Legendary creature
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| - | [[Image:Stryge by Meryon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''[[Stryge]]'' ([[1853]]) is a print by [[French etcher]] [[Charles Méryon]] depicting a [[vampire]]-like [[legendary creature]] called [[strix]]es.]] | + | [[Image:Gryllus by Bosch from the Vienna Last Judgment.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''[[Gryllus]]'' detail from the bottom of the central panel of [[The Last Judgment (Bosch triptych)|Bosch's Last Judgment in Vienna]].]] |
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| + | "idem iocoso nomine Gryllym deridiculi habitus pinxit, unde id genus pictura grylli vocantur."; English: "he painted a figure in a ridiculous costume, known [[jocose]]ly as the [[Gryllus]]; and hence it is that pictures of this class are generally known as "Grylli."--[[Pliny the Elder]] | ||
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| + | "The only [[Legendary creature |imaginary being]], resembling in any degree [[Prometheus]], is [[Satan]]; and Prometheus is, in my judgment, a more poetical character than Satan."--''[[Prometheus Unbound (Shelley)|Prometheus Unbound]]'' (1820) by Percy Bysshe Shelley | ||
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| + | "He <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Ctesias]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> speaks also of another [[Race (human categorization) |race of men]], who are known as Monocoli, who have only one [[leg]], but are able to leap with surprising agility. The same people are also called [[Monopod (creature)|Sciapodae]], because they are in the habit of lying on their backs, during the time of the extreme heat, and protect themselves from the sun by the [[shade]] of their [[foot|feet]]."--''[[Naturalis Historia]]'' by Pliny | ||
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| + | "Amongst the curious [[myths]] of the Middle Ages none were more extravagant and persistent than that of the "[[Vegetable Lamb of Tartary]]," known also as the "Scythian Lamb," and the "Borametz," or "Barometz," the latter title being derived from a Tartar word signifying "a lamb." This "[[lamb]]" was described as being at the same time both a true animal and a living [[plant]]. According to some writers this composite "plant-animal" was the fruit of a tree which sprang from a seed like that of a melon, or gourd; and when the fruit or seed-pod of this tree was fully ripe it burst open and disclosed to view within it a little lamb, perfect in form, and in every way resembling an ordinary lamb naturally born." --''[[The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary]]'' (1887) by Henry Lee | ||
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| + | [[Image:Blemmyes (legendary creatures).jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Headless men|Blemmyes]] from Hartmann Schedel's ''Nuremberg Chronicle'' (1493)]] | ||
| + | [[Image:The Sphinx by Maxime Du Camp, 1849.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[The Great Sphinx of Giza (photo by Maxime Du Camp)]], [[1849]]]] | ||
| + | [[Image:Stryge by Meryon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''[[Stryge]]'' ([[1853]]) is a print by [[French etcher]] [[Charles Méryon]] depicting one of the [[Chimera (architecture)|chimera]] of the ''[[Galerie des chimères]]'' of the [[Notre Dame de Paris]] cathedral.]] | ||
| + | [[Image: True and False Griffins from John Ruskin's Stones of Venice (1851-1853)..jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[True and False Griffins]]'' from [[John Ruskin]]'s ''[[Modern Painters]]'' (Part IV. Of Many Things), first published in 1856.]] | ||
| + | [[Image:Noble and Ignoble Grotesque from John Ruskin's Stones of Venice (1851-1853)..jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Noble and Ignoble Grotesque]]'' from the ''[[The Stones of Venice ]]'']] | ||
| + | [[Image:Le Ministère de la Marine by Charles Meryon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''[[Le Ministère de la Marine]]'' ([[1865]]-[[1866]]) is a print by [[French etcher]] [[Charles Méryon]] depicting the marine ministry "attacked" by a charging flock of [[legendary creature]]s.]] | ||
| + | [[Image:The Shapeless Polyp Floated along the Bank, a Sort of Hideous, Smiling Cyclops (1883) - Odilon Redon.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[The Misshapen Polyp Floated on the Shores, a Sort of Smiling and Hideous Cyclops ]]'' (1883) by Odilon Redon]] | ||
| - | [[Image: True and False Griffins from John Ruskin's Stones of Venice (1851-1853)..jpg|thumb|right|200px|A [[griffin]] is [[legendary creature|mythical beast]] having the [[body]] of a [[lion]] and the [[wing]]s and [[head]] of an [[eagle]]. (from ''[[The Stones of Venice ]]'')]] | ||
| - | [[Image:Noble and Ignoble Grotesque from John Ruskin's Stones of Venice (1851-1853)..jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Grotesque]]s from [[John Ruskin]]'s ''[[The Stones of Venice ]]'' ([[1851]] - [[1853]])]] | ||
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| - | A '''legendary creature''' is a [[mythology|mythological]] or [[folklore|folkloric]] [[creature]] (often known as "[[fabulous]] creatures" in historical literature). Some creatures, such as the [[dragon]] or the [[griffin]], have their origin in traditional [[mythology]] and have been believed to be real creatures. Others were based on real creatures, originating in [[garbled]] accounts of travelers' tales; such as the [[Vegetable Lamb of Tartary]], which supposedly grew tethered to the earth (and was actually a type of [[fern]]). The traditional [[unicorn]] may have come from garbled stories about the [[rhinoceros]] and/or [[narwhal]]. Examples of the legendary creatures can be found in [[medieval]] [[bestiary|bestiaries]]. | ||
