirits of the water in the stories I’ve heard are always women.
I know a man who said he saw a white woman (certainly not Mrs. Merkel) in the river not far from his village when he was a child.
I have a friend who laughingly told he was returned to his village after many years in the city. The first night he had a strange dream. A young woman was very beautiful mulatto presented to him. She welcomed and she told him she was here. Looks like she wanted him to understand that protecting the village and he could count on her.
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In June, I had a curious dream. A young black woman and pretty gave me water to wash myself. I had come to the river side. I thought it was just a dream. A few days later, my sister was taking a shower was a visualization of this young woman.
But we are Christians. So, in the family, it is as if nothing had happened.
I have learned that these spirits can take any human appearance. One that could please us.
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I don’t think manatee or dugond explain the origin of legend of mermaid in Africa.
In Africa, Before the coming European people, we had divinities male or female were associated to water. But they mainly women. They had legs. They had associated to snake some lands and kingdom.
In Congo for an example, we have the “mamba muntu” (snake man). In west Africa, they had goddess with snake. demon or goddess, people invoke them to wealth. Some people accuse them to sacrifice to divinities their fertility, children or parents. And we have many scaries stories on that. But, in Brazil, Yemanja is a good goddess. Mami Wata too has seen as a good goddess. But not everywhere and not to everybody. So followers can’t say they pray Mami Wata.
Today, these divinities are represented with fishtail because european legend of mermaid have influenced ours legends.
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Please don’t laugh, but mermaids were my inspiration to grow my hair as a kid. However, I didn’t grow my hair really long until I was in my early 20’s. The longest length I achieved was right at cheek length and I’m not referring to the ones on my face. lol! 🙂
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Agwe & La Sirene Tribute: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrqDkR9B4MU)
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(https://www.pinterest.com/amp/kyrahicks/black-mermaids-mermen/)
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@ Abagond
I’m not sure why the link I posted in the comment above isn’t showing up.
I can see the link in the Comments RSS feed on my cell phone but not on my computer.
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@ Solitaire
I put parens around your link. Tell me if that helps.
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@ Abagond
Yes, it’s showing up on the thread now! Thanks!
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