24 Fantasy Creatures & Monsters of the Middle Ages

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Meet the bestiary of animals that medieval folk truly believed in
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Some of the most famous mythical creatures come from the ancient and modern eras—from Pegasus to Bigfoot. But what about the Middle Ages, when some science was available, yet folklore and legend were still abundant? While the mythical creatures of the medieval era aren’t as well-known as those of other time periods, they are pretty fascinating…and often pretty wacky. Below, we’ve put together the ultimate list of the strangest, spookiest, and most popular mythical creatures of the Middle Ages. Some you’ll recognize, and others you won’t believe you’ve never heard of—keep reading to discover them all!

The Most Bizarre Mythical Creatures in Medieval Times

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An illustration of 24 medieval mythical creatures.

In the Middle Ages, most mythical creatures were popularized through bestiaries, which were illustrated encyclopedias of animals that contained both real, recognized animals and strange, mythical beasts. Here are some of the most bizarre creatures that (most) medieval people believed in:

  • Blemmyae: A species of headless men with faces on their chests.
  • Bonnacon: A bull-like animal that shoots feces from its anus.
  • Leucrocotta: A hyena-lion hybrid with an eerily wide mouth.
  • Hydrus: An eel-like creature that could eat crocodiles from the inside out.
  • Vegetable Lamb: A plant that bore sheep and kept them attached via an umbilical cord.
1

Banshee

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  1. A banshee is a premonitory, wailing female spirit from Gaelic folklore.
    In Irish folklore, banshees are described as supernatural female spirits who often scream, wail, or shriek. During the Middle Ages, as well as earlier eras, these terrifying cries were thought to predict the death of a family member or loved one. The physical description of the banshees varies—some describe them as long-haired, cloaked women, some as ghostly red-haired spirits, and others still as old women with a height of 1–4 feet (30–122 cm).[1]
    • Although banshees can seem frightening, given their wails and the fact that they’re an omen of death, they were rarely seen as malevolent monsters. Rather, they were thought of as fairy-like women who gave helpful warnings before an accident or illness.
    • For instance, some medieval texts tell of a seer, widely thought to be a banshee, who warned King James I of Scotland of his death. This prediction allegedly happened just before his 1437 assassination.[2]
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2

Basilisk

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  1. A basilisk is a giant, deadly, snake-like monster.
    While earlier descriptions often portrayed the basilisk as a small snake, medieval depictions featured a massive, intimidating, fire-breathing, and occasionally bird-like serpent. The basilisk was also considered the king of the serpents and had many deadly attributes, with its breath, gaze, bite, touch, and voice all being fatal. However, the basilisk itself could only be killed by the scent of a small weasel.[3]
    • The basilisk is often confused with the cockatrice, a similar medieval creature. Basilisks are almost always described as serpents, although certain accounts give them bird-like features. Cockatrices, on the other hand, are serpentine or draconian creatures with the head of a rooster.
3

Blemmyae

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  1. Blemmyae are headless men with facial features on their chests.
    These mythical creatures had no head, but their eyes, noses, and mouths were placed directly on their chests—leading to a pretty wacky appearance![4] According to medieval European folklore, these beings were believed to live in Africa, mainly because the continent was considered an unexplored region that was home to previously undiscovered species. However, the legend of the Blemmyae dates even further back, with versions of the creature being recorded by ancient Greek historians and naturalists like Herodotus and Pliny the Elder.[5]
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4

Bonnacon

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  1. A bonnacon is a bull-like creature that could shoot poop at enemies.
    The bonnacon was described as having the body of a bull or ox with reddish-brown or black fur. However, its curved horns curled into one another, meaning that they’re useless as a weapon. So, to defend itself during a chase or attack, the bonnacon can expel dung from its anus. The dung can travel a far distance and will burn anything it touches.[6]
5

