Mythical creatures of different nations that have real prototypes (11 photos)

Mermaids, unicorns, chupacabras, werewolves and basilisks. We are used to seeing all these creatures on the pages of myths and legends, or in video games and movies. It may seem that they are all just part of the folklore of different nations, which were used to scare children before bed so that they would behave well. And, of course, they are all pure fantasy. However, this is not quite true. After all, many mythical creatures have very real prototypes. Let's take a look at them.

Mermaid





Mermaids are women of heavenly beauty with fish tails. They have stunning, captivating voices and do everything possible to lure passing sailors into their magical bonds.

There is every reason to believe that these creatures appeared in the mass consciousness of people because of the stories of the already mentioned sailors, who, after spending a long time away from land, mistook various animals for women. Most often these were seals and manatees. By the way, researcher Allan John talks about this phenomenon in detail in his scientific work.

Kraken



The Kraken is a mythological monster that is a huge mollusk capable of sinking boats and entire ships. Most often found in stories of fishermen in Norway and Greenland. The first detailed description of this monster was created by Eric Pontoppidan, a bishop, historian and part-time writer. Later, other masters of the pen picked up this idea and began to use the image of the Kraken in their stories (of course, adding new characteristics and features to it).

At the end of the 18th century, the image of the Kraken became extremely popular in scientific circles. Already in 1857, scientists were able to find out that the monster was probably a giant squid (its length reaches about 9-10 meters and weight 300-500 kilograms). Over time, this theory only strengthened.

Chupacabra





The Chupacabra is an elusive mythical creature that makes its living by killing livestock and sucking their blood. Several years ago, people began a real hunt for this creature, but the event did not bring the expected success. Over time, eyewitnesses managed to understand that sick and mutated animals - coyotes, foxes and wolves - are most often mistaken for the chupacabra.

Leviathan



Leviathan is a sea monster described in the Old Testament. Researchers believe that the creepy monster may well be a giant sperm whale, the dimensions of which have been “slightly” embellished.

Werewolf



Who doesn't know werewolves? Researchers are confident that the first legends about lycanthropy appeared thanks to people suffering from hypertrichosis - abnormal hair growth throughout the body, including on the face.

Big Foot



Bigfoot or Bigfoot is a humanoid, shaggy creature that lives in mountains or forests. For many years, people have tried to figure out who this mysterious stranger is. The most plausible version tells about Gigantopithecus, an ape that was up to 4 meters tall and weighed up to 500 kilograms. This handsome man lived in the territories of modern India, China, Thailand and Vietnam more than 12 thousand years ago.

Basilisk



Scientists call the helmet-bearing basilisk the prototype of the sinister serpent basilisk, from whose gaze all living things are petrified (options with the Egyptian cobra and horned viper are less common). Human imagination has turned a small reptile into a terrible monster, similar to a rooster with tiger claws and dragon wings.

Olgoy-khorkhoi



A huge worm that lives in the deserts of Mongolia. According to legends, he kills cattle and people using poison or electricity. In 1983, the famous zoologist Yuri Gorelov was able to see a strange creature in person - he was shown it by the grandchildren of a shepherd, to whom the researcher came to visit. It turned out to be a snake called the eastern boa constrictor.

Cyclops



Cyclops are creepy, one-eyed giants who are not averse to feasting on people. For many centuries, people have been tormented by guesses about their existence, because a huge number of legends and myths tell about them. In 1914, paleontologist Otenio Abel suggested that the roots of speculation about Cyclops originate from dwarf elephants that existed in prehistoric times. Studies have shown that the nasal cavities of these animals are extremely large. It is possible that people who discovered the remains of elephants could mistake them for terrible one-eyed monsters.

Griffin



The griffin is a winged creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion, which is found in various myths and fairy tales. Folklorists have repeatedly voiced the theory of the appearance of this monster in people's minds. It probably arose after they began regularly discovering fossilized skeletons of Protoceratops. These are fairly large dinosaurs with sharp beaks and horny collars.

Unicorn



Elasmotherium or rhinoceroses of the Eurasian steppes, which lived during the Ice Age, claim to be the prototype of the fairy-tale horse with one horn. The similarities between these creatures are difficult to discern. However, today this is one of the most plausible theories.