Did mermen ever really exist?

[Vixen]

Mythology and folklore is rife with tales of mermen, mermaids and sirens.

For example, the Russians had a Sea Tsar, as in the folk tale of Sadko which can be said to be similar to the bucca found in Cornish folklore, with concommitant green features and seaweed hair, the Irish merrow, (ditto), and of course we have Neptune/Poseidon and Glaucus, born human with an urge to be fish, so the gods answered his prayers.

Stories of mermen, usually depicted as extremely ugly, wise, teachers, mermaids, the exact opposite, and sirens who are part seal, with lovely singing voices , with the power to lure unwary sailors to their deaths, are so ubiquitous throughout different cultures, is there a possibility they once really existed (or, even, still exist)?

Enquiring minds need to know.

 

[The Shrike]

. . . is there a possibility they once really existed (or, even, still exist)?

No.

 

[abaddon]

That is quite possibly the dumbest proposition to have ever been thrown out on this forum.

The term "fractally wrong" springs to mind.

 

[Vixen]

For ancient Chinamen and Cornishmen to have all seen one, they must have once existed.

Russians, Irish, Greeks - all describe them in a similar way.

Perhaps mermen became extinct.

 

[Diablo]

People have often believed in nonsense, and still do. Just look at religion: miracles, and someone coming back from the dead....

 

[Crossbow]

For ancient Chinamen and Cornishmen to have all seen one, they must have once existed.

Russians, Irish, Greeks - all describe them in a similar way.

Perhaps mermen became extinct.

Or perhaps they were telling similar mermen stories to one another, and that is why there are stories about mermen in different cultures.

 

[LTC8K6]

For ancient Chinamen and Cornishmen to have all seen one, they must have once existed.

Russians, Irish, Greeks - all describe them in a similar way.

Perhaps mermen became extinct.

So if several people have seen something, that means it exists or it happened?

Like sasquatch?

 

[LTC8K6]

Dragons must have been real then...fire breathing and flying and terrorizing the masses.

 

[abaddon]

Or perhaps they were telling similar mermen stories to one another, and that is why there are stories about mermen in different cultures.

Even easier. There is a commonality amongst seafarers that transcends any national barriers. It is commonly troped in movies but it is a real thing right up to this very day. Persons of my own acquaintance have spent most of their lives at sea. Can they spin tall tales? You bet your sweet bippy they can. Do they swap such tall tales among themselves? You bet your sweet bippy they do.

And do they use those tall tales to impress the gullible "landlubbers" (which interestingly is not a term used by sailors)? Of course they do.

According to this thread, Vixen would have us believe otherwise, but we all know the very notion is utter garbage.

It's all a Poe.

 

[ahhell]

To answer the OP, no.

Or perhaps they were telling similar mermen stories to one another, and that is why there are stories about mermen in different cultures.

More likely they all grew out of a common experience. Seeing something in the water that kinda sorta looked like a person before it quickly submerged and swam a away. Though your explanation is also likely responsible for some of the myths. Or what Abaddon said.

 

[theprestige]

I'm pretty sure this is just straight-up trolling.

 

[Disbelief]

I'm pretty sure this is just straight-up trolling.

We're talking mermen, so it's trawling.

 

[P.J. Denyer]

We're talking mermen, so it's trawling.

BAM!!

 

[Loss Leader]

For ancient Chinamen and Cornishmen to have all seen one, they must have once existed.

Russians, Irish, Greeks - all describe them in a similar way.

Perhaps mermen became extinct.

Look, I'll try to be as nice about this as possible.

The ocean is a big place with vast horizons. It's very difficult to get a sense of scale while at sea. Ocean water may be warm and the air cold (or vice versa), causing refraction of light in ways the eye isn't used to processing. The are man creatures in the water - from sea cows to some eels - which look to have human features when viewed in the right way. And older sailors like to haze younger ones. Sailors like to tell long, crazy stories because a lot of time at sea is spent doing nothing.

But we've been scientifically exploring the ocean for over a hundred years now - with real tools and trained people.

There are many, many reasons to discredit ancient anecdotes. There is no evidence to give reason to believe mermen ever existed.

Any other conclusion would just be ignoring evidence in favor of a more interesting story that exists nowhere but one's own mind.

 

[dudalb]

What? Aquaman and Prince Namor are not real?

 

[P.J. Denyer]

They didn't.

Next!

 

[Babbylonian]

Look, I'll try to be as nice about this as possible.

The ocean is a big place with vast horizons. It's very difficult to get a sense of scale while at sea. Ocean water may be warm and the air cold (or vice versa), causing refraction of light in ways the eye isn't used to processing. The are man creatures in the water - from sea cows to some eels - which look to have human features when viewed in the right way. And older sailors like to haze younger ones. Sailors like to tell long, crazy stories because a lot of time at sea is spent doing nothing.

But we've been scientifically exploring the ocean for over a hundred years now - with real tools and trained people.

There are many, many reasons to discredit ancient anecdotes. There is no evidence to give reason to believe mermen ever existed.

Any other conclusion would just be ignoring evidence in favor of a more interesting story that exists nowhere but one's own mind.

Well said. If I might be permitted, I'd say the most succinct explanation is that our eyes can play tricks on us.

 

[MRC_Hans]

For ancient Chinamen and Cornishmen to have all seen one, they must have once existed.

Russians, Irish, Greeks - all describe them in a similar way.

Perhaps mermen became extinct.

Mermen are anatomically and biologically impossible. No creature that even remotely resembles them has been found, neither extant nor as fossil.

Sailors, travellers speak to each other, and myths are spread. When people observe something they do not recognize, they interpret it as something they have heard of. Also when people want to tell tall tales in a tavern, they tell about things others will recognize, e.g. mythical creatures.

There are several good candidates for animals that might have been mistaken for mermen. (Porpoises, seals, etc.)

There no reason to assume they existed, just lige there is no reason to assume other mythical creatures existed. (Centaurs, griffons, cyclops, invisible pink unicorns, etc.)

Hans

 

[Porpoise of Life]

Mermen are fake. Snorks is where it's at!

 

[William Parcher]

Well said. If I might be permitted, I'd say the most succinct explanation is that our eyes can play tricks on us.

Yes, and the sea can really play tricks on the eyes. For example, a person could see a tiny mermaid and think that it is large and also vice-versa. Or, a small mermaid could appear to be a squirrel monkey instead.

It's weird the way that the illusions can happen. A sailor could return to land saying that he saw a group of squirrel monkeys out at sea when he had actually observed a pod of orcas. A glimpse of a surfacing mermaid could cause a sailor to think they saw an eel or a dugong or manatee.