In Greek mythology, the Hydra, a monstrous serpent-like creature with multiple heads and a poisonous breath, originates from the underworld and primordial beings. Descriptions often highlight tough or impenetrable skin. Some versions consider the central head immortal, intensifying the challenge of defeating the creature.
The creature’s regenerative ability is a central aspect of its mythology. When one is severed, two or more may grow in its place. Various artistic interpretations may depict the Hydra with additional embellishments, capturing the imagination of different cultures and time periods.
The most famous story surrounding the Hydra is Heracules battle against it during his trials. Eurystheus tasked Heracles with defeating the Hydra, a monstrous serpent in the marshes of Lerna. Heracles, accompanied by his nephew Iolaus, approached the Hydra’s lair. As Heracles attacked, he discovered the challenge of the Hydra’s regeneration. Realizing he couldn’t defeat it with conventional methods, he enlisted Iolaus’ help. As Heracles cut off each head, Iolaus used a torch to cauterize the neck stumps, preventing the regeneration.
So what inspired this monster?
While the origins of the Hydra are unclear, most historians agree that the creature symbolized the timeless struggle between man and insurmountable challenges. The story is used to illustrate the virtues of persistence, strategy, and collaboration in the face of daunting adversity.
The legacy of the Hydra is enduring. In fact, science has even found a group of cnidarians (which also include corals and jellyfish) that have become its namesake.
These animals are native to temperate and tropical regions discovered in the mid-1700’s. Much like the mythical beast, when the animal has part of it severed, it will regenerate. They do not die of old age or appear to age at all.
The hydra is very similare to anemones and are generally sedentary. They attach themselves to substrate, using their “arms” to pull in prey. They reproduce mostly by asexual “budding”. A new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud due to cell division at one particular site. These buds develop into tiny individuals and, when fully mature, detach from the parent body and become new independent individuals.
Scientists have been particularly interested in the regenerative aspects of Hydra morphology. This regeneration occurs without cell division. If the Hydra is sliced into many segments, the middle slices form both a “head” and a “foot”. Hydras are capable of regenerating from pieces of tissue from the body and additionally from dissociated single cells. The regenerative ability is surprising and still being studied.
In Greek mythology the Hydra was a poisonous, many-headed serpent with frustratingly effective powers of regeneration. A monster of myth, right? Hydras do exist. You can find them in your local pond and they’re as fascinating as the mythological one, just a bit smaller.
Sources:
Brusca, R. C, and Brusca, G. J., 2003. Invertebrates, 2nd ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publishers, Massachusetts. Page 220 and 256.
The Tarasque is a creature from French mythology, described as a beast with a lion’s head, a turtle-like carapace, bear claws, and a serpent tail. This legend arose in Provence, France in the early 12th century. The most influential legend comes from the Legenda aurea, along with St. Martha.
The monster allegedly inhabited the forested banks of the Rhône, around the town of Tarascon. It lurked in the river, attacking men and sinking boats. The creature was said to have come from what is now Turkey.
People sought Saint Martha (described in the Gospels of Luke and John) for help. She found the creature devouring a man. By sprinkling holy water and holding up a cross, she caused the creature to become submissive and obedient. She tied her girdle to its neck and led the beast to the villagers to speared it until it died.
So what inspired this strange creature?
Glyptodon is an extinct group of large, herbivorous armadillos that lived around 3.2 million years ago until around 11,000 years ago. Fossils of Glyptodon have been recorded from as early as 1814 and were originally thought to be giant ground sloths.
Glyptodon were large, quadrupedal armadillos with armored carapaces made of hundreds of osteoderms. Other pieces of armor covered the tail and skull. These animals reached up to 2 m long and weighed 400 kg.
These animals lived in dense forests and open grasslands in the southern United States and South America. They most likely went extinct due to climate change as well as predation by humans.
It is likely that this story was inspired by a creature similar to Glyptodon found along the banks of the Rhône. The villagers did not recognize the fossil for what it was and sent people to fight the beast. The villagers destroyed the bones, defeating the beast.
The Demon Cat (also referred to as D.C.) is a giant ghostly cat purported to haunt the government buildings in Washington, D.C. It primarily haunts two national landmarks: the White House and the United States Capitol.
