What were the original mermaids?

The first known mermaid stories appeared in Assyria c. 1000 BC. The goddess Atargatis, mother of the Assyrian queen Semiramis, loved a mortal (a shepherd) and unintentionally killed him. Ashamed, she jumped into a lake and took the form of a fish, but the waters would not conceal her divine beauty.

Who was the first person to find a mermaid?

Christopher Columbus
On 9 January 1493, Christopher Columbus observed something remarkable off the coast of Africa… mermaids. In his journal he described the encounter with three mermaids that elevated themselves above the suface of the sea.

Who is the most famous mermaid?

World’s most famous mermaids

• Perhaps the most famous mermaid right now is Ariel, the star of Disney’s animated version of “The Little Mermaid,” by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.
• Andersen’s “Little Mermaid” is also immortalized in a bronze statue that sits on the shores of the Langelinie in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Where did the legend of the mermaid come from?

The earliest known mermaid legends come from Syria around 1000 B.C. where the Syrian goddess Atargatis dove into a lake to take the form of a fish, but the powers there would not allow her give up her great beauty, so only her bottom half became a fish and she kept her top half in human form.

What are facts about mermaids?

– Mermaids and sirens represent very important parts of pirate mythos. During the golden age of the piracy, mermaid sightings reached their peak and many stories about them entered into the – Mermaids can today be seen in many corporate logos and official seals. – Sirens and mermaids are well represented in modern day pop culture, media and arts.

What is Mermaid in mythology?

Mermaid Mythology The oldest form of the mermaid in mermaid mythology is the goddess Atargatis from Syria. A famous statue of Atargatis shows her as a woman from the waist up and a fish from there down. Later, Atargatis was conflated with other goddesses (a fancy way of saying that she became so closely associated with other goddesses…

What are mermaids known for?

Mermaids were mythical aquatic creatures known through all manner of legends and lore. Half woman, half fish, these lethally-minded sisters of the sea rise up from the waves to lure men into their arms. Beautiful, conniving and dangerous, mermaids would do anything to protect their homes.