| - | Conversely, some creatures downplayed as just storytelling, have been rediscovered and found to be real in recent times, such as the [[giant squid]]. In Africa, Natives of the Congo told European visitors of an animal that looked like a cross between a zebra and a giraffe. While the visitors assumed the stories were just folk tales, in 1901, Sir Harry Johnston brought back pelts that proved the creature, which we now call the [[okapi]], was real. | + | A '''legendary creature''' (also '''mythical''' or '''mythological creature''') is a type of [[fictional]] [[entity]], typically a [[Hybrid beasts in folklore|hybrid]], that has not been proven and that is described in [[folklore]] (including [[myth]]s and [[legend]]s), but may be featured in historical accounts before [[modernity]]. |
| - | Often mythical creatures are ''[[Chimera (creature)|chimeras]]'', a combination of two or more animals. For example, a [[centaur]] is a combination of a man and horse, a [[minotaur]] of a man and bull, and the [[mermaid]], half woman and half fish. It should be noted that these were not always intended to be understood as literal juxtapositions of parts from disparate species. Lacking a common [[Comparative anatomy|morphological vocabulary]], classical and medieval scholars and travelers would attempt to describe unusual animals by comparing them point-for-point with familiar: the [[giraffe]], for example, was called ''cameleopard'', and thought of as a creature half-[[camel]], and half-[[leopard]]. The leopard itself was so named as it was historically believed to be a half-[[lion]] (Latin: "leo") and half-[[panther]] (Latin: "pardus"). This etymology has been kept until the present day, despite its zoological inaccuracies. | + | In the [[classical era]], [[monstrous]] creatures such as the [[Cyclops]] and the [[Minotaur]] appear in [[hero]]ic tales for the protagonist to destroy. Other creatures, such as the [[unicorn]], were claimed in accounts of [[natural history]] by various scholars of antiquity. Some legendary creatures have their origin in traditional [[mythology]] and were believed to be real creatures, for example [[dragon]]s, [[griffin]]s, and [[unicorn]]s. Others were based on real encounters, originating in garbled accounts of travellers' tales, such as the [[Vegetable Lamb of Tartary]], which supposedly grew tethered to the earth. |
| - | Many legendary creatures appear prominently in [[fantasy fiction]]. These creatures are often claimed to have supernatural powers or knowledge or to guard some object of great value, which becomes critical to the plot of the story in which it is found. Dragons, for instance, are commonly depicted as perched on a gleaming hoard of gold which becomes the target of adventurers. | + | ==Creatures== |
| + | A variety of mythical animals appear in the art and stories of the [[Classical era]]. For example, in the ''[[Odyssey]]'', monstrous creatures include the [[Cyclops]], [[Scylla]] and [[Charybdis]] for the hero [[Odysseus]] to confront. In other tales there appear the [[medusa (mythology)|Medusa]] to be defeated by [[Perseus]], the (human/bull) [[Minotaur]] to be destroyed by [[Theseus]], and the [[Hydra (mythology)|Hydra]] to be killed by [[Heracles]], while [[Aeneas]] battles with the [[harpy|harpies]]. These monsters thus have the basic function of emphasizing the greatness of the [[hero]]es involved. | ||
| + | Some classical era creatures, such as the (horse/human) [[centaur]], [[Chimera (mythology)|chimaera]], [[Triton (mythology)|Triton]] and the [[Pegasus|flying horse]], are found also in [[Indian art]]. Similarly, [[sphinx]]es appear as winged lions in Indian art and the [[Piasa Bird]] of North America. | ||
| - | Other legendary creatures are thought to exist even today including [[Bigfoot]], [[Mothman]], [[Chupacabras]] and the [[Loch Ness Monster]]. | + | In [[medieval art]], animals, both real and mythical, played important roles. These included decorative forms as in medieval jewellery, sometimes with their limbs intricately interlaced. Animal forms were used to add humor or majesty to objects. In [[Christian art]], animals carried symbolic meanings, where for example the lamb symbolized Christ, a dove indicated the [[Holy Spirit]], and the classical [[griffin]] represented a guardian of the dead. [[Medieval bestiary|Medieval bestiaries]] included animals regardless of biological reality; the [[basilisk]] represented the [[devil]], while the [[manticore]] symbolised temptation. |
| - | Throughout history legendary creatures have been incorporated into [[heraldry]] and [[architecture|architectural]] [[decoration]]. Legendary creatures have also been accepted into many facets of [[popular culture]] most notably in fantasy [[role playing]] games such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]] or [[Everquest]], [[video games]], [[Hollywood]] movies and [[power metal]] bands (such as [[DragonForce]]). | + | ==Allegory== |
| - | == See also == | + | |
