Mermaids

The tale of the mermaid is common throughout the world and throughout history. Wherever there have been sailors there have been reports of these beautiful creatures with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a fish.

In ancient Greek mythology, sirens were originally half-woman and half-bird, however they have often been illustrated as mermaids. Pliny the Elder included the mermaid in his "Natural History". More recently, Christopher Columbus reported that one of his crew had sighted three mermaids off the coast of Haiti - although these were disappointingly lacking in beauty.

What Are Mermaids?

Given the universal nature of the mermaid story, is there any truth in it? There are several possible theories to explain mermaid sightings.

Sea Creatures

The most likely explanation is other sea creatures. An unknown species seen at a distance by an exhausted sailor could easily become a mermaid, especially once back on land in a cosy tavern! It's generally believed that the mermaids reported by Columbus were probably some form of seal.

Another sea creature that could be mistaken for a mermaid is the dugong. This now endangered species is found around Australia. The name dugong may come from the Malay word "duyung" which means mermaid.

Sirenomelia

There is a rare congenital abnormality known as Sirenomelia Sequence. This results in a fusion of the lower limbs giving an appearance reminiscent of the mermaid. The unfortunate babies rarely live long. In earlier times such births might have helped to perpetuate mermaid legends.

Hoaxes

Given the appeal of mermaids, many "entrepreneurs" took the opportunity to turn the myth into "reality". Alleged mermaids - living or otherwise - were frequently to be found in travelling circuses or other shows.

Probably the most famous fake mermaid is the Fiji Mermaid (or "Fejee" mermaid) exhibited by P.T.Barnum. This was in reality created by stitching together the remains of various ordinary creatures.

Merpeople

In the Harry Potter universe, merpeople live in various places including the lake at Hogwarts. These merpeople are tall with grey skin and long, green hair.