The Most Searched-For Mythical Creatures Around the World
There is a category of “wildlife” that is not quite fact, not quite fiction. They have many names, including:
- Cryptids
- Monsters
- Folk Beasts
- Urban Legends
- Cryptid Entities
- Spooky Legends
- Hidden Creatures
- Legendary Beasts
- Mythical Legends
- Unknown Animals
- Mythical Creatures
- Mythological Creatures
- Legends of the National Parks
A few years ago, we decided to explore these mysterious beings, and we’re so glad we did. Here’s how Anderson Design Group Founder and Creative Director Joel Anderson introduced “Legends of the National Parks and Mythical Creatures Around the World,” one of our most popular poster art collections:
“The artists of Anderson Design Group have spent years documenting the wilderness and wonder of America’s National Parks. We’ve explored, rendered posters, written books, and photographed the nation’s most cherished public lands. During our research and adventures in the parks, we’ve also run across some pretty exciting legends. We’ve heard horror stories about strange creatures that others have seen, heard, (or felt). We’ve uncovered tall tales of unexplainable events, ancient myths, and local stories passed down by Indigenous Peoples, colonial settlers, and park visitors. Many of the legends we’ve come across are based on Native American folklore. To the best of our abilities, we’ve indicated which tribes are associated with each story, while respecting the sacred traditions of Indigenous beliefs. As we dug deeper, we realized that cultures from every continent on the globe have their own rich traditions of mythology featuring bizarre, creepy, and quirky legendary beings. So we began exploring and depicting magical, mystical monsters from all over the planet. We hope you enjoy our Legends Of The National Parks art and our art of Mythical Creatures from Around the World, too!"
We’ve been adding new designs of spooky legends said to reside in the U.S. National Parks, but today we wanted to show some love to our favorite Mythical Creatures Around the World.
Twelve Mythical Creatures to Look for This Summer
(Love the art in this blog? Check out the full collection of mythological legends here).
1) The Faerie of Germany
Depicted in countless books, films, artistic renderings, and fireside stories, fairies are thought to be mythical, magical creatures that are often portrayed as small, humanoid beings with wings, who have close relationships with humans and are sometimes considered guardian angels. They are often portrayed as kind and lovely, but they can also be mischievous and spiteful. Discussion of fairies began in Europe during the Middle Ages, with most scholars agreeing that the first fairy stories were Germanic in origin.
2) The Kappa of Japan
Every culture has its creepy beasties and mythical creatures, and in Japan, one of the best-known is the elusive kappa. Said to live in ponds, rivers, and lakes, the Japanese word “Kappa” translates to “River Child.” Accounts vary as to the beast’s powers and special abilities, and whether it has good or evil intentions, but most agree the creature is a small, child-sized humanoid with green, scaly skin, a turtle-like shell, webbed hands and feet, and a monkey-like face with a beak-shaped mouth. The kappa’s most distinguishing feature is its bowl-shaped indentation on top of its head, one that contains a small pool of water.
3) The Gnome of Switzerland
Gnomes are mythical beings with a strange, interesting background. Known worldwide as small, dwarf-like, garden-dwelling creatures, the word “gnome” comes from the Latin 'gnomus' or Greek 'gnosis,' which has roots in the ancient Greek words for 'knowledge of hidden treasure' and 'earth dweller.' Traditional gnomes are closely linked to the mythology of the classical elements (Earth, Fire, Water, and Air) and are said to be nocturnal protectors of the Earth. Legend has it that gnomes live underground, where they guard the nearby plant life (as well as their stashes of buried treasure). Supposedly, rays of sunshine could turn a gnome to stone. But unlike evil trolls, who also turned to stone in sunlight, gnomes were said to be good creatures who helped plants grow. Swiss alchemist Paracelsus first discussed the alleged magical powers of gnomes during the Renaissance, which explains their prominence in Swiss folklore.
4) The Mapinguari of Brazil
This beast truly is fearsome. A Brazilian folklore story and a legend of the Amazon rainforest, the mapinguari is a monstrous cyclops giant. But unlike other cyclops, the mapinguari has a mouth protruding from its abdomen. Also called the juma, the mapinguari is described by many as a hulking, hairy creature with a body not unlike Bigfoot’s but with only one eye, a gaping mouth, ape-like ears, and a second, protruding mouth in the center of its stomach. Others have described the mapinguari as resembling a giant ground sloth, a now-extinct beast that lived in the Amazon region during the last Ice Age.