Centaur

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  1. A centaur is a creature with a human torso and a horse-like bottom.
    Centaurs are a medieval creature that is still a common part of pop culture and the modern imagination. They’ve been present in folklore for millennia, but they were especially prominent in medieval European folklore, where they were associated with the wine god, Dionysus.[7] Along with the classic centaur, which had the lower body of a horse and the upper body of a human, medieval people also believed in onocentaurs, who had the upper body of a human and the lower body of a donkey.[8]
    • The onocentaur, in particular, was used to represent male lust, as well as the hypocrisy of people who would speak morally in public but do evil in private.[9]
    • Are you giving big centaur energy? Take our “What Mythical Creature Am I?” quiz to find out!
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6

Cockatrice

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  1. A cockatrice is a serpent- or dragon-like creature with a rooster’s head.
    Cockatrices are sometimes described as two-legged dragons (or wyverns) with rooster heads, but they’re also portrayed as serpent-like creatures with rooster heads. Either way, they were born of a chicken egg hatched by a toad or a snake, and they were thought to have a fatal gaze. These creatures were prominently featured in folklore, poetry, and theatre of the Middle Ages and beyond.[10]
7

Cynocephali

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  1. Cynocephali are creatures with the body of a human and the head of a dog.
    The cynocephali could understand complex languages, but they couldn’t speak—instead, they’d bark or communicate with gestures. They were also described as fierce but savage warriors, sometimes with cannibalistic tendencies, and they appear in the historical accounts of the ancient Greeks, medieval explorers, and the Chinese Liang dynasty. In these eras, many people genuinely believed that the cynocephali existed and lived in the remote, unexplored parts of the world.[11]
    • For instance, Ancient Greeks said they lived in India and Libya, while New World explorers claimed they lived among the Pacific islands.[12]
    • Some accounts describe St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, as a former cynocephali who was converted, baptized, and “cured” via Christianity.[13]
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8

Elves & Fay

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  1. The medieval version of an elf or fay was a magical, mischievous nature spirit.
    Nowadays, we consider elves and fairies (or fay) as two separate creatures, but they were largely grouped during medieval times. While the depiction of elves and fay varied based on different cultures and regions, they were mostly seen as “nature spirits,” explains Scandinavian folklore expert Emma Cairo. “Fairies were the spirits of flowers or trees, as were elves.”[14] They usually possessed powerful magic, but they weren’t particularly malevolent or benevolent. They would sometimes help humans, but they may also harm them.[15]
    • Elves and fairies also didn’t look like our modern depictions. Both species typically looked like full-sized humans, but they would be exceptionally young, beautiful, or charismatic. No pointy ears or tiny pixie wings![16]
    • In some regions, including Scotland, England, Germany, and Scandinavia, elves were often seen as evil or trickster-like creatures. In Norse cultures, for instance, parents would guard their newborn babies from elves. They believed that elves would steal their children and replace them with a sickly changeling substitute.[17]
9

Griffin

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  1. A griffin is a winged beast with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle.
    In the Middle Ages, griffins were primarily described as having a lion’s body, an eagle’s wings, and an eagle’s head. The creatures are said to originate from Ethiopia or from the mythical Hyperborean Mountains, and they may inhabit the deserts of India. Griffins were also said to be enemies of lions and horses, and they were able to tear humans apart or carry them to their nests in order to feed their babies.[18] Despite their frightening folklore, griffins were a common choice in heraldic symbols during medieval times, often representing intelligence, bravery, and strength.[19]
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10

Hircocervus

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  1. A hircocervus is a half-deer, half-goat creature.
    The hircocervus was first described by Aristotle and Plato, but Aristotle used it as an example of something that could be easily visualized, but that did not have a real, tangible counterpart in the world. The goat-stag hircocervus was also mentioned in a 1398 manuscript, revealing its continued existence during medieval times. However, its unclear whether people of the Middle Ages actually believed in the hircocervus, or just discussed it as a metaphorical concept.[20]
11