While this mythical creature is more unknown, its story dates back to the mid-1800’s when cats were brought into the US Capitol building to control the rat and mouse population. Legend states that the Demon Cat is one of these cats who never left, even after it died. Reports state it has made its home in the basement crypt of the building, which was originally intended as a burial chamber for George Washington.
While this cat never does much in way of physical damage, the Demon Cat has caused quite a scare among witnesses. According to legend, the cat is seen before elections or tragedies in Washington, D.C.
Security guards report seeing the creature before the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. It was also purportedly seen before the stock market crash in 1929. It is typically described as a black cat or dark tabby and the size of an average house cat. However, witnesses have reported the cat swelling to size of a tiger when alerted. The cat would then pound at the witness, disappearing before catching its victim.
In the 1890’s, the cat was said to have vanished after security fired at it and another guard supposedly died of a heart attack after seeing it.
So what inspired this monstrous creature?
Like many ghost stories, this has been an interesting tale to track back to the beginning. The presence of cats in the Capitol Building was common as they were brought in to be mousers. However, according to the head of the US Capitol Historical Society, the Capitol Police force was notorious for hiring unqualified relatives and friends of Congressmen. These men would see this job as easy and would frequently come to work intoxicated.
The idea of the Demon Cat may have started from one of these drunken security guards seeing the shadow of one of these building cats or was lying down and licked by one of the cats and mistook it as a giant cat. Upon reporting the incident, the man was sent home to recover. Later the other guards found out they could get the day off if reporting this cat, perpetuating the story.
An explanation for why the Demon Cat eventually made its way to Pennsylvania Avenue is the influence of Tige, a wandering cat owned by President Calvin Coolidge. Tige lived at the White House, but liked to visit the other federal buildings and disappeared for days at a time. During these disappearances, it was reported widely in the news. This wanderlust may have contributed to the belief that the Demon Cat occasionally switched locations.
The legend of the Demon Cat has benefited from the oral tradition of ghost stories, which date back to Shakespearean Renaissance England. Even as the robust oral tradition of the ghost story waned in the early 1800s, due to increased human mobility and urbanization, the practice of sharing ghost stories by word of mouth persists today, leading to the continued tales of Demon Cat.
The Minotaur is a mythical creature in Greek Mythology with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man. He is said to have lived at the center of the Labyrinth in Crete.
Legends state that the Minotaur came into being when the Queen of Crete fell in love with a white bull and conceived a monstrous half-man, half-bull child. The Minotaur took its name from King Minos of Crete who banished him to the Labyrinth.
So what inspired this monstrous creature?
Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. In 1899, Sir Arthur Evans – a British Archeologist – discovered the palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. He determined based on what he found that this place had belonged to King Minos from the legends.
The most revealing things he found in the palace were frescos depicting taurokathapsia or the act of jumping over a bull by holding its horns. This act was done most likely as a ceremonial rite. There is evidence both men and women participated in the rite. Some researchers believe it was a way of worshipping the bull.
Also found in the Knossos palace was a series of rooms and buildings constructed with a maze-like floorplan.
Evans went on to name the people who lived in this place the Minoans – solidifying the connection between the legend of the Minotaur to the discoveries in this palace.
Some scholars debate whether Minos refers to the ruler or is the same King Minos from the Minotaur legend. No one is certain King Minos even existed and there is no concrete evidence that he resided in Knossos. However, there is possibility that there was a king named Minos where taurokathapsia was popular.
Whatever the case, the ruins hold many mysteries. Almost as many as the legend of the Minotaur.
Gargoyles have a varied look and history. The creature is typically depicted as grotesque figures, faces, or creatures perching along buildings’ roofs or gutters. They are often shown as chimera creatures with features of bats, humans, and lions.
The Medieval superstition stated that these creatures would stand guard and ward off evil spirits. The winged gargoyles would fly around the entire village to scare off dark creatures. As the sun rose, the creatures would resume their place to frighten off those who looked upon their faces.
