Hybrid beasts in folklore
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| - | {{Template}}nal creatures of two of more [[species]]. Commonly, the half-creature is one part [[human]], such as in the case of the [[Minotaur]], who was said to have been half man, half bull. Half-creatures can be found in [[classical mythology]], as well as in [[modern]] [[fantasy]]. | + | [[Image: True and False Griffins from John Ruskin's Stones of Venice (1851-1853)..jpg|thumb|left|200px|''[[True and False Griffins]]'' from [[John Ruskin]]'s ''[[Modern Painters]]'' (Part IV. Of Many Things), first published in 1856.]] |
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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:The Minotaur.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[The Minotaur]]'' (1885) by George Frederic Watts]] | ||
| + | {{Template}} | ||
| - | ==Mythology== | + | '''Hybrid beasts''' are creatures composed of parts from different [[animal]]s, including [[Human-animal hybrids|humans]], appearing in the [[folklore]] of a variety of cultures as [[legendary creature]]s. |
| - | * [[Centaur|Centaurs]] are half man, half horse. | + | |
| - | * The [[Chimera]], according to [[Homer]], have the foreparts of a lion, the middle of a goat and the hindquarters of a serpent. | + | |
| - | * A [[Griffon]] has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. | + | |
| - | * Minotaurs are half man, half bull. | + | |
| - | * The [[Satyr|Satyrs]] are half goat and half man. | + | |
| - | * The [[Sphinx]] is a lion that has the head of a man. | + | |
| - | * The [[Naga]] has the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake, similar in form to a mermaid. | + | |
| - | * The [[Mermaid]] has the upper body of a human(usually a woman) and the lower body of a fish. | + | |
| - | {{incomplete list}} | + | |
| - | ==Literature== | + | ==In burial sites== |
| - | * A [[Hippogriff]] is a cross between a horse and a Griffon. | + | Remains similar to those of mythological hybrids have been found in burial sites discovered by archaeologists. Known combinations include horse-cows, sheep-cows, and a six-legged sheep. The skeletons were formed by ancient peoples who joined together body parts from animal carcasses of different species. The practice is believed to have been done as an offering to their gods. |
| - | * [[Youwarkee]] is half bird, half girl. | + | |
| - | * A [[Quetzal]] is a part bird part human creature. | + | |
| + | ==Description== | ||
| + | These forms' [[Motif (narrative)|motif]]s appear across cultures in many [[mythologies]] around the world. | ||
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| + | Such hybrids can be classified as partly human hybrids (such as [[mermaid]]s or [[centaur]]s) or non-human hybrids combining two or more non-human animal species (such as the [[griffin]] or the [[chimera (mythology)|chimera]]). Hybrids often originate as [[zoomorphic]] deities who, over time, are given an [[anthropomorphic]] aspect. | ||
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| + | ===Paleolithic=== | ||
| + | Partly human hybrids appear in [[petroglyph]]s or [[cave painting]]s from the [[Upper Paleolithic]], in [[shamanism|shamanistic]] or [[totemism|totemistic]] contexts. Ethnologist Ivar Lissner theorized that [[cave paintings]] of beings combining human and animal features were not physical representations of mythical hybrids, but were instead attempts to depict [[shaman]]s in the process of acquiring the mental and spiritual attributes of various beasts or [[power animal]]s. Religious historian [[Mircea Eliade]] has observed that beliefs regarding animal identity and [[shapeshifting|transformation into animals]] are widespread. The iconography of the [[Vinca culture]] of [[Neolithic Europe]] in particular is noted for its frequent depiction of an owl-beaked "[[bird goddess]]", although this interpretation is being criticized as feminist archeology. | ||
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| + | ===Ancient Egypt=== | ||
| + | Examples of humans with animal heads ([[theriocephaly]]) in the [[ancient Egyptian pantheon]] include jackal-headed [[Anubis]], cobra-headed [[Amunet]], lion-headed [[Sekhmet]], falcon-headed [[Horus]], etc. Most of these deities also have a purely zoomorphic and a purely anthropomorphic aspect, with the hybrid representation seeking to capture aspects of both of which at once. Similarly, the [[Gaul]]ish ''[[Artio]]'' sculpture found in [[Berne]] shows a juxtaposition of a bear and a woman figure, interpreted as representations of the theriomorphic and the anthropomorphic aspect of the same goddess. | ||
