Fiji Mermaid Or Scary Sirene

The Fiji Mermaid is a dreamlike taxidermic montage, composed of the torso and head of an animal attached to a fish, all partially covered with varnished paper. It was one of the common presentations at fairground shows supposed to represent the mummified body of a mermaid or, at least, of a half-mammal, half-fish creature. The first specimen would come from the imagination of Philéas Taylor Barnum in the 19th century. Indeed this deception is developed by Barnum himself, to which he testifies in his autobiography. He therefore put in place during the year 1842, with his friend Professor Griffin, played by Levi Lyman, a strategy which aimed to disseminate their specimen in the eyes of the public Here, the "mermaid" is made up of an iguana or large sand lizard and a fish. read the article from Sciences et Vie: “A study solves the mystery of the “Fiji mermaid”. You will learn all about the mermaid.... The “Fiji Mermaid” is an enigmatic and haunting mummy measuring approximately 29 centimeters long. It is so named because of its resemblance to an object of the same name said to have been acquired in Fiji by the controversial showman PT Barnum in the 1840s. The "Fiji mermaid" became famous as a circus and entertainment attraction. fair in the 19th century, and its history is shrouded in mystery and speculation.