Hear-ye! Come one, come all! The Muse Of Mythology is pleased to present
this comprehensive exploration of a dazzling array of all types of imagined beings, here called
fantastic creatures!
the table of Fantastic creatures of the world
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The Gallery Of Fantastic Creatures
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about this feature
In this feature, The Muse Of Mythology invites you to
explore a corner of the realm of the
outlandish, bizarre, and grotesque—the realm of man's
atavistic imagination—the world of fantastic creatures.
The creatures who inhabit Fantastic Creatures Of The World have been
conceived from, in, and by past and present periods, cultures, mythologies, societies,
histories, places, and media the world over.
The emphasis in this feature is definitely on creatures associated with
the arts, which are among the richest sources of fantastic creatures.
The fantastic creatures in this feature are
displayed in the form of a table containing scores of creatures. You won't be far amiss to
think of each row of the table as a wild, exotic land of its own set apart
from all the other lands and creatures. There a creature is free to roam and be
itself within its own sphere. The table as a whole is a phantasmagoria of
these exotic lands and creatures.
As you explore this world of imagined beings, prepare to be astounded (or
just surprised) by what you see. You may conclude that some of these
mythological creatures resemble each other to an unexpected degree. You may
be in for insights that would delight and excite even an expert in mythology
or a writer of myths.
about fantastic creatures
What is a fantastic creature?
- A creature is an animal, especially a nonhuman.
- A fantastic creature is a creature conceived or appearing as
if conceived by an unrestrained imagination.
More
the table of fantastic creatures of
the world
The table of fantastic creatures is automated, searchable, sortable, and printable. These and other features will assist you to rapidly,
easily, and conveniently search for, find, and arrange results. These
features make it easier to make comparisons among creatures.
Columns in the table include:
- Creature name.
- Culture or society which gives rise to the creature.
- Description—e.g., attributes, appearance, powers, characteristics,
behavior.
- Role in the arts—connections with the muses, word origins, literary references,
depictions in works of fine art or music, film, and other arts, fields
of human endeavor.
- The Muse Of Mythology invites you to explore the table of
Fantastic Creatures Of The World now:
click here.
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—note— more about the table
of fantastic creatures
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A listing will contain no comment about a creature's imaginary
status unless, after all the evidence is in, there is reason to believe that the creature may not be
imaginary; then there will be a comment in the table to that effect. The imaginary status of a creature will be noted in the description of the
creature.
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Of course the Table
does not exhaust this field. Literally thousands of imaginary
creatures have been conceived by mankind. Creating
an exhaustive table would be too daunting a task.
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Every
fantastic creature in the Table has had an important role in the arts.
Most have appeared time and time again, not just in one artistic field
but in many of them. The connections with the muses and the arts are not
meant to do more than get you started.
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the Gallery of fantastic creatures
Hurry, hurry! Come one, come all. See fantastic creatures. Stroll along
the Gallery's halls and marvel at the pictures of creatures hanging from the
walls. See images of some of the most fantastic creatures man has imagined.
Explore the Muse Of Mythology's feature called Gallery of Fantastic Creatures.
Fantastic Creatures Of The World and the Gallery of Fantastic Creatures
are two features offered by The Muse Of Mythology that complement and supplement each other:
- Some of the creatures described in Fantastic Creatures Of The World
are on display in the Gallery Of Fantastic Features. You can see what they look like there.
- Some of the creatures on display in the Gallery are described in
the Table Of Fantastic Creatures Of The World. You can learn more about them
there.
- Look at and admire the art work and creative imaginations of
scores of visual artists from times long past to the present. Visit the feature called the Gallery Of Fantastic Creatures:
click here.
the world of deities
Some mythological deities are fantastic creatures and some fantastic
creatures are mythological deities.
If you're interested in fantastic creatures and the relationship
between these two kinds of entities, you'll want to explore the
pantheon of mythological gods at The Muse Of Mythology's feature called
Welcome To The World Of Deities.
- If you have not already explored the World Of Deities and want
to do so now:
click
here.
Keep in mind that some gods are fantastic and some fantastic
creatures are gods. If you visit one of these features you may want to
visit the other and make comparisons. Explore the relationship between
these two kinds of entities.
ETAF Recommends
Books
1. In The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges, Borges
compiles and describes over 100 fantastic beings from around the world and
from many different cultures.
2. Fabulous Creatures and Other Magical Beings by Joel Levy is an
amusing approach to hundreds of mythological and fabulous creatures.
3. The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of
Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic by John and Caitlin Matthews,
offers over 600 pages of information about fantastic critters from many
times and places.
