Popular Post Eldorado Posted March 3, 2022 Popular Post #1 Share Posted March 3, 2022 An ancient mummified ‘mermaid’ that supposedly grants immortality to anyone that tastes its flesh is to be examined by scientists. The creature, with a human-looking face and a tail, has baffled experts for centuries. It was allegedly caught in the Pacific Ocean, off the Japanese island of Shikoku, between 1736 and 1741. Now it rests in a temple in the city of Asakuchi. The creature has its two hands reaching up towards its grimacing face. Hair is still visible on its head and it has the remains of sharp, pointy teeth in its mouth. MSN 6 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatetopa Posted March 3, 2022 #2 Share Posted March 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Eldorado said: An ancient mummified ‘mermaid’ that supposedly grants immortality to anyone that tastes its flesh is to be examined by scientists. All that flesh didn't seem to work too well for the poor mummified mermaid. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wepwawet Posted March 3, 2022 #3 Share Posted March 3, 2022 I saw one of these "mermaids" at a travelling fair when I was a kid, along with two headed babies, beared ladies, a dragon and all manner of wierd stuff. Inventive taxidermy and skill with paper mache, add a good showman and a gullible audience and "reality" is created. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qxcontinuum Posted March 4, 2022 #4 Share Posted March 4, 2022 I'm curious however what it is. Looks like there is something 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl.Of.Trumps Posted March 4, 2022 #5 Share Posted March 4, 2022 I'm betting on "very good fake". We'll see. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the13bats Posted March 10, 2022 #6 Share Posted March 10, 2022 I am 100% sure this is a gaff a version of Barnums fiji mermaid, my dad was a very skilled taxidermist and was going to make me one, i made a few "mud creatures people" that have various back stories, i have had a live long interest and affection for sideshows. Most fiji mermaids are a monkey top sewn to a fishes tail, some lower end ones are on ebay, really nice ones might fetch several 100 bucks, there are other versions like jake the alligator boy, a monkey head on a gator body, I find it hard to believe anyone would be baffled by these fakes. The ones i like are Naree pon, while the back story is fiction these gaffs are just wonderful and i am curious just what they used to make them. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jethrofloyd Posted March 10, 2022 #7 Share Posted March 10, 2022 I wonder why would anyone between the 1736 and 1741 bother to falsify a ‘mermaid’at all? Didn't they have a big problem dealing with the Plague and other evil things? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the13bats Posted March 11, 2022 #8 Share Posted March 11, 2022 8 hours ago, jethrofloyd said: I wonder why would anyone between the 1736 and 1741 bother to falsify a ‘mermaid’at all? Didn't they have a big problem dealing with the Plague and other evil things? Yes and no, entertainment has almost always prevailed and sideshow type stuff was always popular with that said we only have vauge no provenance stories how old this gaff really is. The testing if legit will be humiliating. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jethrofloyd Posted April 17, 2022 #9 Share Posted April 17, 2022 Haunting 'mermaid' mummy in Japan is probably a gruesome monkey-fish mix The haunting remains are most likely a gruesome amalgam of a monkey's torso sewed onto a fish's tail, potentially embellished with hair and nails from a human. https://www.livescience.com/mummified-mermaid-in-japan 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobu Posted April 19, 2022 #10 Share Posted April 19, 2022 On 4/17/2022 at 6:58 AM, jethrofloyd said: Haunting 'mermaid' mummy in Japan is probably a gruesome monkey-fish mix The haunting remains are most likely a gruesome amalgam of a monkey's torso sewed onto a fish's tail, potentially embellished with hair and nails from a human. https://www.livescience.com/mummified-mermaid-in-japan They didn’t have gorilla glue back then. Gut sinew for the sutures would last 400 years in the right conditions but would be visible. I’m super interested in how this turns out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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