Mermaid Magazine

Across genres and throughout the age, Mermaids have remained a continual source of intrigue and fascination. This level of interest has traversed the boundaries of both time and popular culture, including film, literature and music.

Mermaids, in particular, have become a prominent feature of the gaming world, both in the video game realm and through the Mermaids Millions slot. Even in an age where technology is changing everything, Mermaids remain a reminder of simpler and more innocent times.

3 Interesting Facts that you never knew about Mermaids

With this in mind, there is probably a great deal about Mermaids that you do not know. Here are some of their more interesting facts:

1. One of the first Mermaid Legends emerged in Syria

Today, Syria has been torn by internal conflict, but it remains an ancient and proud legend with a rich cultural heritage. It was also home to one of the first Mermaid legends, in the form of Ancient fertility Goddess Atargatis (who came to prominence in 1000 BC). Her cult eventually spread to Greece and ancient Rome, while her affinity with the water saw her depicted most commonly as a Mermaid.

Image: mamiwatafilm.com

According to legend, she once dived into a lake to become a fish, only to have her bottom half transformed.

2. The Original Mermaid wasn’t a ‘Maid’ at all

Before Mermaids were popularised, it was the ‘Merman’ who was up front and centre in the pages of folklore. Take the Babylonian God Oannes, for example, who predates Atargatis by several thousand years and apparently had both a fish and a human body. Legend stated that his human body sat beneath his fish form, enabling him to live comfortably both among men and the creatures of the sea. It is unclear why the Merman legend died out, but it arguably lacks the romance and feminism of the Mermaid alternative.

Image: fineartamerica.com

3. There are societies who believe that Humans are descended from Mermaids

Interestingly, there are some societies in the Pacific Islands who actually believe that humans are descended from women and Mermen. During the course of evolution, this theory states that these species combined to make the Mermaids that we know from popular culture, with the half-human, half-fish God Vatea used as a formative example. This is certainly one of the more interesting theories on evolution, and one that is scarcely ever aired in the Western world.

Image: wikipedia.org

Content submitted by Andrew Moody.

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