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  • The image shows a large wooden carving that represents the Māori legend of Kupe and Te Wheke. An octopus-like figure can be seen wrapped around towards the bottom of the structure, with another figure towards the top, holding a sort of tool or weapon.

    Kupe and Te Wheke

    This photograph taken by Sid Mosdell shows an image of a carved pou (post) at Karaka Point in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand. The carving depicts the story of the Māori warrior, Kupe and the monstrous octopus, Te Wheke o Muturangi. Kupe had been struggling to save himself from being drowned, and so he gripped onto the northern end of the island Te Waipounamu (what is now known as the South Island). Eventually, he wins the battle by slicing the octopus in half and forming many of New Zealand's landforms.
  • The image is of a petroglyph. It shows shapes and squiggled lines drawn into stone. The shapes resemble an octopus, with tentacles coming from the central body.

    Petroglyph of Octopus

    This work, created by an unknown artist, depicts an octopus carved in rock. Located on Easter Island, this carving relates to the Polynesian mythology regarding the creation of the Pacific Islands, which involved their octopus god, Na Kika.
  • The image shows a sculpture of an octopus. It is mostly red with some black areas throughout. Its tentacles are angled towards one side, with one up by its head.

    Octopus

    This sculpture by Japanese artist Gyokuzan depicts a red and black octopus. It is from the 19th century and may relate to the Japanese tale of Akkorokamui, a giant octopus in the Uchiura Bay, due to its prominent red color.
  • The image shows a painting of a red octopus-like creature with white spots spanning from the middle of its body throughout each of the tentacles, which are spread out through most of the paper. It has a bird-like face, with green around its eye, and a black and red beak. It appears as though it has been cut and repasted onto another paper, and a small paint palette is seen underneath.

    Painting

    This painting portrays an octopus-like creature with bird-like facial features, painted by Martin Mungo. It resembles Kwakwaka'wakw culture and relates to the story of Kumungwe, the god of the undersea world. Stories of Kumugwe discuss heros coming to his residence, filled of wealth and magic. This is often seen guarded by an octopus, and Kumugwe is sometimes even seen to take on an octopus form himself.
  • The image shows a black and white drawing of a male human-like creature with a fish-like tail in the ocean, with an unclothed woman standing on the land. She is holding a long piece of cloth. The male figure has long hair and a beard and is gesturing his hands toward the woman. Behind them, large mountains and land structures can be seen.

    Glaucus and Scylla (Met. XIII.898-968)

    This drawing by Virgil Solis depicts the Greek myth of Scylla and Glaucus, showing the scene of their initial meeting before Scylla is cursed into a wicked sea monster by her adversary, Circe. Prior to being cursed, she was considered to be a beautiful nypmh.
  • Left, horned serpent having long undulating coils extending across bottom of scene, head facing center, tongue extending from mouth; center, bearded running god, hair hanging at back of neck, wearing headdress, thrusting a sword into the mouth of the serpent

    Tiamat, goddess of saltwater and chaos

    This engraving portrays the monumental battle described in the Babyloninian epic Enuma Elish between the goddess of chaos, Tiamat, and the patron god Marduk. The conflict ended with Tiamat's body being split in half, creating the Earth.
  • Thor stands at the end of a ship holding a chain around his arm that he used to batter the Midgard Serpent, a black sea serpent rising out of the water

    Thor Battering the Midgard Serpent

    This oil painting by artist Henry Fuseli captures the epic battle of the Norse god of thunder, Thor, battling the great sea serpent Jormungandr- also known as the "Midgard Serpent" or the "World Serpent" for its ginormous size. This painting is a depiction of Thor and Jormungandr's final fight, set during Ragnorok.
  • The image has black ink on a beige background depicting a large octopus-like creature in front of a ship. The tentacles of the octopus are wrapped around each of the masts of the ship. The top left corner of the page reads Pl XXVI. The top right corner reads T.2. P.256. The bottom reads Denys-Montfort del., E. Voyard S, and Le Poulpe Colossal.

    Le Poulpe Colossal

    This drawing by French naturalist Pierre Dénys de Montfort portrays a giant octopus with its tentacles wrapped around a ship. Early European narratives of the giant octopus or squid often told tales of these creatures dragging sailors into treacherous waters. Montfort believed that the giant octopus was responsible for the disappearance of British warships in 1782.
  • Chinese Ceramic Dish with a black dragon drawn in the center surrounded by blue waves

    Dragon King, Lac Long Quân

    Featured is a blue and white porecelain dish created by an unknown artist. The dish depicts the long, thin, and five-toed dragon typically seen in East Asian artwork, along with storm waves in the background. This decorative theme of the dish means that the porcelain was intended for the imperial family. Many porcelain pieces during the Ming Dynasty, particularly during the reign of Emperors Chenghua and Xuande, depicts dragons in a similar fashion to symbolize their power.
  • The black and white newsprint depicts an image of a very large, open-mouthed with eight tentacles on top, spread out in different directions. The creature is on land, next to a body of water, and surrounded by small shells and miscellaneous items. Behind it, in the water, there are small ships and two small clusters of buildings on land in the distance on the left and right, one labeled "SCHEVELINGEN" and "CATWYCK OP ZEE", respectively. Underneath the image are the words "EEN VVONDERLYCK ZEE - MONSTER TE SIEN" followed by a paragraph of text in Dutch discussing the creature.

