Abstract
Mediaeval Norse writings that describe the merman are considered accurate observations of a natural phenomenon. Images of common sea mammals, severely distorted by strong, non-uniform atmospheric refraction, fit the mediaeval descriptions remarkably well. Three examples are presented: computer-generated images of a killer whale and a walrus, and a photograph of a suitably distended boulder. The mediaeval correlation of a merman sighting with the advent of storms is also verified.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Pontoppidan, E. The Natural History of Norway, II, 186–195, vi, 210–218 (Lind, London,1755).
Oudemans, A. C. The Great Sea Serpent (Brill, Leiden, 1892).
Heuvelmans, B. In the Wake of Sea Serpents (Hill and Wang, New York, 1968).
Westrum, R. in The Sociological Review Monograph No. 27 (ed. Wallis, R.) 293–314 (University of Keele, 1979).
Nansen, F. In Northern Mists, II, 243 (Heinemann, London, 1911).
Larson, L. M. (transl.) The King's Mirror, 135–138, 125 (Twayne, New York, 1917).
Lehn, W. H., Sawatzky, H. L. & Schroeder, I. Scand. Rev. 66, 2, 36–41 (1978).
Koht, H. (transl.) Historia Norvegiae (Den eldste Noregs-Historia), 13 (det Norske Samlaget, Oslo, 1921).
Lehn, W. H. Science 205, 183–185 (1979).
Pernter, J. M. & Exner, F. Meteorologische Optik 2nd edn (Braümuller, Vienna, 1922).
Koch, J. P. & Wegener, A. Meddr Grønland 75, 609–629 (1930).
Lehn, W. H. J. opt. Soc. Am. 69, 776–781 (1979).
Lehn, W. H. & Sawatzky, H. L. Polarforschung 45, 120–128 (1975).
Lehn, W. H. & El-Arini, M. B. Appl. Opt. 17, 3146–3151 (1978).
Nickerson, R. Brother Whale, 101–102, 117 (Chronicle, San Francisco, 1977).
Slijper, E. J. Whales and Dolphins, 119 (University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, 1976).
Shackleton, E. H. South—The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917, 22, 35, 323 (Macmillan, New York, 1920).
Norman, J. R. & Fraser, F. C. Field Book of Giant Fishes, 289–294 (Putnam, New York,1949).
Matthews, L. H. The Whale, 248, 22–32 (Allen & Unwin, London, 1968).
Bruemmer, F. Encounters with Arctic Animals, 73 (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Toronto, 1972).
Falk, H. S. Altnordisches Seewesen, 67 (Winter, Heidelberg, 1912).
Sweeney, J. B. A Pictorial History of Sea Monsters, 49 (Crown, New York, 1972).
Wegener, A. Meddr Grønland 42, 125–356 (1914).
Wegener, A. Annaln. Hydrogr. Berl. (Köppenheft), 93–95 (1926).
Scoresby, W. An Account of the Arctic Regions, with a History and Description of the Northern Whale-Fishery, I, 387–391, 442, 300, 398–399 (1820; reprinted by Kelley, New York, 1969).
Jones, G. The Norse Atlantic Saga, 115, 146 (Oxford University Press, London, 1964).
Severin T. The Brendan Voyage, 124–132, 156, 188 (Arrow, London, 1979).
Best, G. The Three Voyages of Martin Frobisher (ed. Stefansson, V.) I, 100–101, Ivi (Argonaut, London, 1938).
Gould, R. T. The Case for the Sea Serpent, 12–16 (Philip Allan, London, 1930).
Lehn, W. H. & Schroeder, I. Polarforschung 49, 173–187 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lehn, W., Schroeder, I. The Norse merman as an optical phenomenon. Nature 289, 362–366 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/289362a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/289362a0
- Springer Nature Limited