Hydrus

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  1. A hydrus is a serpentine creature that can kill a crocodile from the inside.
    During the Middle Ages, the hydrus was thought to live in the Nile River, and its primary function was to kill crocodiles. A hydrus would creep up on a sleeping crocodile, roll in mud to make itself slippery, then enter the crocodile’s mouth until it was swallowed. Then, the hydrus would eat its way out of the croc’s belly, killing the animal in the process.[21]
    • While the hydrus is usually described as a serpent-like beast, it doesn’t have a specific physical description. Some accounts portray it as a water snake, while others show it as more similar to an otter, bird, dragon, or mongoose.
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12

Ichneumon

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  1. An ichneumon is a mongoose-like creature that can slay dragons.
    The ichneumon (or echinemon) is a small, rodent-like creature that fought against dragons. Its shape is similar to a ferret or mongoose, but with a similar shape and elongated head. When it encountered a dragon, the ichneumon would cover itself with mud and use its tail to close its nostrils before attacking and killing the dragon. According to legend, an ichneumon could also kill crocodiles and asps in the same way.[22]
13

Leucrocotta

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  1. A leucrocotta (or crocotta) is a hyena-lion hybrid with a wide smile.
    The Medieval Bestiary describes the leucrocotta as a mix of a hyena and a lion, with a horse’s head and a stag’s hind legs. But the most defining part of this creature, which is said to dwell in India and Northern Africa, is its wide mouth that stretches from ear to ear. Instead of teeth, the leucrocotta has a single bone ridge, and some accounts claim that the leucrocotta could imitate human speech in order to lure victims into the forest.[23]
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14

Manticore

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  1. A manticore is a beast that’s part man, part lion, and part scorpion.
    The manticore is said to live in India, and its mythic origins began in Persia but were popularized in medieval Europe via Pliny the Elder’s Naturalis Historia. The creature was described as having a red-colored lion’s body, a blue-eyed man’s face, and a scorpion’s stinging tail—some say that this tail could shoot poisonous spines. The manticore also had an unsettling, flute-like voice and a desire to eat human flesh (according to legend).[24]
15

Mermaids & Sirens

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  1. Mermaids are half-human, half-fish, while sirens can also be half-bird.
    Mermaids and sirens are two distinct creatures that come from Assyrian and Greek mythologies. Mermaids were originally described as half-woman, half-fish, with evil, vain, and fickle personalities. Sirens, meanwhile, were first described as bird-woman hybrids, explains comparative mythologist Maria Souza, and later as winged fish-woman hybrids. Sirens were also able to sing and “attract sailors to their deaths,” adds Souza.[25]
    • However, over the course of the medieval era, these two creatures began to be confused and combined into one. By the late Middle Ages, both sirens and mermaids were usually described as seducing temptresses with female torsos and fish tails.[26]
    • Ever wondered if you’re more of a siren or a mermaid? Take our “Fairy, Siren, Nymph, Mermaid, or Witch Quiz” to find out!
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16

Monoceros (Unicorn)

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  1. A monoceros is a creature with a horse-like body and a single, long horn.
    The monoceros was basically the sibling of the modern unicorn, and the two names were sometimes used interchangeably in the Middle Ages (although they technically began as different types of mythical horses). The monoceros was originally described as having a horse’s body, a stag’s head, an elephant’s feet, a boar’s tail, and a long black horn in the center of its head. Eventually, this hybrid monoceros creature became fully conflated with the unicorn, which is simply a pale horse with a single horn.[27]
17

Monopod

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  1. Monopods are one-footed, dwarf-like creatures.
    Monopods were said to look like dwarves with short, squat bodies. Their defining feature was a singular leg extending from their body with one large foot at the end. The monopod species was said to live in Ethiopia, move very quickly, and use their large feet as shade during hot weather.[28]
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18

Parandrus

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  1. A parandrus is a large stag-like creature that can change its appearance.
    This creature was said to hail from Ethiopia, and it’s described as having the fur of a bear, the size of an ox, and the head of a stag. It also has long hair, branching antlers, and cloven hoofs. The parandrus’ most notable characteristic, however, is its ability to shapeshift in order to hide itself. Like a chameleon, it could change color and take on the appearance of its surroundings.[29]
    • While its origins aren’t totally known, some historians believe that the parandrus is a mythical version of a real-life reindeer or spiral-horned bovine.
19