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| + | Non-human hybrids also appear in ancient Egyptian iconography as in [[Ammit]] (combining the [[crocodile]], the [[lion]], and the [[hippopotamus]]). | ||
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| + | ===Ancient Middle East=== | ||
| + | Mythological hybrids became very popular in [[Luwian]] and [[Neo-Assyrian|Assyrian]] art of the [[Late Bronze Age]] to [[Early Iron Age]]. The angel (human with birds' wings, see [[winged genie]]) the mermaid (part human part fish, see [[Enki]], [[Atargatis]], [[Apkallu]]) and the [[Shedu]] all trace their origins to Assyro-Babylonian art. In [[Mesopotamian mythology]] the ''urmahlullu'', or lion-man served as a guardian spirit, especially of bathrooms. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Old Babylonian [[Lilitu]] demon, particularly as shown in the [[Burney Relief]] (part-woman, part-owl) prefigures the [[harpy]]/[[Siren (mythology)|siren]] [[Motif (narrative)|motif]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Harpy|Harpies]] were human sized birds with the faces of human women. They were once considered beautiful creatures but over time were then considered to be ugly and hideous creatures. Harpies were used for torture, their most known torture was that of [[Phineus]] who was said to have offended the heavens. They would torture their victims by taking food from them and polluting what was left with their feces. They would leave just enough for their victims to stay alive. | ||
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| + | ===Mediterranean=== | ||
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| + | In [[Archaic Greece]], Luwian and Assyrian motifs were imitated, during the [[Orientalizing Period]] (9th to 8th centuries BC), inspiring the monsters of the [[Greek mythology|mythology]] of the [[Classical Greek period]], such as the [[Chimera (mythology)|Chimera]], the [[Harpy]], the [[Centaur]], the [[Griffin]], the [[Hippocampus (mythology)|Hippocampus]], [[Talos]], [[Pegasus]], etc. | ||
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| + | The motif of the winged man appears in the Assyrian [[winged genie]], and is taken up in the Biblical [[Seraphim]] and [[Chayot]], the Etruscan [[Vanth]], Hellenistic [[Eros]]-[[Cupid|Amor]], and ultimately the Christian iconography of [[angel]]s. | ||
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| + | The motif of otherwise human figures sporting [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]]s may derive from partly [[goat]] hybrids (as in [[Pan (mythology)|Pan]] and the [[Devil]] in Christian iconography) or as partly [[Bull (mythology)|bull]] hybrids ([[Minotaur]]). The [[Gundestrup cauldron]] and the [[Pashupati]] figure have [[stag]]'s [[antlers]] (see also [[Horned God]], [[horned helmet]]). The Christian representation of [[Moses]] with horns, however, is due to a mistranslation of the Hebrew text of [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 34:29–35 by [[Jerome]]. | ||
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| + | ===Hinduism=== | ||
| + | The most prominent hybrid in [[Hinduism|Hindu]] iconography is [[elephant]]-headed [[Ganesha]], god of wisdom, knowledge and new beginnings. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Both [[Nāga]] and [[Garuda]] are non-hybrid mythical animals ([[snake]] and [[bird]], respectively) in their early attestations, but become partly human hybrids in later iconography. | ||
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| + | The [[Hindu deities|god]] [[Vishnu]] is believed to have taken his first four [[incarnation]]s in human-animal form, namely: [[Matsya]] ([[human]] form with [[fish]]'s body below waist), [[Kurma]] (human form with [[turtle]]'s body below waist), [[Varaha]] (human form with a [[boar]]'s head), [[Narasimha]] (human form with [[lion]]'s head). | ||
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| + | [[Kamadhenu]], the [[mythical]] cow which is considered to be the mother of all other [[cattle]] is often portrayed as a cow with human head, [[peacock]] tail and bird wings. | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | *''[[Legendary creatures]] | + | * [[Animal worship]] |
| - | *''[[List of legendary creatures]] | + | * [[Bestiary]] |
| + | * [[Cryptozoology]] | ||
| + | * [[Human-animal hybrid]] | ||