Gargoyles can be seen across ancient buildings and are thought to ward off evil spirits. “Gargoyle” is derived from the French word “gargouille” meaning throat. This references the fact water tends to spill from the mouth of the features. The carvings were added in the Middle Ages to filter rainwater away from the edge of the building and prevent eroding of the mortar on the stone.
While gargoyles are most commonly associated with medieval architecture, they have a much earlier origin. They have been on structures in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Etruscan buildings. The oldest known gargoyle is 13,000 years old in modern-day Turkey.
So what inspired these frightening creatures?
Some historians believe the reason gargoyles are carved across churches was to combine the “pagan” with Christianity. The creature may have been a creature brought to life by non-Christian beliefs. To make converts feel comfortable with the new religion, these beings were carved into the sides of the building as a way to “ward off demons and the workings of the devil.”
But where did this strange bat-like creature come from?
Hammer-headed bats are the largest megabat in continental Africa, with wingspans approaching 1 m. They can be found widely distributed in West and Central Africa. Males of this species have large vocal cords and resonating chambers on their faces, giving them an otherworldly appearance.
The hammer-headed bat is frugivorous, consuming a variety of fruits. It forages at night and sleeps during the day in roosts either alone or in small groups. The bat roosts in trees at least 20 m above the ground.
Today they are considered pests in places like Nigeria for their fruit diet and extremely loud “honking” noises at night. Some places are also studying the animal for its natural defense against the Ebola virus.
The hammer-headed bat was officially described and named in 1861 after French-American zoologist collected a specimen in Gabon. However, this creature has been around for much longer than that.
Gargoyles first appeared in Europe in the 13th century. When they first appeared, they were depictions of known creatures – most commonly lions. It was around the 15th century when the winged creature began appearing on buildings.
In the 15th century, Portugal became the first European country to officially begin direct trade with Africa. This opened the door for Europeans to travel into the unknown continent and come face to face with some of their more unusual creatures. These stories filtered back to the European citizens and they were forever immortalized as Gargoyles.
The gargoyle has become much more popular since the Victorian Era. In fact, many of the well-known gargoyles on the Cathedral of Notre Dame were not added until the 1800’s. New gargoyles have also been added to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Children were asked to design the new face and the face of Darth Vader was added to the side of the building.
There have also been several depictions of gargoyles in pop culture. They famously were added to Victor Hugo’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame” and the Disney animated version. There was also the 1990’s Disney TV series called “Gargoyles.”
The carbuncle is considered a small rodent or feline-like creature with fluffy ears from South American legend. These creatures are heavily associated with precious metals and gemstones. In fact, legend states that they have gems embedded in their foreheads.
The creature’s name is derived from an archaic word for red garnets – which was derived from the Latin carbunculus, meaning “little coal.”
A similar creature by the same name was described as living in the mountains of the Philippines, depicted as a large, venomous snake with a glowing gem on its forehead. However, most of the reports were from the Spanish conquistadors exploring South America in the 16th century.
While descriptions of these creatures can vary widely, stories agree the animals are small with a reflective gem set in the foreheads. Most often the gems are described ad red and flow like fire. Carbuncles also commonly have a hood that can be used to cover the gems when necessary.
Generally, these animals are considered nocturnal and herbivorous making their homes in Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. At night they come out of hiding to search for food and water. It is here that they can be observed due to the bright glow of their gems.
So what inspired these creatures?
One candidate for the carbuncle creature is the pink fairy armadillo. It isn’t too much of a leap to imagine how the pink epidermal plates on the body could have been mistaken for gems. These animals are solitary and live in the desert of central Argentina.
Pink fairy armadillos have small eyes, yellowish-white fur, and a flexible dorsal shell with 24 bands. In addition, it has a spatula-shaped tale. These animals are very small, only reaching 5 inches and weighing 4 oz. This is the smallest living species of armadillo known.
Pink fairy armadillos are nocturnal and primarily eating insects, worms, and plants. These animals have no external ears available and are adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They are quick burrowers and are sometimes nicknamed ‘sand-swimmers.’
The carbuncle was given its name b the Spanish who used a term for red gemstones to describe the species. These reddish armadillos would fall under the description of a red gem for those unfamiliar with these strange creatures, especially if they were found partially rolled.