Pard

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  1. A pard is an enormous and immensely fast spotted cat.
    The pard was a deadly beast that was said to kill its enemies with a single leap. The creature was large and spotted, and it would sometimes be depicted with a mane or a short tail. At the start of the medieval era, people believed that pards would mate with lions, and that’s how we ended up with leopards. This belief continued until the 1700s but, in the 13th-century, pards transformed from common animals to mythical, bloodthirsty, and demonic beasts.[30]
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20

Revenant

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  1. A revenant is an animated corpse or spirit that can haunt the living.
    Revenants exist in many cultures and mythologies and were specifically documented by medieval English historians. Revenants were thought to be spirits or corpses that were resurrected to stalk and haunt living humans. Many medieval Europeans believed in revenants, as modern archaeologists have found graves laden with stones and bricks that were intended to keep these potential revenants in their coffins.[31]
21

Vegetable Lamb of Tartary

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  1. The Vegetable Lamb is an animal-plant hybrid that’s said to grow lambs.
    This strange medieval creature seems to originate from Jewish and Celtic folklore, although it became repopularized in 14th-century England. Essentially, the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary is a plant that, instead of fruit, grows sheep. The sheep are attached to the plant by their umbilical cords, allowing them to graze the nearby area. Once all of the grazing foliage in the area was gone, the plant and the sheep would die.[32]
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22

Werewolves

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  1. The medieval version of a werewolf is a man who was cursed to turn into a wolf.
    Unlike the fearsome, monstrous creatures that we associate with modern werewolves, the medieval werewolf was a more sympathetic creature. Usually, they were noblemen or knights who had been cursed or infected with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf—less frequently, they were outlaws who’d been cast out from society.[33] While these werewolves were terrifying in their canine form (often described as eating recent corpses), they would then transform into weak, anxious, and nerve-ridden men.
    • Because werewolves were seen as sick or afflicted in medieval folklore, the people of this time also believed in certain cures. The most common were the medicinal use of wolfsbane, exorcism, or conversion to Christianity.[34]
    • Just like the Twilights and Teen Wolfs of today, medieval literature also featured werewolf stories and even romances—such as Marie de France’s “Bisclavret” and the anonymous poem, “Guillaume de Palerme.”[35]
23

Wyvern (Dragon)

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  1. A wyvern is a medieval English version of a dragon with two legs.
    We’re all pretty familiar with dragons, which were talked about during medieval times. However, a wyvern is a type of dragon that was especially popular in the Middle Ages. Wyverns are just like dragons, but they only have two legs (as opposed to the traditional four). They have vast wings and a pointed tail, but they’re rarely described as breathing fire.[36]
    • Wyverns became a popular heraldic symbol in medieval times, and they’re still seen in the crests of families, schools, and athletic organizations.
    • Are you a wyvern, or more like a different dragon type? Take our “What Type of Dragon Are You?” quiz to find out!
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24

Yale

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  1. A yale is an antelope-like beast with large, flexible horns.
    In medieval myth, a yale looks like an antelope or goat, but it has very long horns that it can flex and move at will. During attacks, the yale could point one of its horns backwards to preserve it in case the front one, which it used as a weapon, was damaged. Some accounts (but not all) describe the yale as having black fur, an elephant’s tail, and a boar’s jaw.[37]
    • Others describe the basilisk as the natural enemy of the yale—if a basilisk finds a sleeping yale, it will sting the yale between the eyes so that its eyes swell and burst.
    • The yale is also an important figure in British history. It was first connected to the monarchy as a symbol of Lady Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII's mother.[38] It then became one of the main heraldic animals used by British royalty.[39]

