Today, the term Jack o’ lantern or Jack of the lantern is used to describe the Halloween custom of carving out the innards of a pumpkin, usually to form a scary face, and placing a light inside to form a rudimentary lantern. However, the origins of this custom go back hundreds of years and most … Read more
A cockatrice is a mythical creature commonly found in England that has the head of a rooster but the tail of a serpent. It resembles a two-legged dragon, a wyvern, or a basilisk. The creature is highly poisonous and can kill with its breath or even just a stare. The cockatrice shares many characteristics with … Read more
Echidna is a monster from Greek mythology often referred to as the mother of all monsters. This half-woman, half-serpent creature, together with her lover Typhon, is responsible for giving birth to many of the most famous monsters found in Greek legend. Echidna is typically described as a beautiful nymph-like woman with bright eyes and rosy … Read more
The Ziz is a mythological bird from Jewish religious texts known for its colossal size and power. The bird is one of three primordial beasts that will be slaughtered by angels during the apocalypse to be eaten by the righteous at a great banquet. The Ziz is the king of all birds, while the Behemoth … Read more
The Leviathan is a mythical primordial sea monster mainly prevalent in Jewish religious texts but also found in early Christian writings. The creature may have its origin in prebiblical myths about giant sea creatures from Mesopotamia. The Leviathan appears in three books of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. It is usually described … Read more
The Kishi is a monstrous two-headed or two-faced creature that resides in the hills of Angola. The malevolent beings appear human from the front, but on the back of their heads is the face of a ferocious, snarling hyena. When near humans, the Kishas hide their hyena faces and appear to others as attractive, handsome … Read more
The Behemoth is a mythical animal prevalent mainly in the Hebrew Bible and other Jewish religious texts and writings but also featured in the Christian Old Testament. The animal was created by God as one of the chaos creatures and is usually paired with the Leviathan. The key feature of the behemoth is that it’s … Read more
A Golem is a creature from Jewish folklore brought to life from dust or clay by using religious incantations. It will then serve its master, performing any task asked of it. The Golem has no soul and cannot speak, but it is immensely strong and can only be killed when its creator reverses the incantation. … Read more
The hippogriff is a mythical creature often described as a cross between a griffin and a horse. A griffin has the head and torso of an eagle but the body of a lion; however, a hippogriff has the body of a horse and the head of an eagle. Although the hippogriff is probably best known … Read more
A centaur is an ancient being that generally has the upper body and head of a human but the legs and body of a horse. The creature is most associated with ancient Greek mythology, but the idea of half-human, half-horse beings is thought to have originated in Babylonia. Centaurs usually have a human head, torso, … Read more