Uploaded July 2018 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
From caves that depict ancient drawings of strange fishtailed humans to a family is the descendants of a legendary mermaid.
7. Medieval Mermaids
Medieval church decorations had mermaid carvings and paintings on misericords and capitals. Usually, the sirens were shown with two tails and seemed wildly kempt despite always depicted with a mirror and comb. Mermaids were thought to represent lust, which is one of the seven deadly sins.
Mermaids were allegedly also part of the medieval royal family; when King Edward IV married Elizabeth Woodville, her family claimed that she descended from Melusine who was a two-tailed mermaid and wife to Raymond of Poitou.
6. Oannes and The Sumerian Tree Of Life
Ancient civilizations had gods who controlled the elements and also demigods who took the form of part human and part animal beings. Mesopotamia mythology referenced an amphibious being called Oannes whose principal role was to bestow wisdom to mankind. Berosus, a Babylonian priest, described the god as having the head of a man beneath his fish head and having the feet of a man under his fishtail.
Oannes apparently visited the Persian Gulf's seashore during the day to teach mankind the sciences, writing, and the arts. A famous rock art depicts Oannes next to the Tree of Life alongside Ashur, the king of gods, as well as two other fish men.
5. The Mermaids Of Africa
The existence of mermaids and their reported sightings have been widespread, and several of them once, and possibly still, inhabit the African waters. African me-spirits are referred to as Mami Wata meaning water spirit in the West African region. The folk legends about these water creatures describe them as part human and can transform to either fish, woman, or mermaid as they please. They are also often depicted carrying snakes around their shoulders and are associated with , fertility, and healing.
The mythical sea creatures did not only reside around the West African waters, and they have also been depicted on Egyptian San rock art.
4. The Cave Of Swimmers
Tucked away in the Sahara section of the Libyan desert is The Cave of Swimmers with ancient rock art. Hungarian explorer Laszlo Almasy discovered the cave and its rock art in 1933. Its Neolithic pictographs depict limber people swimming which lends the cave its name. The rock art dates as far back as back 10,000 years ago when the Sahara was significantly wetter and greener.
The limberness of the people depicted by the rock art does spark a few questions, could they have been part fish as well?
3. Russian Folk Art
A famous 1866 Russian Folk Art depicts a mermaid and merman, but the artist remains unknown. Folklore has it that wherever you find mermaids, there are always mermen lurking around. Mermen sightings haven't been reported as much as that of sirens, but they supposedly live together beneath the waves.
Mermen are often described and depicted as wild-looking, brutish and being hairy. Naturally, that is quite a significant difference from mermaids who are always said to be strikingly beautiful, which might explain why the female members of the species always had a fascination with passing sailors.
2. Mermaid Of Zennor
The St Senara church in the Cornish village of Zennor has been a real delight for visitors since the 12th century. A 'mermaid chair' is the highlight found inside the south side chapel. The chair dates back between 1400 to 1500, and it has an engraving of a mermaid carrying a mirror and comb. The mermaid's pose is reminiscent of classical depictions of Aphrodite who is the goddess of the sea and love.
During the medieval period performing "miracle plays' were a part of the Cornish custom. The performances included a mermaid character representing the dual nature of Christ. It symbolized Christ being both man and God, the same way the mermaid was part fish and part human. Zennor has also always been linked to mermaid legends, and one has it that a mermaid was lured to the St Senara church when she heard Matthew Trewhella, a member of the choir, singing. The siren lured him to the sea, and he was never to be seen again.
1. Sumerian Fish Man
The Sumerian civilization believed in the apkallu who were considered as antediluvian demigods. Enki also called Oannes, the fish man-god, sent the semi-divine beings to guide humans through the arts of civilization and moral codes. In total, there were seven fish men and seven more birdmen.
Scholarly literature refers to them as the seven sages, and each has an association with a mythic king. Five references including the Bible, the Book of Jubilees, Book of Enoch, The Book of Watchers, and Hesiod's Catalogue of Women mention these mythical creatures.
