Experts are eagerly “decoding” to uncover answers to the mysteries found in the “fish body, human face” scene dating back 300 years.
It is believed that a mysterious creation of about 30 cm in length was caught in a fisherman’s net off the coast of Shikoku Island, Japan, on the Pacific coast between 1736 and 1741.
This mummy is still preserved in the sacred temple of Enjūin in the city of Asakuchi. The creation is described as having a grimace, sharp teeth, hair, and raised eyebrows. The upper half has a bone-like appearance, but the lower part of the body looks like a fish.
The “species” captured in the social context of 3 centuries ago disgusted the Japanese people. They believe that this is the “god of help,” placed in the temple and worshipped exclusively.
Dr. Higoshi Kinoshita of the Okayama Folklore Association, who is leading the project, said that this mysterious mummy has many spiritual and religious meanings. For many generations, local people have assumed that this is “a god” and do not pay much attention to the explanation from a scientific perspective.
According to Dr. Kinoshita, mermaids in Japan are considered to be related to the legend of immortality. It is believed that if you “eat” a mermaid, you will never die.
“In many parts of Japan, there is a legend of a woman who accidentally ate a mermaid’s flesh and lived up to 800 years. The legend is called Yao Bikuni, which is kept near the temple where the mermaid mummy was found,” added the doctor.
In 1903, the former owner of this particular mummy left a handwritten letter telling the story of its origin. The letter included a description of a “help creature” that was caught in a fisherman’s net in the waters of Kochi prefecture and brought to Osaka for sale. It is unclear how the mummy ended up in the Enjūin temple and was displayed in a glass cage for 40 years. Until now, the species has been kept in a special storage box.
Interestingly, the species is kept in a special reserve box (Photo: NY Post).
Recently, researchers from Kagoshima University of Agriculture and Sciences took the mummy for a CT scan in an attempt to unravel its secrets.
According to the team, they are compiling testimonies from locals and hope to publish their findings by the end of 2022.
