Nonetheless, three species of manatees and the one dugong species form the animal order of Sirenia, so named in honor of the ‘drunk and lonely sailor’ t… The Mermaid myth. In the case of one such myth—the presence of mermaids—the story of how the legend came to be is almost as interesting as the myth itself! It was in such a rapturous fashion that the late Dr Richard Spittel, Sri Lanka's renowned wildlife conservationist, anthropologist, 
and surgeon, once described the Gulf of Mannar, a unique corner of the Indian Ocean nestling between northern 
Sri Lanka and the south-eastern tip of India. Several months ago my daughter asked me what I considered a very unusual question. The Truth And The Myth About Mermaid. The idea of mermaid-like creatures might not have totally originated with manatees; it could just be that manatees -- when spotted -- fit the bill. Barnum famously did with the ‘Feejee Mermaid’. The Dutch were also inclined to believe in the existence of mermaids. Remarkably, the range of the non-migratory dugong once extended from the Red Sea, Arabian coast and the east coast of Africa in the west, to the Solomon and Marshall Islands and New Caledonia in the east. It is termed thus due to its propensity to eat sea-grass - in the Gulf of Mannar the underwater pastures of the genus Cymodocea. 0 1 2 ... Dugongs are thought to have started the myths of mermaids. For you see mermaids are listed in mythology while manatees and dugongs are known and documented creatures of the sea. If we don’t take actions like slowing boaters and reducing fertilizer runoff, we may lose these creatures, and a source of mermaid myth will vanish from the ocean. Awareness programmes are, thankfully, being planned; of especial importance to fishermen although other conservation measures under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance are urgently required due to the dugong's highly endangered status. She was so ashamed that she jumped into a lake to transform in a fish. It’s not surprising, then, that sailors spotted these animals from their ship’s deck. An entity born from the imagination of man, it is but a legend. The little mermaid was based on a story of water nymph in German folklore named Undine (elemental beings) who could only obtain an immortal soul by marrying a human being. Sri Lanka cannot afford to lose the dugong, the mermaid of the Gulf of Mannar. He even relates several instances when mermaids were supposedly captured. Ask Question Log in. The dugong is said to be the origin of the mermaid myth. The Myth of the Mermaids The word ‘Dugong’ is derived from the Malay word for the animal ‘Duyung’ which means ‘lady of the sea’ or ‘mermaid’. ... We believed that dugong was once a human, according to the legend." Around the world, dugongs have been hunted to near extinction. Closely linked with the mermaid myth, these alert, shy and curious creatures can live up to 70 years. Mermaid Myth Dugong Cruise, Monkey Mia Introduction Spend the afternoon on the 60 foot catamaran “Shotover” in search of the mysterious dugong; the only wildlife sailing cruise in Australia to offer scheduled “mermaid” (dugong) watching cruises. There’s a 2.7-meter-long skeleton of a big underwater creature in the Grant Museum of Zoology, right when you enter the main room. Have you ever watched Ariel the little mermaid? Mermaids Uncovered. The most likely explanation for those mermaid sightings reported by sailors both past and present is confusion with other marine creatures, specifically, the manatee or dugong. Engaging the public with research & collections. They are conventionally depicted as beautiful with long flowing hair. This was allowed to be submitted to the members of the Philosophical Society, when it proved to be the Dugong,” as written in England’s Magazine of Natural History. While manatees can be very graceful in the water, they typically weigh in at over 1000 pounds and their faces are not easy to mistake for a woman’s face. The dugong is an awkward looking animal with its somewhat elephant-like trunkless head - indeed it is a distant relative of the elephant, which makes it of added interest in the context of Sri Lanka's fauna - large horseshoe-shaped upper lip, and bulbous body. When this ended in 1854, these ningyo (which translates to ‘man-fish’), began to circulate as objects of good fortune, supernatural potency, and — perhaps above all — as a means to spark the curiosity of the public. But that's exactly what dugongs were once mistaken for, according to … There is a theory that mermaid legends came about as a result of (presumably very drunk and very lonely) sailors mistaking manatees or dugongs (salt-water relatives of manatees) for attractive women with fish tails. Mermaids have often been mentioned in legends and folklore stories, each giving an individual twist to the identity and characteristics of the organism. If you have, then you should know what mermaids appear like. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mermaid specimens held a particular grip on Western popular imagination. Now I just heard on TV (the Spike show "MANswers, not the most reliable of sources, perhaps) that the female dugong has genitals most similar to the human female, and they either implied or said outright that sailors would doink them. I have known stray specimens to be caught about Dondra and Matara.". They resemble a walrus, related to the elephant, called a sea-cow and growing to three metres and weighing up to 400 kilograms. The myth of sirens, which goes back to the civilization of ancient Greece, is as much aged as dugongs are, of which remains dating from 6000 years ago have been found. The mammary glands of females in the Sirenia genus are located on their upper bodies near their armpits, which are likely to have contributed to the reported ‘mermaid’ sightings of explorers and sailors. The spectacular Ves dance is an experience few visitors to Sri Lanka can afford to miss. Such ningyo have also been made by the Japanese, one of the most famous examples being P. T. Barnum’s ‘Fiji Mermaid’ . And these ‘Japanese mermaids’ continue to captivate our interest into the present day, not only out of curiosity but for science and conservation studies; researchers at the nearby Wellcome Collection recently investigated what two of these cleverly constructed specimens (long assumed to be a monkey head sewn to a fish body) are actually made of. (Credit: The Mariners’ Museum). To imagine them as sensual lithe mermaids is a great exercise if you come face to face with a dugong! Some have supposed them to be devils or spirits in regard to the whooping noise that they make.". The first depiction of a half human-half fish creature is thought to be of the Babylonian water god Oannes as far back as 5000 BCE. Dugong is derived from the Malay name for the animal, duyong, meaning "lady of the sea". Because Sailors used to mistake them for mermaids. tayle of a porposse, and speckled like a macrell.”, An 1817 coloured engraving of mermaids. Origins. first depiction of a half human-half fish creature, Myths in the Museum: Horseshoe Crabs, Blue Blood, and Modern Medicine | UCL Researchers in Museums, EPISODE 13: Riot Girls at Sea – Zero Percent Scared, Stress: Approaches to the First World War. There is now only 1 species in this family, the other member, Steller’s sea cow, having been exterminated in the 18th century by excessive hunting, only 25 years after its discovery. The animal - a type of mammal that is sometimes thought to be the source of the mermaid myth - … The Viceroy's physician who dissected the carcasses in Goa is quoted as having pronounced their internal structure to be "in all respects conformable to the human". While manatees can be found in estuarine and fresh waters, dugongs are strictly marine mammals. ^ Muller, P. L. S., 1776. Legend has it that in the early 13th century a mermaid washed ashore in Hakata Bay on the Japanese island of Kyushu. They protect and preserve marine life. What do you need to create a justice system? Sri Lanka cannot afford to lose the dugong, 
the mermaid of the Gulf of MannarSo perfectly located are these openings that no other part of either the head or body breaks the water's surface when a surreptitious breath is taken. Since the lower part of her body resembles a fish, Atargatis is often referred to as a mermaid goddess. Myth Stories about Mermaids. Even the British Museum down the road boasts having its own mermaid. So it is of interest that during the past the Island and its surrounding sea, especially the Gulf of Mannar, were firmly linked with mermaid-lore and sightings of mermaid-like creatures. Sirena or mermaid, according to myth is a sea creature, half woman and half fish. It may not look like it now, but just think of how this creature inspired sailors, shamans, and showmen to perpetuate myths of mermaids across the world, and over hundreds of years! The sirens of Greek mythology (especially the Odyssey), conceived of as half-bird and half-woman, gradually shifted to the image of a fish-tailed woman. September 2013. The manatee might not have fooled some sharper-eyed