| - | * [[Fearsome critters]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of cryptids]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of fictional species]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of legendary creatures]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of legendary creatures from Japan]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of monsters]] | + | |
| - | * [[Legendary creatures of the Argentine Northwest region]] | + | |
| - | * [[An instinct for dragons]], a hypothesis on the origin of several legendary creatures | + | |
| - | * [[Book of Imaginary Beings]] | + | |
| - | == See also == | + | |
| - | * [[Fearsome critters]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of cryptids]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of fictional species]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of legendary creatures by type]] | + | |
| - | * [[List of legendary creatures from Japan]] | + | |
| - | * [[Legendary creatures of the Argentine Northwest region]] | + | |
| - | * ''[[An Instinct for Dragons]]'' (book), a hypothesis on the origin of several legendary creatures | + | |
| - | * [[Book of Imaginary Beings]] | + | |
| + | One function of mythical animals in the Middle Ages was allegory. Unicorns, for example, were described as extraordinarily swift and uncatchable by traditional methods. It was believed that the only way for one to catch this beast was to lead a virgin to its dwelling. Then, the unicorn was supposed to leap into her lap and go to sleep, at which point a hunter could finally capture it. In terms of symbolism, the unicorn was a metaphor for Christ. Unicorns represented the idea of innocence and purity. In the [[King James Version|King James Bible]], Psalm 92:10 states, "My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn." This is because the translators of the King James erroneously translated the Hebrew word [[re'em]] as unicorn. Later versions translate this as wild ox. The unicorn's small size signifies the humility of Christ. | ||
| + | Another common legendary creature that served allegorical functions within the Middle Ages was the [[dragon]]. Dragons were identified with serpents, though their attributes were greatly intensified. The dragon was supposed to have been larger than all other animals. It was believed that the dragon had no harmful poison but was able to slay anything it embraced without any need for venom. Biblical scriptures speak of the dragon in reference to the devil, and they were used to denote sin in general during the Middle Ages. Dragons were said to have dwelled in places like Ethiopia and India, based on the idea that there was always heat present in these locations. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Physical detail was not the central focus of the artists depicting such animals, and medieval bestiaries were not conceived as biological categorizations. Creatures like the unicorn and [[griffin]] were not categorized in a separate "mythological" section in medieval bestiaries, as the symbolic implications were of primary importance. Animals we know to have existed were still presented with a fantastical approach. It seems the religious and moral implications of animals were far more significant than matching a physical likeness in these renderings. | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Fearsome critters]] | ||
| + | *[[List of cryptids]] | ||
| + | *''[[Book of Imaginary Beings]]'' (1957) by Jorge Luis Borges | ||
| + | * [[Non-physical entity]] | ||
| + | * [[Black swan]] | ||
| + | *[[Belly face]] | ||
| + | *[[Headless men]] | ||
| + | *[[Gryllus]] | ||
| + | *[[Cryptozoology]] | ||
| + | *[[Bestiarium]] | ||
| + | *[[Cabinet of curiosities]] | ||
| + | *[[Composite animal]] | ||
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Current revision
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"idem iocoso nomine Gryllym deridiculi habitus pinxit, unde id genus pictura grylli vocantur."; English: "he painted a figure in a ridiculous costume, known jocosely as the Gryllus; and hence it is that pictures of this class are generally known as "Grylli."--Pliny the Elder "The only imaginary being, resembling in any degree Prometheus, is Satan; and Prometheus is, in my judgment, a more poetical character than Satan."--Prometheus Unbound (1820) by Percy Bysshe Shelley "He [Ctesias] speaks also of another race of men, who are known as Monocoli, who have only one leg, but are able to leap with surprising agility. The same people are also called Sciapodae, because they are in the habit of lying on their backs, during the time of the extreme heat, and protect themselves from the sun by the shade of their feet."--Naturalis Historia by Pliny "Amongst the curious myths of the Middle Ages none were more extravagant and persistent than that of the "Vegetable Lamb of Tartary," known also as the "Scythian Lamb," and the "Borametz," or "Barometz," the latter title being derived from a Tartar word signifying "a lamb." This "lamb" was described as being at the same time both a true animal and a living plant. According to some writers this composite "plant-animal" was the fruit of a tree which sprang from a seed like that of a melon, or gourd; and when the fruit or seed-pod of this tree was fully ripe it burst open and disclosed to view within it a little lamb, perfect in form, and in every way resembling an ordinary lamb naturally born." --The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary (1887) by Henry Lee |
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A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accounts before modernity.