From caves that depict ancient drawings of strange fishtailed humans to a family is the descendants of a legendary mermaid.
7. Medieval Mermaids
Medieval church decorations had mermaid carvings and paintings on misericords and capitals. Usually, the sirens were shown with two tails and seemed wildly kempt despite always depicted with a mirror and comb. Mermaids were thought to represent lust, which is one of the seven deadly sins.
Mermaids were allegedly also part of the medieval royal family; when King Edward IV married Elizabeth Woodville, her family claimed that she descended from Melusine who was a two-tailed mermaid and wife to Raymond of Poitou.
6. Oannes and The Sumerian Tree Of Life
Ancient civilizations had gods who controlled the elements and also demigods who took the form of part human and part animal beings. Mesopotamia mythology referenced an amphibious being called Oannes whose principal role was to bestow wisdom to mankind. Berosus, a Babylonian priest, described the god as having the head of a man beneath his fish head and having the feet of a man under his fishtail.
Oannes apparently visited the Persian Gulf's seashore during the day to teach mankind the sciences, writing, and the arts. A famous rock art depicts Oannes next to the Tree of Life alongside Ashur, the king of gods, as well as two other fish men.
5. The Mermaids Of Africa
The existence of mermaids and their reported sightings have been widespread, and several of them once, and possibly still, inhabit the African waters. African me-spirits are referred to as Mami Wata meaning water spirit in the West African region. The folk legends about these water creatures describe them as part human and can transform to either fish, woman, or mermaid as they please. They are also often depicted carrying snakes around their shoulders and are associated with , fertility, and healing.
The mythical sea creatures did not only reside around the West African waters, and they have also been depicted on Egyptian San rock art.
4. The Cave Of Swimmers
Tucked away in the Sahara section of the Libyan desert is The Cave of Swimmers with ancient rock art. Hungarian explorer Laszlo Almasy discovered the cave and its rock art in 1933. Its Neolithic pictographs depict limber people swimming which lends the cave its name. The rock art dates as far back as back 10,000 years ago when the Sahara was significantly wetter and greener.
The limberness of the people depicted by the rock art does spark a few questions, could they have been part fish as well?
3. Russian Folk Art
A famous 1866 Russian Folk Art depicts a mermaid and merman, but the artist remains unknown. Folklore has it that wherever you find mermaids, there are always mermen lurking around. Mermen sightings haven't been reported as much as that of sirens, but they supposedly live together beneath the waves.
Mermen are often described and depicted as wild-looking, brutish and being hairy. Naturally, that is quite a significant difference from mermaids who are always said to be strikingly beautiful, which might explain why the female members of the species always had a fascination with passing sailors.
2. Mermaid Of Zennor
The St Senara church in the Cornish village of Zennor has been a real delight for visitors since the 12th century. A 'mermaid chair' is the highlight found inside the south side chapel. The chair dates back between 1400 to 1500, and it has an engraving of a mermaid carrying a mirror and comb. The mermaid's pose is reminiscent of classical depictions of Aphrodite who is the goddess of the sea and love.
During the medieval period performing "miracle plays' were a part of the Cornish custom. The performances included a mermaid character representing the dual nature of Christ. It symbolized Christ being both man and God, the same way the mermaid was part fish and part human. Zennor has also always been linked to mermaid legends, and one has it that a mermaid was lured to the St Senara church when she heard Matthew Trewhella, a member of the choir, singing. The siren lured him to the sea, and he was never to be seen again.
1. Sumerian Fish Man
The Sumerian civilization believed in the apkallu who were considered as antediluvian demigods. Enki also called Oannes, the fish man-god, sent the semi-divine beings to guide humans through the arts of civilization and moral codes. In total, there were seven fish men and seven more birdmen.
Scholarly literature refers to them as the seven sages, and each has an association with a mythic king. Five references including the Bible, the Book of Jubilees, Book of Enoch, The Book of Watchers, and Hesiod's Catalogue of Women mention these mythical creatures.