sailors, and it probably wasn't the reason that mermaid legends (in general) were born. NG Live! In her going downe they saw her tayle, which was like the The dugong skeleton making waves (Grant Museum, Z33). They're blubbery, whiskery, rotund and about as far removed from the lissom, nubile image of mermaids as you could get. This contradicts the older tradition, expressed so eloquently by Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595): Since once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back,Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, That the rude sea grew civil at her song, And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid's music. The famous Disney movie, the magical story by Hans Christian Anderson (1836). So next time you’re at the Grant Museum, take a look at the dugong skeleton. The dugong and the manatee are related to the myth of sirens, enough to be classified in the order of Sirenians (or Sirenidae). as they say they saw her, but her body as big as one of us. ... Lots of mermaid folk tales and myths say they are, and others don't. (Credit: Wellcome Collection), Captain Hailborne at St. Johns Newfoundland, from Newe Welt und Americanische Historian by Ludwig Gottfried, 1655. From a Picture by Otto Sinding, A Sri Lanka stamp featuring the elusive Dugong. An entity born from the imagination of man, it is but a legend. Henry Wellcome (1853-1936), whose massive collection has been distributed over the years to various museums including our own Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, saw mermaids worth purchasing for their anthropological value; his two specimens are now housed in the Science Museum over in South Kensington, and in the Buxton Museum. It was a scene of breathless beauty, a glory of the firmament that whispered to the heart of man: It is God.". Dugongs mostly feed at night, especially in areas where there is human interference with their activities. Now I just heard on TV (the Spike show "MANswers, not the most reliable of sources, perhaps) that the female dugong has genitals most similar to the human female, and they either implied or said outright that sailors would doink them. I’ve always heard that manatees and dugongs were the source of the siren and mermaid myths. Words Richard Boyle "Over the tranquil sea of the Gulf of Mannar the morning breeze blew fresh. Myths in the Museum: The Dugong and the Mermaid, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 2000. The dugong is a truly remarkable animal, yet awareness of its basic characteristics, and even existence in Sri Lankan waters, is badly lacking amongst both the local population and visitors. It is this endearing attribute, together with its near-human appearance and proportions when viewed from a distance, which almost certainly resulted in the dugong becoming the basis for mariners' tales of mermaids. Females don’t … They also possess a dolphin fluke-like tail. In addition to the numerous species of fish - including sharks and stingrays - turtles, and an array of dolphins and whales, there is the intriguing, myth-laden, and highly endangered dugong, sadly an almost forgotten creature among Sri Lanka's fauna. and the extinct Steller’s Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) are in the animal order Sirenia, named for the beautiful sea sirens of classical mythology, a sea nymph, part woman and part bird.Legends tell of sea nymphs bewitching sailors with their siren song, luring ships to a shattering end (in rocky seabeds. Another Dutch chaplain, Baldaeus, was more down-to-earth when he wrote in 1703: "They have a peculiar fish (probably a sea-calf) of an amphibious nature; the females have breasts and give suck, and the flesh, when well-boiled, tastes not unlike our sturgeon, and might easily be mistaken for veal. The Portuguese cherished belief in the mermaid, for according to an annalist of the exploits of the Jesuits in India, seven were captured in the Gulf of Mannar in 1560. The equivalent term in Old English was merewif. The idea of mermaid-like creatures might not have totally originated with manatees; it could just be that manatees -- when spotted -- fit the bill. A lesser known cousin of the manatee, the dugong (Malay for “lady of the sea”) is said to have inspired ancient mermaid legends. Yes, manatees and dugongs are scientific genus called "sirenia". Mermaids were sought after by collectors and showmen alike to draw crowds, as P.T. The drastic reduction in the range of the dugong, as well as its uncertain survival as a species, is due mainly