In the classical era, monstrous creatures such as the Cyclops and the Minotaur appear in heroic tales for the protagonist to destroy. Other creatures, such as the unicorn, were claimed in accounts of natural history by various scholars of antiquity. Some legendary creatures have their origin in traditional mythology and were believed to be real creatures, for example dragons, griffins, and unicorns. Others were based on real encounters, originating in garbled accounts of travellers' tales, such as the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary, which supposedly grew tethered to the earth.
Creatures
A variety of mythical animals appear in the art and stories of the Classical era. For example, in the Odyssey, monstrous creatures include the Cyclops, Scylla and Charybdis for the hero Odysseus to confront. In other tales there appear the Medusa to be defeated by Perseus, the (human/bull) Minotaur to be destroyed by Theseus, and the Hydra to be killed by Heracles, while Aeneas battles with the harpies. These monsters thus have the basic function of emphasizing the greatness of the heroes involved. Some classical era creatures, such as the (horse/human) centaur, chimaera, Triton and the flying horse, are found also in Indian art. Similarly, sphinxes appear as winged lions in Indian art and the Piasa Bird of North America.
In medieval art, animals, both real and mythical, played important roles. These included decorative forms as in medieval jewellery, sometimes with their limbs intricately interlaced. Animal forms were used to add humor or majesty to objects. In Christian art, animals carried symbolic meanings, where for example the lamb symbolized Christ, a dove indicated the Holy Spirit, and the classical griffin represented a guardian of the dead. Medieval bestiaries included animals regardless of biological reality; the basilisk represented the devil, while the manticore symbolised temptation.
Allegory
One function of mythical animals in the Middle Ages was allegory. Unicorns, for example, were described as extraordinarily swift and uncatchable by traditional methods. It was believed that the only way for one to catch this beast was to lead a virgin to its dwelling. Then, the unicorn was supposed to leap into her lap and go to sleep, at which point a hunter could finally capture it. In terms of symbolism, the unicorn was a metaphor for Christ. Unicorns represented the idea of innocence and purity. In the King James Bible, Psalm 92:10 states, "My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn." This is because the translators of the King James erroneously translated the Hebrew word re'em as unicorn. Later versions translate this as wild ox. The unicorn's small size signifies the humility of Christ.
Another common legendary creature that served allegorical functions within the Middle Ages was the dragon. Dragons were identified with serpents, though their attributes were greatly intensified. The dragon was supposed to have been larger than all other animals. It was believed that the dragon had no harmful poison but was able to slay anything it embraced without any need for venom. Biblical scriptures speak of the dragon in reference to the devil, and they were used to denote sin in general during the Middle Ages. Dragons were said to have dwelled in places like Ethiopia and India, based on the idea that there was always heat present in these locations.
Physical detail was not the central focus of the artists depicting such animals, and medieval bestiaries were not conceived as biological categorizations. Creatures like the unicorn and griffin were not categorized in a separate "mythological" section in medieval bestiaries, as the symbolic implications were of primary importance. Animals we know to have existed were still presented with a fantastical approach. It seems the religious and moral implications of animals were far more significant than matching a physical likeness in these renderings.
See also
- Fearsome critters
- List of cryptids
- Book of Imaginary Beings (1957) by Jorge Luis Borges
- Non-physical entity
- Black swan
- Belly face
- Headless men
- Gryllus
- Cryptozoology
- Bestiarium
- Cabinet of curiosities
- Composite animal