Today, the Pink fairy armadillo is endangered. It is currently threatened by habitat destruction and predation by domesticated dogs. Researchers have found this creature is highly subject to stress, making attempts to apply conservation policies – including taking it out of its natural environment – extremely difficult and unsuccessful. For this reason, you won’t find any in zoos as they only survive for a few days in captivity. Conservation of this species has been relegated to several protected areas including Lihué Calel National Park.
Delsuc, F., Superina, M., Tilak, M.-K., Douzery, E. J. P., & Hassanin, A. (2012). Molecular phylogenetics unveils the ancient evolutionary origins of the enigmatic fairy armadillos. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(2), 673–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.11.008
Superina, M. (2011). Husbandry of a pink fairy armadillo (chlamyphorus truncatus): Case study of a cryptic and little known species in captivity. Zoo Biology, 30(2), 225–231. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20334
The roc is an enormous legendary bird of prey from Middle Eastern mythology. It appears in stories such as One Thousand and One Nights and Sinbad. Many stories describe the creature as taking the form of an eagle or condor of stupefying size. They are much larger than typical flying monsters and can take on dragons or carry off elephants.
Stories of the creatures may be able to trace their origins to a fight between the Indian solar bird Garuda and the chthonic serpent Naga. Garuda carried off an elephant at the end of the Sanskrit epics.
Other stories can trace back to the 13 century to the merchant Marco Polo. He described a creature that:
“…was for all the world like an eagle, but one indeed of enormous size; so big in fact that its quills were twelve paces long and thick in proportion. And it is so strong that it will seize an elephant in its talons and carry him high into the air and drop him so that he is smashed to pieces; having so killed him, the bird swoops down on him and eats him at leisure.“
Marco Polo claimed the roc was from Madagascar and made distinctions from a griffin.
So what inspired these gargantuan creatures?
Many historians believe that the origins of the roc are due to sitings of the enormous Aepyornis or the Elephant Bird. These birds once lived in Madagascar, but went extinct, probably as a result of human activity.
These birds could be up to 3 m tall and weigh over 700 kg. Due to their large size, these creatures were flightless and looked much like ostriches or emus. Its eggs are the largest bird eggs to have ever existed, weighing 10 kg – over 150 times the size of a chicken’s egg.
Although these birds went extinct relatively recently, the fossil record for them is patchy, causing much debate about their family tree. Madagascar’s environment is not conducive to fossil preservation and causes skeletons to be fragmented.
Modern technology has helped settle these disputes. Researchers started to examine the abundant eggshells preserved. Compared to other birds, elephant bird eggshell is very thick, trapping DNA inside the layers. The eggshell preserves stable isotope signatures that can be matched to plants and animals of the environment to show how these animals lived.
For example, we know switch grasses are rich in the carbon- 4 isotope. Animals such as gazelles and wildebeest come back with carbon-4 stable isotopes as they primarily eat plants that photosynthesize C4.
Physical characteristics of the eggshell can also reveal information about egg size, bird size, nesting behavior, and can sometimes even distinguish bird groups.
Due to its flightlessness and unusual appearance, this creature was most often mistaken as a chick of a much larger species. This led observers to believe these creatures grew into large birds of prey – later known as the Roc.
Tyson, Peter (2000). The Eighth Continent. New York. pp. 138–139.
Ubierna, N., Holloway-Phillips, M.-M., & Farquhar, G. D. (2018). Using stable carbon isotopes to study C3 and C4 photosynthesis: Models and calculations. Methods in Molecular Biology, 155–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7786-4_10
Uno, K. T., Cerling, T. E., Harris, J. M., Kunimatsu, Y., Leakey, M. G., Nakatsukasa, M., & Nakaya, H. (2011). Late miocene to pliocene carbon isotope record of differential diet change among East African herbivores. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(16), 6509–6514. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1018435108
Thousands of ancient pictographs are carved or painted on rocks along the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri. For hundreds of years, explorers have described these images, townspeople whispered about them, and archeologists recorded their findings. The most curious image is that of the Piasa.
The Piasa is a creature from Native American mythology depicted in two murals along the limestone bluffs in Madison County, Illinois. The original illustration has long since weathered away, but a new version has replaced it based on 19th-century sketches.
