Gallery: Hunting Giant Octopuses, Flying Turtles, and Other Ancient Sea Monsters
01Serpent attack
Jonah being cast overboard to a sea monster in Abraham Ortelius's *Theatrum orbis terrarum* (Theater of the World) of 1595. *(British Library)*
02Dragon and octopus
In this 1367 nautical chart by Francesco and Domenico Pizzigano, an octopus drags one unlucky sailor off a ship while a dragon flies off with another. In this case, Van Duzer thinks the cartographers believed they were warning of a real danger to mariners. *(Biblioteca Palatina)*
03Ichthyocentaur
An ichythyocentaur (part man, part horse, part fish) plays a viol while swimming along in Abraham Ortelius's 1571 *Theatrum orbis terrarum*. *(British Library)*
04Monsters attack
Sea monsters attack a ship off the coast of India in Abraham Ortelius's 1571 *Theatrum orbis terrarum*. *(British Library)*
05Whales and walrus
Whales smokestack-like blowholes attack a ship in Olaus Magnus's *Carta Marina*. This map is an [absolute treasure for sea monster aficionados](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/carta-marina/). Magnus made the original version in black and white in 1539. This image and the one that follows come from a color version created in 1572. *(Sveriges nationalbibliotek)*
06Walrus
A walrus-like creature hauls out on the coast of what's now Finland in Olaus Magnus's *Carta Marina*. *(Sveriges nationalbibliotek)*
07Smiling monster
Nothing puts a smile on a sea monster's face like a naked lady in a seashell. The lady here represents Bold Fortune, and she appears in a map made in 1565 by Paolo Forlani. *(Library of Congress)*
08Aquatic unicorn
This aquatic unicorn adorns a map in Cornelis de Jode's *Speculum Orbis Terrae*, published in 1593 *(British Library)*
09Bird-fish
This fish-bird hybrid appears in Cornelis de Jode's *Speculum Orbis Terrae*, published in 1593 *(British Library)*
10Sea elephant
This spiky sea elephant appears in a 1572 map by Tommaso Porcacchi. *(British Library)*
11Flying turtle
The flying turtle above comes from a map of northern Europe published in 1558. *(British Library)*
12Turtle-bird
This turtle-like creature appears in a 1578 map by Gerardus Mercator, who invented [the projection that bears his name](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/07/projection-mercator/). *(British Library)*
13Lobster-fish
The polyp, or octopus, depicted here looks more like a lobster-fish hybrid. It appears in *Hortus sanitatis*, an illustrated encyclopedia published in 1491. Books like this were often an inspiration for cartographers. Van Duzer's book includes an illustration of a similar creature clutching a sailor in its claw. *(British Library)*
14Many monsters
Abraham Ortelius's 1598 map of Iceland boasts an impressive menagerie of sea monsters, several of which are visible in this detail. *(British Library)*
15Whale
Whales and large fish-like creatures being mistaken for islands is a repeated theme in medieval manuscripts and maps. In this early 13th century bestiary, seafarers land and light a fire on the beast's back. In many accounts this ends badly for the humans. *(British Library)*
16Sirens
Two sirens hold mirrors and comb their hair -- presumably to more effectively lure sailors to their doom -- in Diego Gutiérrez's 1562 map of the Americas. *(Library of Congress)*
17King
It's good to be the king. Here King Manuel of Portugal rides a sea monster off the southern tip of Africa in Martin Waldseemüller's 1516 *Carta marina*, a nod to Portugal's maritime dominance at the time. *(Library of Congress)*
