Ones of the West

We have all seen movies such as ‘The Little Mermaid’ wondering how grand life has to be as an underwater sea creature. Being able to breathe underwater and having practically almost no gravitational set backs ahs been a dream that has captivated millions of people. The first distinction that has to be made is that there are really four types of creatures that loosely fall in the mermaid category. We will take a look at each of these four “aspects” of mermaids.

1. Mermaids

Most, if not all, cultures have historical tales to tell about mermaids. Although merman has apparently also been sighted by sailors, it remains mostly a feminine tale and a powerful one at that. In ancient Mediterranean cultures, mermaids were seen as semi-divine aspects of the ultimate Goddess due to the connection with the sea from which all life comes. They were honoured in seaside Temples. One of the earliest stories of these creatures comes from the land of Assyria at about 1000 BCE. Atagartis, an Assyrian priestess, apparently jumped into the sea to rid herself of the shame for having an unwanted pregnancy. She rose from the sea as a fish tailed Goddess. In the second century BCE, the Greek historian Lucian, reported that the statue that represented the great Goddess at the Temple of Hieropolis had the tail of a fish instead of human legs. Also in Greece, Aphrodite was born of the sea foam and rode to the shore on half a scallop shell which automatically also linked her to these creatures. By the first century CE the historian Pliny wrote that mermaids did most certainly exist but their bodies were completely scaled and very rough. However this description only lasted till the Fifth century CE, when the bestiary Physiologus, described mermaids in the contemporary way as we know them today. Having the body of a beautiful maiden from the navel up with the tail of a fish. During the middle ages mermaids were frequently sighted by all types of seamen including Christopher Columbus, who apparently spotted three of them on his journey to the Americas in 1493. Some say that what he might have seen was in actual fact Manatee’s which are marine creatures that cradle their young in their arms like humans. Mermaids often featured in the lore of sailors. The most well known them would be a tale of warning featuring mermaids that would seduce sailors and take them to their underwater lair, never to be seen again. They were also believed to cause storms and shipwrecks when they were provoked. The church of Rome, during the dark ages, reinforced these tales and said that mermaids were the symbols of vanity, lust, the spiritual perils of woman and of sexuality.

Even though all the myths relating to mermaids seem like far off dreams it is not exactly the case. Until the nineteenth century there was still a law on the statute book, decreeing that any mermaid found in British waters was the property of the Crown.

2. Nereids

One of the creation myths of the Greek Isle’s says that the union of Oceanus, the Earth-encircling river and Tethys, the fertile ocean produced three thousand daughters who had the task of protecting the depths. One of these daughters, Doris, and the ancient sea God, Nereus were the parents of the Nereids.

Nereids were similar creatures who guarded over bodies of freshwater such as springs, lakes and rivers.

These beautiful women rode naked through the waves of the Aegean and other salt water season the backs of creatures such as dolphins, giant sea horses and other marine life creatures.

Unlike mermaids, Nereids were said to be friendly and protective of sailors. They were also believed to be able to predict storms and guide sailors to good fishing grounds. The two most famous Nereids in all of history were Thetis, the  mother of the Greek hero Achilles and Galatea, beloved by the Cyclops Polyphemus. Galatea rejected the advances of the Cyclops and was attracted to a young beautiful shepherd boy. Polyphemus was raged when he heard of this and hurled a boulder that crushed the poor shepherd boy. Grief stricken Galatea turned the trickling blood of the boy that she loved into a river so that she may forever swim his waters.

3. Naiads

Similar in appearance to the Nereids, the Naiads guarded over the same areas as Naiads but they also guarded over brooks and fountains. Like mermaids they are bound to water. Should their bodies dry out they will die. Naiads were often worshipped in early cults as fertility Goddesses. The consumption of water that was guarded by Naiad was thought to bring prophetic visions and also had healing properties.

Unlike Nereids, Naiads were could also be dangerous and seductive. Hylas, a handsome young man that was part of the of Argonauts who accompanied Jason on his quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, was kidnapped by Naiads of a spring in Asia Minor and was never seen again. Other European feminine water spirits such as the Germanic Rhinemaidens, the Switzerland Nixes, the French Melusine and the Celtic holy well spirits are all descended from Naiads.

4. Selkies

These legendary creatures originate in Ireland, Scotland and Iceland. Generally speaking these creatures are thought of as being seals that can transform themselves into human beings, usually young beautiful women. In the dialect of Scotland’s Orkney Isles, Selch means seal. Stories that entail these creatures usually end up in tragedy.

A lonely fisherman came a group of selkeis that were out of their seal skins and taking a sun bath on the rocks. He stole the seal skin of one of the girls, forcing her to stay on land and become his wife. It is said that their children had webbed fingers and toes. But not even the love of her children could stop her from looking for her seal skin. When she found it she left her human husband desolate and returned to the sea. Another legend says that if the wife of a fisherman would shed seven tears into the sea, a handsome selkie male would emerge from the water and make passionate love to her. The true meaning of this tale is of course allegorical. Reminding us that the true nature of any creature cannot be hidden forever.

Seals can often be mistaken for human beings swimming in the ocean until they disappear beneath the surface. This is likely to be where this myth originated from.

Generally speaking the image of the mermaid holding her hand held mirror while combing her hair is a symbol of vanity. In so many myths mermaids are seen giving up their natural states for a taste of mortality and true love. The mermaid can thus also be symbol of true love. However at Ephesus their exists what is believed to be the worlds first advertisement. The three symbols that are carved on the slab are a finger pointing, a coin and a mermaid. This is apparently an advertisement for a brothel. The mermaid being the prostitute.

No matter the meaning of the mermaid, it has been an image that has captured the human mind since almost the dawn of time. At one stage just about everyone wanted to either be one or be with one.