5) The Rākshasa of India
A demon spirit and sorcerer capable of shapeshifting at will, the Rākshasas of India are worthy of the fear and reverence given them in ancient Hindu mythology. The Rākshasas reside on Earth but possess incredible supernatural powers, which they usually use for evil acts such as disrupting Vedic sacrifices or even eating humans! Thanks to their shapeshifting power, a Rākshasa can appear as an animal, monster, or even as a human.
6) The Sphinx of Egypt
This entity is thought to be animal-like and god-like, and to be both a physical beast and a creature of the spirit world. Given its omnipotent nature, the ancient Egyptians worshipped the sphinx, believing it had special powers and could bestow good fortune if treated properly. As for its appearance, the sphinx had the head of a man and the body of a lion. It also appeared in Greek and Asian mythologies. In ancient Egypt, sphinxes were often depicted as male figures wearing a pharaoh’s headdress, called a nemes, and were considered spiritual guardians.
7) The Yowie of Australia
Yowies are sometimes described as the Australian Bigfoot, though descriptions of the creature vary. The creature is said to live in the Outback and other rural parts of Australia. The most sightings have been recorded in eastern Australian states. In Aboriginal legends, yowie-type creatures are described in great detail as hairy, ape-like men standing anywhere from 6ft to 11ft tall. The yowie’s feet are much larger than a human’s, and its footprints are inconsistent in shape and toe number, making it difficult to track. The yowie is said to have a large, flat nose, a huge mouth, and bat-like ears. Descriptions of the yowie range from its visual appearance to its demeanor. Some describe the beast as timid or shy, and others say it is violent and aggressive. Some describe it as a harmless ape-like creature; others say it looks more like a hairy wild man.
8) The Vampire of Romania
Vampires were thought to be humanoid creatures who fed on the blood of the living, mainly humans. Vampires were believed to be undead, meaning they had been humans who had died but then came back to “life” to feed on the living. The early-18th-century mass hysteria regarding vampirism in Eastern Europe resulted in the widespread popularization of the myth. Vampires have taken on different forms and cultural significance over the centuries. Today, vampires maintain a significant presence in pop culture. From the early Slavic folk stories of vampires to the famous 1872 and 1897 novels Carmilla and Dracula, this mysterious beast has appeared in cultures across Europe and the world.
9) The Tokoloshe of South Africa
The tokoloshe is a Zulu mythical creature; a dwarf-like water sprite thought to be extremely mischievous and troublesome. The tokoloshe is committed to causing problems for humans and can turn invisible and escape capture, but only if it drinks water or swallows a stone. Sightings of the creature are considered a bad omen because seeing a tokoloshe indicates that someone nearby summoned it, intending to harm others and wreak havoc on the community.
10) The Shenlong Dragon of China
Shenlong is a spiritual dragon from Chinese mythology, the master of storms and a bringer of rain. He is of equal significance to other creatures, such as the celestial dragon, Tianlong. The spiritual dragons govern the wind, clouds, and rain, on which all agricultural life depends.
11) The Death Worm of Mongolia
The Mongolian death worm is a creature alleged to exist in the Gobi Desert. The creature first came to Western attention through Roy Chapman Andrews’s 1926 book On the Trail of Ancient Man. According to legend, the dreaded Mongolian Death Worm — which local people call olgoi-khorkhoi or loosely translated, “large intestine worm” — has lived up to its name. It can kill in several fearsome ways, including spitting a stream of corrosive venom that is lethal to anything it hits.
12) The Loch Ness Monster of Scotland
The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, with one or more humps protruding from the water. Some witnesses say it has a relatively small head but a long, serrated mouth. Popular interest in the creature has varied since it was brought to worldwide attention in the early 20th century, thanks to the widespread popularization of film photography; however, sightings of the beast date back to the sixth century AD. Evidence of the Loch Ness Monster is almost entirely anecdotal, with several disputed photographs and sonar readings mixed in. Much like Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Chupacabra, the subculture of cryptozoology has placed particular emphasis on this legendary creature of the Scottish Highlands.
Safe Travels Around the World!
Before you jump onto a plane, train, or automobile and explore the world this year, why not custom-build a postcard set of the mythical creatures around the world you hope to see?
Just use our convenient Build-Your-Own Postcard Set option, and we’ll custom-print these designs for you. That way, when you visit your favorite world travel destinations, you can send postcards back home and let your loved ones know if you saw any mythological creatures. It’s the art of adventure, in postcard format.
Happy travels this year!
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer