mythic beasts at amnh
Ooo:
Mythic Beasts @ the American Museum of Natural History
MYTHIC BEASTS
May 2007–January 2008
TRACK THE ORIGINS OF LEGENDARY CREATURES INCLUDING DRAGONS, UNICORNS, MERMAIDS, AND SEA SERPENTS
The myth of the Cyclops may have been fueled by fossil discoveries. Ancient Greeks who uncovered the skulls of dwarf prehistoric elephants on Mediterranean islands may have mistaken the central nasal cavity—where the trunk was attached—for a single eye socket, that suggested one-eyed giants had once roamed the land.
© AMNH / Denis Finnin
Mythic Beasts, an enchanting exhibition that traces the cultural and natural history roots of some of the world’s most enduring mythological creatures for the first time, is scheduled to open in May 2007. Legendary beasts of land, sea, and air such as dragons, griffins, mermaids, sea serpents, and unicorns are highlighted in this major exhibition scheduled to remain on view through January 2008, after which it will travel to other venues.
For thousands of years, fantastical creatures have been embedded in the human experience through legends and fables, ancient art, and even in the accounts of early naturalists. Mythic Beasts will include spectacular sculptures, paintings, and textiles, along with a number of cultural objects ranging from medieval tapestries to shadow puppets to ceremonial masks and helmets from around the world which will bring to light surprising similarities as well as differences in the ways peoples around the world have envisioned and depicted these strange and wonderful creatures.
