Learn more about early marine animal witness accounts that likely fed mermaid and other sea monster legends.

The myths and history behind mermaids While some may wave their nets of skepticism, there are abundant mythological tales alleging the existence of mermaids.

The earliest known mermaid myth is 3,000 years old and originated in Assyria. The story goes that the goddess Atargatis accidentally killed her human lover. She was so distraught that she flung ...

In the Western European canon of myths, the mermaids were known to foretell bad luck on the sea, such as a storm or a shipwreck. The mermaid myth became inexorably intertwined with the siren myth ...

They have now released findings suggesting that while the tale of the Staithes Mermaids, which is Yorkshire's only known mermaid myth, was first published in 1924, it has probably been circulating ...

If mermaids are real, anything is possible!" Ventura says mermaids date to ancient mythology. "There are examples of mermaids going back thousands of years, mermaid stories, mermaid tales," she said.

In the depths of downtown Berlin, Maryland, tourists and locals alike can dive into one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries: The Mermaid Museum is a historical exploration and artistic appreciation of ...

Getty Images Mermaids have featured in folklore, myth and legend across the world for hundreds of years 23 June 2025 ...