The sketch depicts a creature called the Piasa. It is supposedly as large as a calf, but had antlers and red eyes and scales or feathers covering the body as well as a tail that could completely wrap around its body. The original descriptions of the cave painting make no mention of wings, but modern depictions show the creature sporting large wings and it is often referred to as a “Piasa Bird.”
So what inspired this painting?
1934 restoration of the Piasa
The first European record of the Piasa comes from Father Jacques Marquette during his 1673 journey down the Mississippi River with Louis Jolliet. He described the painting on the bluffs near modern-day Alton, IL. However, he found it difficult to believe it was painted by the Indigenous people of the area. He did not believe even the most talented French painters would have been about to complete the work. Neither his nor Jolliet’s journal of the expedition made any mention of the pictograph’s significance and his original sketch did not survive.
It was not until John Russell moved to Illinois in the 1830’s that interest was once more sparked by those of European descent. He wrote in several Illinois papers of a winged demon that terrorized the native peoples of the region. He called it the “Piasa” – which Russell claimed was an Illini word meaning “the bird that devours men.” He stated the creature could carry off deer in its talons, but once it tasted human flesh it would eat nothing else. Entire villages were destroyed and the Illini realized the Piasa must be destroyed.
Russell went on to claim that an Illini chief prayed to the Great Spirit for guidance. The chief was directed to select twenty of his best warriors. The chief acted as live bait. As the bird swooped down to seize the chief, the warriors emerged and shot the beast. The painting was to commemorate the victory.
1999 restoration of the Piasa
Modern scholars believe that Russell’s story was mostly fabricated, drawing on a number of sources including the 1833 autobiography of Black Hawk. In this autobiography, Black Hawk reminisced about living on Diamond Island where a spirit lived in a cave in the rocks. This spirit was a giant creature with large wings like a swan. Russell also changed his story several times over the years, further leading scholars to believe it was fabricated.
So what could have inspired the original drawing?
Some scholars believe the Piasa is based on the Califonia condor. The California Condor is the largest North American land bird. Its plumage is black with patches of white and has a bald head with yellow or orange skin. The bird’s wingspan is the widest of any North American bird reaching up to 3.0 m and weighing up to 12 kg. The condor is mainly a scavenger and eats carrion.
Looking at the Califonia Condor, it may be surprising to see how the animal could be mistaken for the animal painted on the cliff face. It may also be surprising to think about this now coastal animal being spotted in the central United States.
Condor range in 1800s
In 1987, all wild condors became extinct. The species only survived in captivity. This species declined dramatically – along with Bald and Golden Eagles – due to the use of an agricultural chemical (DDT) that weakened their eggshells. This prevented their population from replenishing itself. The populations further declined due to poaching and habitat destruction. These animals were put on the critically endangered list. Since the condor population had grown from 27 to 537 as of December 2022.
However, the condor population has not always so diminished. When European settlers came to the western United States, condors could be found across the Rocky Mountain region. Researchers believe the Piasa painting dates back to AD 1000 to 1500, much earlier than range maps exist for.
This species covered North America during the Ice Age. California condor bones can be seen even down in southern Florida. It was not until the extinction of the Ice Age megafauna and American westward expansion that pushed the condors to small range they live today. It is highly likely the condors would have still been present in Illinois when the Piasa was painted.
Condors evolved during the Pleistocene Epoch. As the climate changed, the California Condor became the only remaining member of its family. They evolved to eat the large megafauna that is extinct today (i.e. mammoths, rhinos, camels, etc.). Today, they still prefer to feast on large, terrestrial mammalian carcasses such as deer, goats, horses, cougars, bears, or cattle. It was widely thought that they would scavenge most of their food, however, condors prefer a fresh kill. They do not have a well-developed sense of smell, so scavenging is done by sight and when necessary.
Their size is advantageous when taking down prey or intimidating scavengers away from a carcass. It is possible that the Piasa was inspired when someone saw a condor fighting with another predator over a deer carcass or something similar.
The Piasa painting requires frequent maintenance. The people of Alton take great care to ensure the care of their mysterious creature. Visitors can walk up to the painting and read the historical markers explaining its history. The local high school has even taken the creature as their mascot.
