Hybrid beasts in folklore

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Mythological hybrid
)
shedu from the entrance to the throne room of the palace of Sargon II at Dur-Sharrukin (late 8th century BC), excavated by Paul-Émile Botta, 1843–1844, now at the Department of Oriental antiquities, Richelieu wing of the Louvre
.

Hybrid beasts are creatures composed of parts from different

humans, appearing in the folklore of a variety of cultures as legendary creatures
.

In burial sites

Remains similar to those of mythological hybrids have been found in burial sites discovered by archaeologists. Known combinations include

cows, and a six-legged sheep. The skeletons were formed by ancient peoples who joined together body parts from animal carcasses of different species. The practice is believed to have been done as an offering to their gods.[1]

Description

These forms'

mythologies
around the world.

Such hybrids can be classified as partly human hybrids (such as

anthropomorphic
aspect.

Paleolithic

Partly human hybrids appear in

Ancient Egypt

The falcon-headed Horus and crane-headed Seth.

Examples of humans with animal heads (

ancient Egyptian pantheon include jackal-headed Anubis, cobra-headed Amunet, lion-headed Sekhmet, and falcon-headed Horus. Most of these deities also have a purely zoomorphic and a purely anthropomorphic aspect, with the hybrid representation seeking to capture aspects of both of which at once. Similarly, the Gaulish Artio sculpture found in Bern, Switzerland shows a juxtaposition of a bear
and a woman figure, interpreted as representations of the theriomorphic and the anthropomorphic aspect of the same goddess.

Non-human hybrids also appear in ancient Egyptian iconography, as in Ammit (combining the crocodile, lion, and hippopotamus).

Ancient Middle East

Mythological hybrids became very popular in

Mesopotamian mythology the urmahlullu, or lion-man, served as a guardian spirit, especially of bathrooms.[6][7]

The Old Babylonian

Lilitu demon, particularly as shown in the Burney Relief (part-woman, part-owl) prefigures the harpy/siren
motif.

Harpies were human sized birds with the faces of human women. They were once considered beautiful creatures but over time were then considered to be ugly and hideous. Harpies were used for torture; their most known torture was that of Phineus who was said to have offended the heavens. They would torture their victims by taking food from them and polluting what was left with their feces. They would leave just enough for their victims to stay alive.

Mediterranean

Zeus darting his lightning at Typhon, shown as a hybrid with a human torso, bird's wings and a reptilian lower body (Chalcidian black-figured hydria, c. c. 550 BC, Staatliche Antikensammlungen Inv. 596).

In

Classical Greek period, such as the chimera, harpy, centaur, griffin, hippocampus, Talos, and Pegasus
.

The motif of the winged man appears in the Assyrian

Chayot, Etruscan Vanth, Hellenistic Eros-Cupid, and ultimately the Christian iconography of angels
.

The motif of otherwise human figures sporting

antlers (see also Horned God, horned helmet). The Christian representation of Moses with horns, however, is due to a mistranslation of the Hebrew text of Exodus 34:29–35 by Jerome
.

Hinduism

Ganesh Chaturthi
.

The most prominent hybrid in Hindu iconography is elephant-headed Ganesha, god of wisdom, knowledge and new beginnings.

Both Nāga and Garuda are non-hybrid mythical animals (snake and bird, respectively) in their early attestations, but become partly human hybrids in later iconography.

The

boar's head), and Narasimha
(human form with lion's head).

peacock
tail and bird wings.

Known mythological hybrids

See also

References

  1. ^ Geggel, Laura (July 21, 2015). "Horse-Cows? Bizarre 'Hybrid' Animals Found in Ancient Burials in England". LiveScience.
  2. .
  3. ^ Eliade, Mircea (1965). Rites and Symbols of Initiation: the mysteries of birth and rebirth. Harper & Row.
  4. ^ a term of Marija Gimbutas', see e.g. The language of the goddess: unearthing the hidden symbols of western civilization San Francisco: Harper & Row; London: Thames and Hudson (1989).
  5. ISSN 1055-7660
    .
  6. .
  7. .

Sources

External links