to its vulnerability. We all know who he is, Jermaine Jackson, needs no introduction. Read more about the study, and other animals thought to be pure myth. The Syrian deity Atargatis was a goddess of fertility and a guardian of the Syrian people. Rarely exceeding three metres in length, it belongs to Sirenia, an order of aquatic mammals with forelimbs modified as flippers and a horizontally-flattened tail. The word mermaid comes from the words mer (sea) and maid (girl). What is a Dugong? Being a slow-moving vegetarian that prefers localized habitats in shallow waters around bays and inlets, and with no means of defence, the dugong is a victim of pollution, accidental netting, and indiscriminate fishing. As Rita Dal Martello has written on our blog before, dugongs and manatees both belong to the animal genus Sirenia, and share the common name ‘sea cow’. One of these specimens "lived four days and seven hours, but refusing all food, died without leaving any intelligible account of herself". Today dugongs are better understood. Mermaids of Asia: Dugongs, Dragon Wives and the Deep ... co-author of The Origins of the Mermaid Myth, points out, a Dutch seaman called Hamel … The dugong and the manatee are related to the myth of sirens, enough to be classified in the order of Sirenians (or Sirenidae). For instance, it has bee… An illustration of a Dugong. Apart from these factors, the dugong is a slow breeder, because the suckling of its young is a lengthy process. During the day, the dugong remains some distance out to sea, resting and keeping a watchful eye open for danger. ‘Singing’ Dugongs could likely be the reality behind the myth of mermaids. Unlike their Western counterparts, the Japanese ningyo, in general, are much less attractive. The endangered dugong is nature's only vegetarian sea mammal. Journal of Museum Ethnography, (27): 98-116. The dugong is an aquatic animal and has a tail like a mermaid. They live under the sea, together with Dugong, and other sea creatures. The myth of humanlike water spirits has perpetuated over the centuries. Viscardi P, Hollinshead A, MacFarlane R, Moffatt J, 2014. Filed under Current Engagers, Jen Datiles, Museum Collections, Myths in the Museum, Tags: Grant Museum, museums, Myths in the Museum, natural history, UCL Researchers in Museums, […] is the third segment in the Myths in the Museum series; you can go back and read about the dugong and mermaid, and the narwhal and […], […] Myths in the Museum: The Dugong and the Mermaid […], Myths in the Museum: The Iron-Eater and the Ostrich Egg, Multispectral Imaging of Leonardo da Vinci Drawings, ‘Writing the Law’ Launches at Lambeth Palace Library, Student Engagers Win ‘Oscars of Science Journalism!’. The hype began when several astonishingly realistic mermaid ‘specimens’ from Asia — primarily from Japan — made their way to Europe during Japan’s isolation policy under the Tokugawa shogunate. In addition to the Gulf, the dugong once populated the Island's east coast as Hugh Nevill notes in his journal, The Taprobanian (1885): "Off Batticaloa it is reported by fishermen to live permanently towards Vandeloos Bay, and it is occasionally caught in the outlet of the Batticaloa Lake. It's a rare and elusive sea creature that can be seen in the coastal waters of Mozambique where it is protected. The dugong is an aquatic animal and has a tail like a mermaid. 11B. The siren is a distinct classification of aquatic sea life with special characteristics and all of the characteristics are a direct parallel of the mermaid. Dugongs, manatees (Trichechus spp.) For ages, it has been forbidden to eat dugong. Another reason why dugongs are seldom seen is that they breathe through their nostrils. (Credit: Royal Academy), The “mermaid” from the Horniman Museum. Dugongs have a very low reproductive rate. Nevertheless, there are also ningyo which bear even less resemblance to the mermaids of the West. Onescritus, a pilot in Alexander the Great's India expedition, was the first to refer to the abundance of herbivorous marine mammals in these waters. "Over the tranquil sea of the Gulf of Mannar the morning breeze blew fresh. As the animal dives, the nostrils close automatically, and it can remain submerged for upwards of five minutes. The manatee—along with its Pacific Ocean counterpart, the dugong—comes from the order sirenia. 8. In Sri Lanka it is commonly referred to as "sea-pig" (elsewhere as "sea-cow" even "sea-camel"), a translation of both the Sinhala name muda ura and Tamil name kadel pardi. 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