The 15 strangest "hybrid" mythical creatures from around the world (2023)

Before we talked about itstrange mythological monstersmigreat dragonsYou may have missed popular media like TV shows and movies. well this time withHalloweenJust around the corner, we've decided to up the ante with a myriad of mythical "hybrid" creatures that you may not have heard of.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at the brief history andMythologyof fifteen so elusive but strangemythicalCreatures (from ancient to medieval times) emerging as supernatural crossbreeds between known animals and humans. The numerous creatures presented in alphabetical order come from myths and legends from different parts of the world.

Ammit (from Egyptian mythology)

translate menacing to 'dinner' Ö 'soul eater', aammit(also known as Ammut) was a denizen of the underworldancient Egyptian goddess/demonwho personified divine retribution. With the multifaceted anatomy of a lion, a hippopotamus, and a crocodile, he awaited an opportunity to devour the hearts of people deemed unworthy (their dignity is measured by the scales of Ma'at), cursing their "empty ones " souls. aimless for all eternity, instead of supernatural happiness. Essentially, then, Ammit was not worshiped like other gods; rather, he embodied the Egyptians' collective fear of the "second death."

Buraq (from Islamic mythology)

The Dome of the Rock website (as part of the larger and older website)the Temple Mount) is revered by Muslims for its importance as a sacred place from which Prophet Muhammad ascended on his nightly journey to heaven. And supposedly he was taken to heaven on a fantastic white horse-like creature with the nameBurak– that it was half mule (or smaller than a mule), half donkey (or larger than a donkey) and had wings. Interestingly, Eastern sources such as Persian and Indian art depict the Buraq with a humanoid face and a peacock's tail, but early Islamic traditions make no mention of such specific features.

Gajasimha (from Indian mythology)

According to Hindu mythology, Narasimha (or Narasingha) was one of the ten avatars of Vishnu with the head of a lion and the body of a man. EITHERGajasimhais probably a twist on this mythical being (or a variant ofHindu elephant god Ganesha), with its remarkable elephant head and lion body. Unfortunately, not much information is available about the hybrid, apart from numerous sculptural and painted representations, found mainly in the temples of Southeast Asia and southern India.

Hatuibwari (from Melanesian mythology)

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HatuibwariIt was described as having the head of a human with four eyes, the torso of a huge serpent with imposing grandiose wings, and sometimes four pendulous breasts, indicating its status as the ancestor of humans. Mentioned in various traditions and folklore from Melanesia (an island group in Australia's Pacific Northeast), the Hatuibwari was likely revered as a cosmic creature who nurtured and nurtured early humans. Few sources present him as a male version of Mother Earth, thus serving as an antithesis to the femininity commonly portrayed on our planet.

Hippalectryon (from Greek mythology)

AFantasticCreature with depictions as old as 3,000 yearsHippalektrionIt is derived from Cretan (or possibly Mycenaean) folklore as an animal with half-horse, half-rooster characteristics. The Athenian comic writer Aristophanes described the hippalectryon as a strange-looking creature with yellowish feathers. The same author also hypothesized that the origin of the hybrid animal was influenced by Middle Eastern folk traditions.

Other sources suggest the creature may have been an alternate representation of the famous winged horse Pegasus. But the most interesting account undoubtedly comes from Aristophanes' own work.the frogs', where he mentions that the Hippalectryon was so comically ugly that it would make those around it laugh, thus staving off evil forever.

Khepri (from Egyptian mythology)

Inextricably linked to the beetle,KhepriHe was commonly depicted as a man with a bug's headancient egyptiangrave papyri. There was a symbolic side to the whole matter of Khepri worship: the god symbolized the forces that moved the sun across the expanse of heaven.

This connection was derived from the action of the beetles as they rolled balls of dung across the hard surface of the desert while the young beetles emerged from the dung, from the eggs laid by the parents. This is actually related to theEgyptianWort 'kheper', which roughly translates to 'change' or 'create'. In any case, Khepri also considered himself subject to the supreme sun god.In them.

Matsya (in Indian mythology)

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With the head of a human and the bottom part of a fishMatsyait may seem like a variant of the newt of European origin. However, the Matsya tradition is much older, with the powerful entity described in the Vedic texts as one of the ten main avatars of Vishnu (like our aforementioned Narasimha).

And interestingly, in a strikingly similar way to the biblical account of Noah's Ark, the Indian Manu also survived a cataclysmic flood caused by the gods by building a great ark. This ark/boat was led and pulled by the great Matsya, a feat that eventually allowed Manu (and his family, pets, and even collected plant seeds) to be safely repopulated on Earth.

Monocerus (from medieval legends)

Abgeleitet vom griechischen Begriff Unicorn, oEinhornit simply belongs to an animal with only one horn, such asEinhorn🇧🇷 Medieval bestiaries, however, put a fantastic twist on the hybrid creature, describing it with the head of a stag, the body of a horse, the legs of an elephant and the tail of a boar. To top it off, the animal only had one horn and it was said to be used to aim at the abdominal region of its opponents, i.e. the elephant!

