Interesting Facts about Mermaids.
Mermaids are the mythical creatures that were initially created as the personifications of the water deities of ancient civilizations. They were celebrated as the bringers of life and fertility because of the sea endless supply of food, and also as forces of great nature power and destruction.
The most common cause of constant sighing of mermaids during the centuries was manatees (sea cows). Their mermaid-like appearance caused sailors to mistake them when viewing them from afar. Even Christopher Columbus reported seeing ugly and fat mermaids on his first voyage to America.
Mermaids are presented in almost every culture across the world as beautiful women who have fish tails as lower half of their bodies (sometimes snake tails), long hair and beautiful voice that can mesmerise or hypnotize men who hear it.
Modern view of mermaids was shaped by Hans Christian Andersen 1836 fairytale "The Little Mermaid" which describes how mermaid princess gave up her voice for a chance to be together with prince that lived on the land. Original story did not have happy end, which was changed in very popular animated movie made by Disney.
Some of the powers of the mermaid are immortality, seeing the future, telepathy and hypnosis.
Modern day view of mermaids is often mixed with sirens, who are much more aggressive and dangerous creatures.
Sirens are often attributed with the powers of destruction, ability to gather storms, lure sailors in the death, lead ships to crash into rocks, cause insanity and conjure fog.
Sirens are vengeful and carnivorous mythical creatures from the Greek pantheon of goods. Even thought they were often presented as flying creatures, Greek myth of water sirens became very popular in the Europe.
The most famous deities that carried the form of mermaid were Assyrian goddess Astarte, Greek Triton and Aphrodite, and African deity MamiWata. They all represent beauty, fertility, danger of seduction, force of nature and destruction.
The most famous local folk-tales about mermaids is Guam's Sirena, and Brazil's Iara.
Mermaids are the female members of the underwater race of merfolk. Males are called mermen, and are supposedly ever more shy and secretive than their female counterparts. In almost every story about them they never come to the surface to the ocean.
The most used weapons of merfolk are tridents made of whale bone or coral, sharp shells, octopus-ink darts, and shark teeth.
Mermaids are always naked, but they carry some fashion accessories - pearl necklaces, crowns, bracelets, hand mirrors, combs and sometimes musical instruments.
In modern popular culture, there are four types of mermaids. Traditional mermaids that can only live in the sea, skin shedding mermaids that can walk on the land for the short periods of time (most common in Irish folklore), shape-shifting mermaids that can change to the human form at their wish, and entirely human form merfolk that can live on both land and sea (popularized in the Persian collection of folktales "One Thousand and One Nights").
Mermaids and sirens represent very important parts of pirate mythos. During the golden age of the piracy, mermaid sightings reached their peak and many stories about them entered into folklore of Central America.
Mermaids can today be seen in many corporate logos and official seals. Sirens were also inspiration for naming the "sirenia" order of water dwelling herbivorous mammals.
Sirens and mermaids are well represented in modern day pop culture, media and arts. They are the often included in fantasy books and movies and songs are written about them regularly.
Types of Mermaids and Sirens.
By origin
Deities - Some of the earliest mermaids were goddesses who represented fertility, beauty, sex, but also very destructive force of nature that can be found at sea. Most famous examples are Assiraian goddess Astarte, Greek Aphrodite and African Mami Wata.
Mythical creatures - As the humans slowly learned how to survive to the sea, mermaids become part of the folklore and legends. They were no more gods, but spirits of the sea that brought both good and bad things to the sailors who encountered them.
Human transformation - Some myths speak of the mermaids that could transform into human state. Irish folklore especially protects this lore to this day, and famous Persian book "Arabian Nights" speak in multiple occasions of the human race of sea dwellers (without fishtails) that can live both in water and on dry.
Commercialized modern day -Current pop-culture view of mermaids was formed in Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale "The Little Mermaid", and its modern day adaptation in Disney's animated movie of the same name.
By location
Middle East -Babylonians and Assyrians were the first who showcased some of their gods as water creatures, most notably mermaid goddess Astarte.
Europe - European view of mermaids was greatly influenced by the Greek culture and their myths of Sirens - malevolent and carnivorous creatures that lured sailors into their deaths.
Asia - Chinese and Japanese cultures have their own stories about beautiful mermaids, who can grant riches and immortality to those who are worthy
Carribean - Haitian tradition of Vodou mentions water spirit called Lasiren, beautiful mermaid that bears close resemblance to the African goddess Mami Wata.
Africa - African goddess MamiWata had a big influence on the people of Africa, their diaspora and many other cultures around the world.
South America - The most famous siren from South America is Iara, Amazonian water spirit that is blamed for many deaths and misfortunes in that continent.
By their abilities
Mermaids - Lovely, wise and very shy creatures of the sea that in stories often fall in love with sailors and bear them children.
Sirens - Dangerous spirits of the sea that can conjure storm and fog, foretell death, read minds and generally wreak havoc of every level. For a long time they were one of the sources of blame for many shipwrecks and deaths on long sea journeys.
ShipSavers - Sirens that are bound to help guide ships trough rough waters filled with dangerous rocks. Some scientist and historians claim that they represented nothing but migration patterns of manatees and dugongs, animals that were traditionally often mistaken for mermaids and sirens.
SpellSingers - Mermaids and Sirens who can lure the sailors to the sea, and the wandering isolated males to the shores where they are awaiting them. Sometimes with good intentions, sometimes not.
ShapeShifters - Several mermaid myths mention shape shifting sirens, which are able to transform into sea animals, fishes, snakes, and off course humans.
WeatherWorkers - Mermaids and Sirens who have ability to control the weather, usually at the expense of sailors who are nearby.
PearlWeepers - Popular myth of mermaids who can weep tears that instantly transforms into most beautiful pears. Some believe that they are made when mermaid walks on her newly form legs on the shore, which each new step being more painful than the last.