The Truth Behind Mermaid Myths American Oceans History of the mermaid myth. mermaid myths began about 3,000 years ago in assyrian lore. since then, sightings have only increased, even as the concomitant increase in scientific knowledge renders their existence more and more unlikely. the assyrian mermaid was atargatis, the goddess of fertility who entered the water and became a mermaid. Reported sightings around the world. in recent years, the town of kiryat yam in israel made headlines when numerous witnesses reported seeing a creature resembling a mermaid. the town council, intrigued by these encounters, offered a reward for conclusive proof of the legendary creature’s existence. across the globe, in zimbabwe, stories.
The Truth Behind Mermaid Myths American Oceans Even today there are false mermaid sightings. after a fake documentary special on mermaids aired on animal planet in 2013, the national oceanic and atmospheric administration was flooded with calls from people asking for the truth about mermaids. (the truth is that mermaids are entirely fictional.). Mermaid sightings. despite the lack of evidence supporting the existence of mermaids, some people still believe they are real. “people have a strong desire to believe in the unbelievable, ” says dr. compora, noting that mythical creatures like the loch ness monster and mermaids help people make sense of the vast and mysterious oceans. In the voyage of the argo, written by apollonius of rhodes in the third century b.c.e., we get our first glimpse of mermaids as we know them today, as “naiads” or water spirits. when the argo’s crew temporarily disembarks, hylas, a young boy adopted by hercules, sets off in search for water. he finds a spring, from which a naiad appears. Early mesopotamian influence. 1. atargatis: the syrian mermaid goddess. the earliest known tales are traced back to ancient syria, with the goddess atargatis around 1000 b.c. in the myth of assyria, the beautiful goddess of fertility, atargatis, cast herself into a lake and therefore transformed into a mermaid. 2.
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