Mušḫuššu (from Mesopotamian mythology)

An image that fans of history should be familiar withReconstruction of the Ishtar Gate(of Babylon) in the Pergamon Museum, theMušḫuššu, pronounced -'Mush·khush·shu' (Also known assecret) is an enigmatic mythical creature that may have even influenced the Lernaean Hydra.

In some accounts, the hybrid creature is the favorite (or sacred) animal of none other thanMarduk- the tutelary god ofaltes Babylon🇧🇷 The name itself may refer to a "wild serpent" or "magnificent serpent". To this end, the creature was described as having a dragon-like appearance, with a long neck, horned head, and snake-tongued, complete with the front legs of a lion (or cat) and the hind legs of an eagle.

Nawarupa (from Burmese Mythology) –

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Literally meaning "having nine forms", Nawarupa, also known asAlcohol(especially Arakenese myths) is a hybrid mythical creature said to have a varied composition of nine different animals. Often used in motifs adorning royal barges, the creature is described as having the distinctive trunk of an elephant, horns of a rhinoceros, eyes of a stag, ears of a horse, wings (or possibly tongue). Parrot, body of a lion, tail of a peacock (or yak) and feet ofOut(the griffin-like creatures often depicted in Buddhist pagoda complexes). A similar mythical creature known asPyinsarupa(“five shapes”) is used as the heraldic animal of the current flagship airline of Myanmar.

Onocentaur (from Greek mythology)

Some of us may know the famous centaur, the mythical onegreek beastwith the head and torso of a human and the legs of a horse. Well, turns out there's a less-impressive twist on the centaur nameOnocentauro🇧🇷 Those who know his etymology will have already recognized his donkey credentials.

And apart from the semi-anatomy of the Onocentaur, the liminal being was said to be first mentioned by Pythagoras, while its female form was known as theonokentaurain Latin as described by the Roman author Claudius Aelianus. Furthermore, poetic Greek mythology mentions another exotic centaur hybrid known as the Ichthyocentaur, with the torso of a man, the lower front part of a horse, and the tail of a fish!

Pazuzu (from Babylonian mythology)

Anyone who "sees" his films can identify Pazuzu from the famous horror thriller "The Exorcist". In mythological terms, the winged Pazuzu, with its dog head, eagle feet, scorpion tail, and snake-like privates, also had some sinister and ugly aspects!

As can be deduced from such frightening properties, the monster was portrayed as a demon of the winds that could cause catastrophic famines during the rainy season. However, the Pazuzu was also invoked to lead the fight against other evil spirits, namely thethese photos, a villainAkkadian goddesswho abducted babies and tore them from their mothers' breasts.

Qilin (from Chinese mythology)

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In Chinese legends, thedo thatit goes hand in hand with fantasy and mysticism. Also known as the Chinese unicorn, the venerable animal's taint signifies the birth (or death) of an eminent sage or ruler. The creature's harmless features are depicted with a stag-like body with a single horn, an oxtail and horse's hooves, while its back projected a vibrant palette of different colors complemented by a yellowish hue. Stomach.

Other descriptions of the qilin imply dragon attributes with thick lashes and scales on the back. However, the most interesting Qilin episode would relate to the Ming Emperor of China, Yongle, (possibly) being presented with an actual giraffe as a mythical creature.

Tarasque (from French folklore)

in TarasIt is mentioned in several sources, but the best-known account of the terrible beast comes from the medieval "bestseller"golden legend(Öthe legend of the saintsin Latin), compiled (possibly) around AD 1260. It was described as a dragon or dragon-like creature with the head of a lion, the body of an ox covered with a tortoiseshell, the legs (six of them) of a bear, and finally a scaly tail , which ended like that of a scorpion.

In accordance withgolden legend, lived in a swamp along the Rhône and attacked unsuspecting travelers with its "sword-like teeth and sharp horns". As for its origins, the mythical creature is believed to have come from the region of Galatia (in modern-day Turkey), the birthplace of its legendary father, the bison-like Onachus.

Wolpertinger (from German folklore)

A creature said to inhabit the scenic forests of Bavaria, the origin ofWolpertingerIt may come from popular culture inspired by earlier myths and folklore. The Wolpertinger is often perceived as a "mixture" of different animals and their parts and shows similarities with the mythical creatureRasselbockfrom Thuringia (southern Germany) and evenJackalopeFrom America.

To this end, the animal is described with the head of a hare (or rabbit), the body of a squirrel (or hare), the antlers of a stag, and the wings (and sometimes webbed) of a pheasant or duck. . Interestingly, the folklore associated with Wolpertingers relates that they are only attracted to beautiful human females.