Beasts like dragons, sea monsters, and unicorns may not exist; however, ancient creatures’ fossils inspired these myths. Dinosaurs left lasting imprints on culture. So, ancient civilizations may have discovered fossils of pre-historic beasts and created fantasy creatures. Dive in and discover different mythical creatures based on dinosaurs.
The Griffin
Popular in Greek mythology, a creature like the griffin couldn’t possibly exist. It has four legs, talons, hooves, wings, and more. Much of the inspiration for this creature could have come from the bones of the Protoceratops. This Mesozoic beast holds similar characteristics to the griffin. It even has four legs and a beak!
Dragons
A discussion on mythical creatures based on dinosaurs would be incomplete without mentioning dragons. The origins of dragon lore are fascinating. In fact, variations of the winged beast exist in countless cultures worldwide. Moreover, dragons and dinosaurs have quite a bit in common with one another—both are massive, scaly reptiles.
Unicorns
Some believe unicorn folklore stems from sailors seeing narwals or a relative of the creature. However, others believe the Elasmotherium inspired this mythical creature. The Elasmotherium looked a bit like a rhinoceros with a single longhorn. It didn’t roam the earth with the dinosaurs, but it was prehistoric. Shortly after the Ice Age, it followed the dinosaurs’ extinction.
Cyclops
How could a one-eyed giant exist? Many historians suspect the Deinotherium, an ancient relative of the elephant, is the creature behind the myth. This is because they weren’t just massive; this behemoth also had a hole in the center of the skull. Today, we know this hole is where the beast’s trunk would have been.
Sea Monsters
Many have heard tales of Nessie, also known as “The Loch Ness Monster.” This submerged sea monster allegedly lurks in the water, waiting for unsuspecting sailors to meet their doom. What the beast may have looked like aligns with bones from the Basilosaurus. The fossil of the Hydroarchos also explains why ancient civilizations believed in sea monsters. Both fossils were massive, with one measuring over 100 feet!