| + | * [[Hybrid (biology)|Hybrid]] | ||
| + | * [[Liminal being]] | ||
| + | * [[Monster]] | ||
| + | * [[Power animal]] | ||
| + | * [[Shapeshifting]] | ||
| + | * [[Therianthropy]] | ||
| + | * [[Theriocephaly]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Linking in as of 2022== | ||
| + | [[Ah! My Goddess (season 1)]], [[Ancient Egyptian deities]], [[Animal Tarot]], [[Anzû]], [[Avatea]], [[Babylonian star catalogues]], [[Basilisk]], [[Bigby Wolf]], [[Braindead (film)]], [[Buraq]], [[Capricornus]], [[Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura]], [[Cego]], [[Centaur]], [[Centaurides]], [[Centaurs in popular culture]], [[Chalkydri]], [[Cherub]], [[Chimera (mythology)]], [[Crocoduck]], [[Crystal Mask]], [[Die Schneider Krankheit]], [[Emblem of Thailand]], [[Flint the Time Detective]], [[Gaiapolis]], [[Goatman (urban legend)]], [[Golden Horns of Gallehus]], [[Griffin]], [[Han dynasty]], [[Harpy]], [[Hathin]], [[Hippalectryon]], [[History of the Han dynasty]], [[Hohle Fels]], [[Human–animal hybrid]], [[Humanoid]], [[Hybrid (biology)]], [[Hybrid]], [[Hydra (constellation)]], [[Jackalope]], [[Kayan people (Myanmar)]], [[Lamashtu]], [[Lamassu]], [[Legendary creature]], [[Liminal being]], [[List of characters in mythology novels by Rick Riordan]], [[List of creatures in Meitei folklore]], [[List of dragons in mythology and folklore]], [[Locust (disambiguation)]], [[Magical creature]], [[Mannerism]], [[Markus Meurer]], [[Mermaid]], [[Microchimerism]], [[Monster]], [[Mušḫuššu]], [[Mythology in France]], [[Nazar (TV series)]], [[Pegasus]], [[Peryton]], [[Pixiu]], [[Rock n Roll (Avril Lavigne song)]], [[Satyr]], [[Simurgh]], [[Sphinx]], [[Strange Invaders]], [[Tarasque]], [[The Cloisters]], [[The Echorium Sequence]], [[The Little Mermaid (TV series)]], [[Theow]], [[Therianthropy]], [[Tikbalang]], [[Urmahlullu]], [[Wendigo]], [[Werewolf]], [[Winged genie]], [[Xian (Taoism)]], [[Xiao (mythology)]], [[Zodiac]], [[Zoomorphism]] | ||
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Current revision
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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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Featured: |
Hybrid beasts are creatures composed of parts from different animals, including humans, appearing in the folklore of a variety of cultures as legendary creatures.
Contents |
In burial sites
Remains similar to those of mythological hybrids have been found in burial sites discovered by archaeologists. Known combinations include horse-cows, sheep-cows, and a six-legged sheep. The skeletons were formed by ancient peoples who joined together body parts from animal carcasses of different species. The practice is believed to have been done as an offering to their gods.
Description
These forms' motifs appear across cultures in many mythologies around the world.
Such hybrids can be classified as partly human hybrids (such as mermaids or centaurs) or non-human hybrids combining two or more non-human animal species (such as the griffin or the chimera). Hybrids often originate as zoomorphic deities who, over time, are given an anthropomorphic aspect.
Paleolithic
Partly human hybrids appear in petroglyphs or cave paintings from the Upper Paleolithic, in shamanistic or totemistic contexts. Ethnologist Ivar Lissner theorized that cave paintings of beings combining human and animal features were not physical representations of mythical hybrids, but were instead attempts to depict shamans in the process of acquiring the mental and spiritual attributes of various beasts or power animals. Religious historian Mircea Eliade has observed that beliefs regarding animal identity and transformation into animals are widespread. The iconography of the Vinca culture of Neolithic Europe in particular is noted for its frequent depiction of an owl-beaked "bird goddess", although this interpretation is being criticized as feminist archeology.
Ancient Egypt
Examples of humans with animal heads (theriocephaly) in the ancient Egyptian pantheon include jackal-headed Anubis, cobra-headed Amunet, lion-headed Sekhmet, falcon-headed Horus, etc. Most of these deities also have a purely zoomorphic and a purely anthropomorphic aspect, with the hybrid representation seeking to capture aspects of both of which at once. Similarly, the Gaulish Artio sculpture found in Berne shows a juxtaposition of a bear and a woman figure, interpreted as representations of the theriomorphic and the anthropomorphic aspect of the same goddess.