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References

  1. ↑ https://libapps.libraries.uc.edu/exhibits/irish-cincinnati/essays/how-banshees-relate-to-triple-goddesses/
  2. ↑ https://folklore.usc.edu/the-banshee-annotated/
  3. ↑ https://sites.nd.edu/manuscript-studies/2015/02/19/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-in-medieval-bestiaries/
  4. ↑ https://www.clevelandart.org/articles/medieval-monsters
  5. ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Phylos/Sternophthalmoi.html
  6. ↑ https://theindex.princeton.edu/s/view/ViewSubject.action;jsessionid=a80c27130fd47cf9601c8c28bfec?id=5B0160D6-6795-4593-BA08-2A1E3EF242AB
  7. ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/PheresLamioi.html
  8. ↑ https://guides.library.uab.edu/c.php?g=1014328&p=7346799
  9. ↑ https://pantheon.org/articles/o/onocentaur.html
  1. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/cockatrice
  2. ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Phylos/Kunokephaloi.html
  3. ↑ https://www.sic-journal.org/Article/Index/657
  4. ↑ https://www.sic-journal.org/Article/Index/657
  5. ↑ Emma Cairo. Scandinavian Folklore Expert. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://theses.gla.ac.uk/4924/
  7. ↑ https://www.medievalists.net/2022/07/did-medieval-people-believe-in-fairies/
  8. ↑ https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/scanchange.html
  9. ↑ https://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/textpopup/pur3101.html
  10. ↑ https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/728464__cf_chl_f_tk=_vv2KIoN7D.b.jme7pY8LYtC6PLhB4ZL8fQuU2SDstQ-1782851056-1.0.1.1-TxvrWqmNRia101fEaz0s_BoDeSIuZXcevEapOCMOhHw
  11. ↑ https://www.worldwidewords.org/ww-hir1.html
  12. ↑ https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast272.htm
  13. ↑ https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast541.htm
  14. ↑ https://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/Leukrokotai.html
  15. ↑ https://public.archive.wsu.edu/brians/public_html/anglophone/satanic_verses/manticore.html
  16. ↑ Maria Souza. Comparative Mythologist. Expert Interview
  17. ↑ https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2020-07-20/mermaids-and-sirens
  18. ↑ https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/records/rochester-bestiary-monocerus
  19. ↑ https://www.weirdhistorian.com/monopod/
  20. ↑ https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast178.htm
  21. ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/pard-big-cat-mythology-leopard-lion-taxonomy
  22. ↑ https://popular-archaeology.com/article/walking-dead-and-vengeful-spirits/
  23. ↑ https://blogs.libraries.indiana.edu/lilly/2024/09/14/stranger-than-lilies-a-cryptobotanical-survey-of-freakish-flora-peculiar-plants-and-historical-herbals/
  24. ↑ https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/27/
  25. ↑ https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=kent1222706628&disposition=inline
  26. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/27236175
  27. ↑ https://pantheon.org/articles/w/wyvern.html
  28. ↑ https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast142.htm
  29. ↑ https://www.royalmintmuseum.org.uk/learning/learning-zone/crowned/royal-beasts/
  30. ↑ https://www.royalmint.com/the-royal-tudor-beasts/yale-of-beaufort/the-yale-of-beaufort/

About This Article

Maria Souza
Co-authored by:
Maria Souza
Comparative Mythologist
This article was co-authored by Maria Souza and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA. Maria Souza is a comparative mythologist based in Australia. With over 7 years of experience, Maria is the founder of Women & Mythology, guiding women on a journey to rediscover their true selves through the power of myths, fairy tales, and folktales. Maria is the host of the Women and Mythology Podcast and the author of Wild Daughters, a mythopoetic work that offers inspiration to women. She has also designed thoughtful courses and workshops, focusing on adult learning and exploring myths from both eastern and western traditions. Her Women Who Run With The Wolves Program has hosted hundreds of women across 30 countries. Maria has an advanced training certificate in Applied Mythology from the Pacifica Graduate Institute and a postgraduate degree in Comparative Mythology from the Dédalus Institute. This article has been viewed 1,088 times.
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