December 16 – Kraken
The kraken is a giant sea monster from Scandinavian folklore, said to plague sailors. Olaus Magnus, a Swedish author most well known for his Historia… Read More »December 16 – Kraken
Advent Calendar
December 15 – Blemmye
Though perhaps not strictly a fantastic beast, we had to include the unusual blemmye in this calendar. The blemmye or mythical headless man has been… Read More »December 15 – Blemmye
December 14 – Cerberus
Cerberus, the ‘hound of Hades’, is a three headed dog with the tail of a serpent, which according to mythology, guards the gates of the… Read More »December 14 – Cerberus
December 13 – Dragons in manuscripts
From our wonderful manuscripts, we have four depictions of dragons to share with you. A dragon in our 17th-18th century manuscript copy of “The Book… Read More »December 13 – Dragons in manuscripts
December 12 – Dragons in print
The dragon is perhaps the most iconic of the fantastic beasts. This winged legendary creature, known for its fire breathing abilities is common to most… Read More »December 12 – Dragons in print
December 11 – Hippogriff
Probably most well known now as a character in Harry Potter, the hippogriff is a legendary creature which is half eagle and half horse. This… Read More »December 11 – Hippogriff
December 10 – Griffin
The griffin, griffen or gryphon has the body, legs and tail of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. As the lion… Read More »December 10 – Griffin
December 9 – Nessie
No compendium of mythical creatures would be complete without Scotland’s own creature of myth – the Loch Ness monster. Nessie is said to live in… Read More »December 9 – Nessie
December 8 – Sea-centaurs
Ichthyocentaurs are winged creatures, half-fish and half-horse. Depicted in classical Greek art, they are also referred to as sea-centaurs. This illustration of an ichthyocentaur, playing… Read More »December 8 – Sea-centaurs
December 7 – Satyr
In Greek mythology, Satyrs are attendants to the god Bacchus, residing in woods and mountains. In the middle ages they are often illustrated as possessing a… Read More »December 7 – Satyr
December 6 – Merfolk
Mermaids and mermen are mythological sea creatures, usually with bodies that are half human and half fish. Often sighted by sailors, the mythology of mermaids… Read More »December 6 – Merfolk
December 5 – The Cyclopes
In Greek mythology the Cyclopes were giant one-eyed creatures. The brothers Brontes (thunder), Steropes (lightning) and Arges (thunderbolt) in Hesiod’s Theogony provide Zeus with the… Read More »December 5 – The Cyclopes