In later mythology, it was more common to see sirens depicted as sinister mermaids. Sometimes women with large bird feathers and feet, and other times, the body of a bird and the head of a woman. The sirens were usually a combination of a woman and various birds. Some myths suggest sirens can even charm the wind. They sing, enchanting passing sailors with their beautiful music, and draw ships towards the shore, where they inevitably crash. In Greek mythology, sirens are female creatures who live near the surface of the water. Interesting Note: Enchant sailors to ultimately crash their ships Perfume vase in the shape of a siren from 540 BC Some later mythological resources describe how Scylla was a beautiful nymph who was turned into a monster.Ĭreatures: Female creatures that live at the surface of the ocean Odysseus is advised to face Scylla and lose only a few sailors, then go past Charybdis and perhaps lose his entire ship. Scylla is a six-headed sea monster, and Charybdis is a whirlpool. The two monsters present travelers with the choice of facing one of two evils. They are described as residing on opposite sides of the Strait of Messina between Sicily and Calabria. Scylla & Charybdis are sea monsters from Greek mythology, described notably by Homer in his Odyssey. Interesting Note: Present travelers with the choice of facing one of two evils Depiction of Scylla (top) and Charybdis (bottom) This fish can reach lengths of up to 11 meters, making it appear like a colossal sea serpent or sea dragon.Ĭreature: A six-headed sea monster and a whirlpool Many tales of sea serpents and sea monsters are suggested to be caused by the giant oarfish or regalecus glesne. Today, the term “leviathan” is commonly used to describe any sea creature of large proportions. It is often associated with the sin of envy. It is also cited as eating the damned afterlife. The monster is described as chaotic and life-threatening. It appears in Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, and the Book of Amos. It appears in the Old Testament Bible as a sea serpent with multiple heads. Interesting Note: Cited as eating the damned afterlife The Destruction of Leviathan by Gustave Doré (1865) It is a staple myth among sailors.Ĭreature: Sea serpent with multiple heads The Kraken has been featured in films, video games, television shows, and other works of literature.
Some suggested that the legends of the Kraken originated from sights of giant squid (which can grow to be quite large). It supposedly lives off the coast of Norway and Greenland and terrorizes sailors passing through that area. It takes the shape of a giant squid in most iterations. The Kraken is one of the most famous sea creatures from mythology. Interesting Note: Terrorizes sailors/ships that pass near it Kraken illustration from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne When writing about the creature, Lovecraft said it was:Ī monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind It is worshiped by cults throughout the story and is depicted as an enormous humanoid-shaped sea creature with squid tentacles on its face and dragon wings. It’s one fate Great Old Ones within Lovecraft’s pantheon of creatures. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu.” Cthulhu is a cosmic monster who came to earth and resided in the earth’s oceans in a fictional city known as R’yleh. LovecraftĬthulhu is a literary monster who first appeared in H.P. Interesting Note: Cosmic monster from space Drawing of Cthulhu by H.P. More logical explanations point to misidentified large sea animals such as the basking shark or sperm whales.Ĭreature: Humanoid-shaped sea creature with squid tentacles on its face and dragon wings The Loch Ness Monster is a prime example of this. Some theories suggest that these could be plesiosaurs that have survived the age of the dinosaurs. Real-life sightings of sea serpents have been recorded throughout history. Legend states that when the snake lets go of its tail, the apocalypse or Ragnarök will begin.
The serpent is so large that it can wrap itself around the earth and bite its own tail. It is the child of Loki and giant Angrboða.
Jörmungandr is a famous sea creature from Norse mythology known as the Midgard Serpent or the World Serpent. Interesting Note: So large it can wrap it’s itself around the world and bite its tail Thor battling the Midgard Serpent by Emil Doepler
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