    Zeemonster gevangen tussen Scheveningen en Katwijk, 1661

    This Dutch newsprint, illustrated by an anonymous artist, portrays a monstrous squid caught by a fisherman in the North Sea on November 12, 1661. According to the newsprint, the squid was embalmed by Professor Johannes van Horne of Leiden University.
  • This is an engraving depicting the back end of a ship in the middle of the ocean. On the left side of the ship are two serpent-like monsters, and on the right side, there is another serpent, shooting water at the ship. The mast of the ship is shown to be holding a sword, ready to fight back against the aquatic adversaries.

    Untitled Engraving of Sea Monsters Attacking a Sailing Vessel

    This engraving, created by Johann Christoph Wagner depicts a ship in the ocean, flanked by various ocean monsters. This is representative of ocean mythology and its attempt to explain humanity's fear and wonder of the ocean.
  • Sea serpent of varying shades of yellow, orange, white, and brown that has a snake like body with a bull-like head consisting of horns

    Ngalyod, Australian Water Dragon

    The photograph shows a painting on eucalyptus bark, created by John Mawurndjul. It portrays a horned rainbow snake known as Ngalyod, a hybrid snake with the head of a buffalo. This is a prominent god of the Kuninjku people, an Aboriginal Tribe. The painting was discovered in the Arnhem Land in Australia.
  • Romanesque bookart depicting the Anti Christ in a white robe enthroned on Leviathan, a fire-breathing water dragon

    Liber Floridus of Lambert of S.Omer

    A manuscript by an unknown French artist shows the Antichrist riding the sea serpent, Leviathan. The bookscript is meant to serve as a warning of the ocean, as both of these figures are a representation of chaos.
  • This image is that of a carving of a mermaid on the chancel arch of a church in Clonfert, Ireland. The mermaid is depicted as a topless woman with a tail from the waist down. She is resting one hand on her stomach, and the other is holding a comb and brushing her hair.

    Clonfert Cathedral Mermaid

    A photograph taken by Andreas F. Borchert of a 15th century mermaid sculpture at a cathedral in Clonfert, Ireland. The sculpture is a reference to the patron of the cathedral, St.Brendan, as in his voyages he was said to have come across a dangerous mermaid who used her seductiveness to put men to sleep. It is a reminder for churchgoers to resist the temptation of sin.
  • This image shows the carvings of three mermaids on a catafalque, which is the scaffolding of a coffin. These mermaids depicted are that from the Ramayana which are nude females with a tail making up their body from the waist down.

    Mermaids on a catafalque

    A photograph taken by David Clay of a carved decorative motif of mermaids from the Southeast Asian version of the Ramayana in Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang, Laos. The mermaids are depicted on a cataflaque, or the framework of a coffin of a distinguished individual. This is indicative of their presence as a luck bringing charm in various Southeast Asian cultures.
  • This painting depicts a nude woman brushing her hair while she is sitting on a branch that rests over a body of water. This woman is looking at her reflection which is surrounded by a ring of flowers. This depiction represents the Slavic entity, Rusalka.

    Rusalka

    This painting, created by Сергей Панасенко-Михалкин depicts the Rusalka, or an eastern European equivalent to a mermaid. It shows a naked women in a river, looking at her reflection surrounded by a beautiful ring of flowers. It shows the seductiveness of these creatures and the way they are able to lure men into their deaths with their beauty.
  • An illustration of a woman-like figure depicted with a tail from the waist down and dragon-like wings. She is shown flying out of a castle's window while two human individuals are watching her leave. This is a depiction of Melusine in her condemned punishment.

    Melusine Leaving the Castle

    This illustration created by Anonymous Artists is a depiction of Melusine, a creature that resembles a mermaid in European folklore. It was meant to depict the punishment Melusine faced for seeking revenge on her father. She was condemned to this form by her own mother.
  • The Mami Wata figurine depicts a woman standing with her hands in the air, with a snake wrapped around her arms as well as another snake wrapped around her torso. This is a display of the spirit's, Mami Wata's, snake-charming abilities.

    Mami Wata Figure

    Created by an unknown artist, this sculpture depicts the mythic water spirit, called Mami Wata, meaning "Water as Mother" or "Mother of the Waters." It is depicting her in her tailless form, showing her snake-charming abilities.
  • An illustration depicting the human form of a selkie, walking naked along the shore of a beach. There are seals depicted in the background, alluding to the fact that selkies are part seal. The illustration is framed by various nautical illustrations.

    Selkie

    An illustration created Carolyn Emerick depicting a selkie in her human form along the shore of a beach. It shows the allure that selkies often have in Gaelic mythology when they aim to attract and lure men into dangerous situtations.
  • A painting created using oil on canvas depicting a man, Ulysses, tied to the mast of his ship. He is being tormented by sirens, which are depicted as naked women that are losing their fishlike features as they  are leaving the water

    Ulysses and The Sirens

    A painting by Herbert James Draper depicting a scene from the Odyssey where Ulysses is being tormented by sirens as he is tied down to the mast of his ship. As the sirens are climbing the boat, they lose their fish-like features and are depicted as nude women using their seductiveness to lure Ulysses into danger.