Lake Van Monster
Grouping | Cryptid |
---|---|
Sub grouping | Lake monster |
Other name(s) | Վանա լճի հրեշ, Van Gölü Canavarı, Cinawirê Gola Wanê, |
Region | Lake Van, Van |
In
History
The Armenian chroniclers
A story in the Ottoman newspaper Saadet of April 29, 1889, recounted that a creature had dragged a man into lake Van. Following reports of the incident, the Ottoman government sent an official scientific survey group to the lake who failed to spot the creature.[2]
Russell discounts a connection between their belief about lake vishaps and the 1990s sightings of a lake creature, considering that any folk beliefs amongst the Kurdish population are likely to be affected more by stories about lake monsters in popular Western culture than any surviving Armenian traditions. He also recounts that Kurds he met in Van in 1994 and 1997 considered the lake monster story to be a "commercial ploy and a farce".[3]
In 1997 a local man called Ünal Kozak claimed to have captured the monster on video which was sent for analysis. Academic Mustafa Y. Nutku has written a book about the creature, together with Kozak.[4]
Kozak's video is under constant criticism,[citation needed] with questions like why it never pans left, possibly because of a boat that may have carried the creature. Or why the monster only goes straight, instead of curving through the water. Even criticism as to why the breathing is not in and out, but a continuous release, much like the effects of an air hose.
A 4-meter high statue based on reported sightings has been erected to its honor in Van, Turkey.
Skeptics point out that the region would benefit from tourist revenue and a hoax might attract visitors.[5]
Cultural impact
The former Prime Minister of Turkey and poet Bülent Ecevit wrote a poem titled "Van Gölü Canavarı" (Lake Van Monster).[6]
The Lake Van Monster appears in The Secret Saturdays episode "The Unblinking Eye". This version resembles a Mosasaurus-like creature.
Animal X (an Australian television show) season 1, episode #3 features the Van Lake Monster.
Josh Gates and his team search for the Van Lake monster on Destination Truth. Season 3, episode 305 "Alien Mummies/Van Lake Monster".[7]
Footage claimed to be of the cryptid was shown on the TV Series Paranormal Caught on Camera.
See also
References
- ^ James Russell, "Van and the Persistence of Memory", pp. 45–48, in "Armenian Van/Vaspurakan", ed. Richard G. Hovannisian, 2000.
- ^ "Van Gölü Canavarı, 121 yıl önce manşet olmuş" (in Turkish). 6 October 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ James Russell, "Van and the Persistence of Memory", p. 47 footnote 4, in "Armenian Van/Vaspurakan", ed. Richard G. Hovannisian, 2000.
- ISBN 978-975-94853-0-6.
- ^ RJ (June 12, 1997). "Sea monster or monster hoax?". CNN Interactive - World News. Retrieved 2006-05-01.
- ISBN 978-975-585-853-1.
- ^ rob (October 8, 2009). "Lake Van Monster". Makli. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009.