As for the California Condor, this creature also requires constant maintenance. Their conservation project may be one of the most expensive projects in US history, costing over $35 million since WWII. If you are interested in learning more about helping the condor, click here.
Sources:
“California Condor Life History”. Ventana Wildlife Society. Archived from the original on July 30, 2007.
The catoblepas is a legendary creature from Ethiopia. It is described as a mix of a cow, warthog, and hippopotamus that lived in swamps and wastelands. Its name means “to look downwards” due to its head always looking down. Its stare or breath could turn people to stone. It is often called the African version of the Gorgon.
This monstrous creature was considered terrifying with a large body of a bovine, sitting atop squat legs and a long neck with a head that resembled a warthog. The catoblepas possessed a scent that reeked of death and famine, not unlike the swamp gas that filled the environment they lived.
The catoblepas possessed intelligence, grazing on grass and occasionally carrion. It was said that when the full moon shone, they ventured out to hunt for fresh meat.
So what inspired this monster?
The gnu – more commonly called wildebeest – is a group of large African antelopes. The name Wildebeest originate from Dutch meaning “wild beast.” The term “gnu” comes from the Khosian language. The terms are used interchangeably.
The gnu is a keystone species in the plain and acacia savanna ecosystems in southeastern Africa. There are several physical similarities between the gnu and the catoblepas. The gnu has a robust bovine body and a long warthog-esque face. The long face on a long neck as well as the hooded eyes gives the impression the creature is looking down.
Gnus live in a wide variety of habitats, thriving in open plains and temperate grasslands. Some species of gnus are nomadic and migrate in large herds from Tanzania to Kenya. This Great Migration seems to coincide with the changing seasons. They move to where water and food is abundant.
If you travel to Africa, you can watch the Great Migration through the Serengeti between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania to the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. Though you may not run into a catoblepas, you will see hundreds of thousands of those that inspired the legend.
Ao Ao is a monstrous creature from South American mythology – primarily Paraguay. He is said to be one of the cursed sons of the gods Tau and Kerana. He appears as a voracious sheep-like creature with large fangs and an appetite exclusively for humans.
Ao Ao is a fearsome beast. If chased by him, the only escape is climbing a palm tree – sacred in the area. If you climb any other type of tree, Ao Ao will circle the tree, howing incessantly, and dig up or knock it down. His name comes from his howl – sounding like “Ao-Ao-Ao”
So what inspired this strange beast?
The Chacoan peccary is an endangered species of peccary. A peccary is a medium-sized pig like mammal found throughout Central America, South America, and in the Caribbean.
The Chacoan peccary is the largest species of these animal, weighing over 85 lbs (40 kg). They are also the rarest species, living only in the dry Chacoan region of South America ( Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentia). Only 3,000 remain in the world.
The Chacoan peccary was first described in 1930 based on the fossil record and was thought to be extinct. In 1971, the animal was discovered alive in Argentina. The species was well known to the local population, but took a while for the Western scientists to acknowledge its existance.
The Chacoan peccary has many pig-like features. It had hooved feet and a well defined, leathery snought. The bristle-like hair is brown to gray. These animals often travel in herds of 20 individuals. They are active in the day, especially the morning.
Peccaries are social mammals communicating by various sounds, ranging from grunts to chatters to calls. Though some inidivuals can exhibit aggressive behavior, they will not attack unless threatened.
Chacoan peccaries are herbiverous and eat the tough vegitation found in the Gran Chaco region. They graze on cacti, roots, and pods. The large teeth found inside the animals mouth help pull off spines and chew the rough foliage.
The story of Ao Ao has been around for a long time used by Paraguayan adults to scare their children. Historians believe it was inspired by the Chacoan peccaries that also lived in the area. The story lives on, but now the peccaries are considered endangered by the IUCN. The herds are decreasing as a result of habitat loss.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has a species survival plan for the peccary. They help manage the breeding and transfer of the species within accredited insitution to keep it from extinction. It is only found in the Gran Chaco region of South America.
To support the Chacoan peccary, consider supporting the World Land Trust.
Darrah Steffen 