Last Updated on September 2, 2024
Behold the mermaids! We’ve all seen them in numerous films or read about them in countless novels.
Most descriptions portray these creatures as graceful half-human, half-fish beings that inhabit the deep seas. They’re incredibly beautiful and gentle despite their cranky appearance.
Mermaids show up for various reasons. Some are harbingers of good luck while others are associated with impending doom.
But do mermaids really exist and if yes, where did these creatures come from?
Those questions shall form the main focus of this post.
What Are Mermaids?
Mermaids are aquatic humanoids with the head and upper body of a human and the lower body of a fish.
According to various legends, the lower half of a mermaid can resemble the tail of a fish or dolphin.
How Popular Are Mermaids?
Mermaids are among the world’s most popular mysterious beings. These creatures appear in the folklore of numerous cultures, ranging from European to American, Asia, and even African cultures.
However, mermaids aren’t so popular in religion. That’s despite various cultures believing that some mermaid sightings have religious or spiritual significance.
The Bible, for instance, has several descriptions of unconventional creatures, which are mainly found in the Books of Daniel and Revelation. But there’s no single mention of a mermaid.
Mermaids don’t seem to have a place in Hinduism or Judaism either. And neither are there official mentions of these sea dwellers in Buddhism.
What Are Male Mermaids Called?
As already pointed out in our definition, mermaids are generally female aquatic humanoids. Their male counterparts are known as mermans.
Mermans aren’t as common as mermaids, with only a handful of documented sightings. However, many cultures which believe in the existence of mermaids claim that the creatures usually live alongside their male partners. It remains unclear why it’s the females that usually prefer to venture out of the waters.
Collectively, mermans and mermaids constitute merfolk or merpeople.
Where Did Mermaids Come From?
Tales of mermaids have been around from time immemorial.
One of the earliest documented stories of mermaids traces back to ancient Assyria around 1,000 BC. These accounts describe mermaids in relation to the goddess Atargatis, who loved a mortal called a shepherd but accidentally killed him. The goddess was devastated by her actions and plunged herself into a lake, assuming the form of a fish.
However, the waters wouldn’t transform Atargatis fully. She retained her upper body and only had her lower sections (from the waist down) transformed into a fish.
There have been many other legends advancing the existence of mermaids.
Are Mermaids Real?
Mermaids share one fundamental similarity with ghosts and aliens – their existence is highly questionable and a matter of personal belief.
Some cultures and individuals swear by the existence of mermaids. But others readily dismiss such stories as nothing but a stretch of the human imagination.
Scientists have also weighed in on the ever-raging debate on the existence of mermaids. According to many scientists, it’s practically impossible for mermaids or any similar aquatic humanoids to exist. Most of these skeptics borrow from the fact that mermaids cannot be traced back to any evolutionary lineages.
There are also arguments that mermaids lack the necessary thermoregulation mechanisms to allow them (in their human nature) to exist underwater. Besides, there are glaring digestive disparities between mammals and fish.
Some scientists further wonder how mermaids would reproduce if they truly existed, as most alleged sightings as well as literary and cinematic depictions are yet to point out any reproductive organs. Such beautiful creatures with no reproductive organs can only constitute a freak of nature.
Last but not least, there’s no convincing evidence that mermaids truly exist, only accounts. So, until these creatures come ashore and their sightings are filmed by multiple mainstream media outlets and scientific researchers, their existence will forever remain questionable.
Are There Any Credible Mermaid Sightings?
The fact that science highly disputes the existence of mermaids doesn’t necessarily mean these creatures are non-existent. If anything, science doesn’t hold an explanation for all life’s phenomena. For instance, scientists are yet to uncover why people yawn or why cats purr.
Besides, there have been numerous claims of mermaid sightings. Although easy to dismiss as pure allegations, some of these sightings were recorded by renowned explorers and historians. Examples are listed below;
1. According to the Hellenized Syrian writer Lucian, mermaid corpses were discovered washed up on the beach off the coast of Gaul in the 2nd century
2. Famous explorer Christopher Columbus claimed to have sighted ugly-looking mermaids, which historians believe might have been manatees
3. One of the world’s most dreaded pirates, Blackbeard, reportedly avoided waters he believed contained mermaids
4. Accounts abound of Japanese soldiers who sighted what they described as ‘man fish’ in Indonesia’s Kai Islands at the height of the Second World War
5. In 1967, a ferry with tourists came upon a mermaid with blonde hair enjoying her dinner of raw salmon on Mayne Island
6. Perhaps one of the most credible mermaid sightings ever, famous diver and videographer Jeff Leicher managed to photograph a mermaidish figure while on a boat tour in Kauai in 1998
7. In another fairly credible mermaid sighting, renowned media outlet NBC captured vague footage of what looked like a mermaid in 2009, following numerous reports of the creature’s sightings in Kiryat Haim Beach, Israel
8. In 2012, a group of dam workers in Zimbabwe apparently came by a mermaid after diving into the waters to investigate what was blocking the pipes
Why Do Mermaids Appear?
Mermaids generally appear for positive reasons.
Many cultures and sighting accounts describe these aquatic humanoids as fond of playing fun games with people, usually divers and beachgoers. They would emerge from the waters and swish their tails in amusement before jumping back and swimming away. They might also appear in the high seas to share in the glory of a honeymooning couple or simply wow a team of voyagers.
On the flip side, mermaids can appear as a warning of impending danger.
The creatures may wash up ashore as a sign of imminent natural disasters, usually sea-related calamities like storms and floods. Their appearance might also warn of a shipwreck or drowning, especially if encountered further offshore.
However, not all mermaid sightings are ominous. If they truly exist, these beings may simply cross our paths inadvertently, the same way other sea creatures do.
Perhaps due to the dense cloud of mystery surrounding their existence, it’s difficult to interpret the real meaning behind mermaid appearances. When you come across these creatures, you’re more likely to be blown away by their magical beauty than to ponder why your paths crossed in the first place.
Why Are Mermaids So Beautiful?
Nearly all mermaid accounts describe them as irresistibly cute women in their late-teen to mid-thirties. There’s only a handful of stories on older mermaids or mermaid children.
The reason behind mermaids’ beauty is as mysterious as their very existence. According to many fairy tales, it has a lot to do with their diet.
Mermaids reportedly feed on fish and aquatic plants like seaweed. Unsurprisingly, the combination of fatty fish and seaweed is linked to a youthful appearance.
Where Can You Sight Mermaids?
Mermaids are sea dwellers. Therefore, the obvious place to catch them is on the beach, under the ocean, or in the high waters.
That said, there are multiple places where you can easily sight a real mermaid or the fossilized and curved remains of what looks like one. They include;
• Copenhagen in Denmark, where The Little Mermaid statue which was inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s tale of mermaids stands tall
• The Big Bend Power Plant Manatee Viewing Area in Apollo Beach, Florida, where mermaids are said to pop up from time to time
• Weeki Wachee in Florida, a small town that has come to be known as the “City of Mermaids” due to its historical association with these creatures
• Fujinomiya in Japan, where the remains of a little mermaidish goblin can be found in the Tenshou-Kyousha Shrine
• The Nature Museum in Grafton, Vermont, which hosts gross-looking mermaid remains
• Banff in Canada – There’s a carved merman in a Canadian store believed to have been acquired or created by Norman Luxton, the shop’s original proprietor
There are also numerous films that depict mermaids. Notable mentions include Miranda (1948), Night Tide (1961), Splash (1984), and Aquamarine (2006)
Conclusion
Mermaids have fascinated humans for thousands of years. But whether these aquatic humanoids exist or not is purely a matter of individual belief.