Non-human hybrids also appear in ancient Egyptian iconography as in Ammit (combining the crocodile, the lion, and the hippopotamus).
Ancient Middle East
Mythological hybrids became very popular in Luwian and Assyrian art of the Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age. The angel (human with birds' wings, see winged genie) the mermaid (part human part fish, see Enki, Atargatis, Apkallu) and the Shedu all trace their origins to Assyro-Babylonian art. In Mesopotamian mythology the urmahlullu, or lion-man served as a guardian spirit, especially of bathrooms.
The Old Babylonian Lilitu demon, particularly as shown in the Burney Relief (part-woman, part-owl) prefigures the harpy/siren motif.
Harpies were human sized birds with the faces of human women. They were once considered beautiful creatures but over time were then considered to be ugly and hideous creatures. Harpies were used for torture, their most known torture was that of Phineus who was said to have offended the heavens. They would torture their victims by taking food from them and polluting what was left with their feces. They would leave just enough for their victims to stay alive.
Mediterranean
In Archaic Greece, Luwian and Assyrian motifs were imitated, during the Orientalizing Period (9th to 8th centuries BC), inspiring the monsters of the mythology of the Classical Greek period, such as the Chimera, the Harpy, the Centaur, the Griffin, the Hippocampus, Talos, Pegasus, etc.
The motif of the winged man appears in the Assyrian winged genie, and is taken up in the Biblical Seraphim and Chayot, the Etruscan Vanth, Hellenistic Eros-Amor, and ultimately the Christian iconography of angels.
The motif of otherwise human figures sporting horns may derive from partly goat hybrids (as in Pan and the Devil in Christian iconography) or as partly bull hybrids (Minotaur). The Gundestrup cauldron and the Pashupati figure have stag's antlers (see also Horned God, horned helmet). The Christian representation of Moses with horns, however, is due to a mistranslation of the Hebrew text of Exodus 34:29–35 by Jerome.
Hinduism
The most prominent hybrid in Hindu iconography is elephant-headed Ganesha, god of wisdom, knowledge and new beginnings.
Both Nāga and Garuda are non-hybrid mythical animals (snake and bird, respectively) in their early attestations, but become partly human hybrids in later iconography.
The god Vishnu is believed to have taken his first four incarnations in human-animal form, namely: Matsya (human form with fish's body below waist), Kurma (human form with turtle's body below waist), Varaha (human form with a boar's head), Narasimha (human form with lion's head).
Kamadhenu, the mythical cow which is considered to be the mother of all other cattle is often portrayed as a cow with human head, peacock tail and bird wings.
See also
- Animal worship
- Bestiary
- Cryptozoology
- Human-animal hybrid
- Hybrid
- Liminal being
- Monster
- Power animal
- Shapeshifting
- Therianthropy
- Theriocephaly
Linking in as of 2022
Ah! My Goddess (season 1), Ancient Egyptian deities, Animal Tarot, Anzû, Avatea, Babylonian star catalogues, Basilisk, Bigby Wolf, Braindead (film), Buraq, Capricornus, Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura, Cego, Centaur, Centaurides, Centaurs in popular culture, Chalkydri, Cherub, Chimera (mythology), Crocoduck, Crystal Mask, Die Schneider Krankheit, Emblem of Thailand, Flint the Time Detective, Gaiapolis, Goatman (urban legend), Golden Horns of Gallehus, Griffin, Han dynasty, Harpy, Hathin, Hippalectryon, History of the Han dynasty, Hohle Fels, Human–animal hybrid, Humanoid, Hybrid (biology), Hybrid, Hydra (constellation), Jackalope, Kayan people (Myanmar), Lamashtu, Lamassu, Legendary creature, Liminal being, List of characters in mythology novels by Rick Riordan, List of creatures in Meitei folklore, List of dragons in mythology and folklore, Locust (disambiguation), Magical creature, Mannerism, Markus Meurer, Mermaid, Microchimerism, Monster, Mušḫuššu, Mythology in France, Nazar (TV series), Pegasus, Peryton, Pixiu, Rock n Roll (Avril Lavigne song), Satyr, Simurgh, Sphinx, Strange Invaders, Tarasque, The Cloisters, The Echorium Sequence, The Little Mermaid (TV series), Theow, Therianthropy, Tikbalang, Urmahlullu, Wendigo, Werewolf, Winged genie, Xian (Taoism), Xiao (mythology), Zodiac, Zoomorphism
