View source for Sea monk

{{Short description|Reported sea creature found in Denmark}}
{{redirect|Monk-fish||Monkfish (disambiguation)}}<!--{{for|the Caspar David Friedrich painting|The Monk by the Sea}}-->

[[Image:The Sea Monk-1.jpg|right|thumb|Illustration from ''Omnium fere gentium nostrae que aetatis nationum, habitus et effigies, et in eosdem epigrammata'' by Johannes Sluperius, 1572]]
The '''sea monk''' (also '''monk-fish''' or '''monkfish''') was a sea creature found off the eastern coast of the [[Denmark|Danish]] island of [[Zealand]] in 1546. It was described as a "fish" that outwardly resembled a human [[monk]] in his [[Habit (clothing)|habit]].

== Names ==
The creature was called "monk fish" ({{langx|la|{{linktext|piscis |monachus}}}}) by [[Pierre Belon|Belon]] (1553), and ''{{linktext|piscis |monachi |habitu}}'' ("fish [wearing] the [[habit (clothing)|habit]] of a monk") by [[Guillaume Rondelet|Rondelet]] (1554).{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=39}}

The name "sea monk" (''{{linktext|monachus |maris}}'') was applied to it by [[Conrad Gesner|Gesner]] (1558),{{sfnp|Pinon|2005|p=256}} and Joannes Sluperius (1572; {{langx|la|{{linktext|monachus |marinus}}}}; {{langx|fr|{{linktext|moyne |marin}}}}) as well.{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=39}}<ref>{{citation|author=Joannes Sluperius |title=89. Monachus Marinus |work=Omnium fere gentium, nostræ que ætatis nationum habitus et effigies et in eosdem epigrammata |year=1572 |url={{GBurl|id=uhdom1T_9wEC|p=88}} |page=88}}</ref>

==History==
The alleged sea monk was captured at sea between Denmark's Zealand and Sweden, in the strait [[Øresund]], probably in 1546.<ref>{{harvp|Paxton|Holland|2005|pp=39–40}}; citing Belon and Gesner as to the 1546 date.</ref> [[Christian III of Denmark]] sent an illustration of it to [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]].{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=39}} The creature is recorded in [[Anders Sørensen Vedel|Vedel]]'s ''Den danske Krønicke'' (1575) as measuring 4 ells long ({{convert|15|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}).{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=40}} It was either caught in a herring net, or stranded, depending on the source.<ref>The French sources (Belon, Rondelet, see below) said it was "thrown ashore by waves", but the Danish Vedel, Swiss Gesner, etc. Steenstrup, tr. described the catch as a netting. {{harvp|Roeleveld|Knudsen|1980|p=329}}.</ref>

=== 16th-century natural history ===
[[File:Japetus Steenstrup sea monks-1-.png|thumb|upright=1.5|400px|[[Japetus Steenstrup|Steenstrup's]] comparison of a [[squid]] with sea monks from the sixteenth century:<br/> (''left'') Rondelet's sea monk; (''center'') ''Loligo'' squid; (''right'') Belon's sea monk.{{Efn|These are approximate facsimiles of Rondelet and Belon, and not exact copies.}}{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=41}}]]

The capture of the sea monk is dated to either 1546 or 1549 in 16th-century literature, or to both dates, in the case of [[Lycosthenes]]
(1557), who states both captures occurred near Copenhagen, Denmark.{{Refn|Actually three of them, in 1530, 1546, and 1549, but the first of these was found on the Rhine, and "not a sea monk at all" (Paxton & Holland).}}{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=40}} There is also a German woodcut by Stefan Hamer possibly dating to 1546, illustrating the sea-monk caught in Copenhagen in 1546.<ref>{{harvp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=40}} and p. 41, fig g.</ref>

The sea monk was listed in several illustrated natural history books published in the mid-16th century, such as [[Pierre Belon]] (1553), [[Guillaume Rondelet]] (1554), and [[Conrad Gesner]] (1558).{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=39}} It was described as a "fish" that looked superficially like a [[monk]].

Belon (1553) gave a briefer notice on ''piscis monachus'' (monk-fish) in his Latin volume, a more expanded account appearing later in his French version of 1555.{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|pp=39–40}}

Rondelet (1554) called it "the fish with the habit of a monk (''piscis monachi habitu''),{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=39}} and classed it as a merman (''homo maris'').{{sfnp|Gudger|1934|pp=513–514}} But he did not think the pictorial representations he obtained could be taken at face value, and suspected they were embellished "by the painter to make the thing seem more marvelous".{{sfnp|Gudger|1934|pp=513–514}} What prompted his suspicions of [[artistic license]] seems to be his discovery of other portrayals of the monkfish, quite different from his own, obtained by his rival and friend Gesner and others in Rome.<ref name=nature/>

Rondelet stated that a drawing of it from life (or corpse) was made by an artist in the presence of a certain gentleman, who gave a copy to Charles V, and another copy to [[Margaret of Valois|Marguerite, Queen of Navarre]], the latter of which was provided to Rondelet.{{sfnp|Gudger|1934|pp=512–513}}{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=42}}{{sfnp|Barthe|2017|pp=389–390}} The picture being the gift of Marguerite, a great patron of the sciences, meant it was not something to be readily dismissed, but rather authenticated, by Marguerite, treated as an authority on par with Pliny.{{sfnp|Barthe|2017|pp=390–392}}

Rondelet's information was imperfect in other ways: he stated the creature had been taken in "Norway [sic.] at Diezum near the town called Denelopoch", but this was a garbling of ''Die Sund'' ("the Sound" of [[Øresund]]) off of Ellenbogen ([[Malmö]], Sweden). The information was conveyed through some intermediary German source.{{Refn|Belon also stated the location as "Diezunt" near "Den Elopoch".}}{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=42}}

Belon (1555) in his French edition about the monk-fish also classed the monk-fish as a merman ({{langx|fr|homme marin}}), and garnished his commentary with mention of merfolk from ancient writings, specifically [[Siren (mythology)|sirens]], [[Triton (mythology)|triton]]s, [[naiad]]s, and [[nereids]].{{sfnp|Gudger|1934|p=512}}<ref>Belon (1555) {{URL|1=https://books.google.com/books?id=nTReAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP76 |2=''La nature et diversite des poissons''}}, pp. 32–33.</ref> Belon, according to [[Japetus Steenstrup|Steenstrup]]'s assessment, had faith in the existence of this sea monk without ever having seen one.<ref>{{harvp|Roeleveld|Knudsen|1980|p=315}}: "Belon himself had probably not seen mermen but did not doubt their existence"; {{harvp|Steenstrup|1855|p=74}}: "Belon havde ikke self seet Havmænd, men betvivlede dog ikke deres Tilværelse".</ref> Belon attributed these curiosities to "playfulness of Nature".{{sfnp|Pinon|2005|p=254}}

The fourth volume of [[Conrad Gesner]]'s famous ''[[Historiae animalium (Gesner)|Historia Animalium]]'' described it,<ref>[[Conrad Gesner|Gesner, Conrad]] (1558) ''Historiae animalium'' [https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN472755935 Liber IIII], pp. 519–522, 645, 216; (1604 ed.) [https://books.google.com/books?id=AA0NvxYDpDQC&pg=PA440 pp. 438–441], 546–547.</ref> and although much of Gesner's piece was derivative or even copied wholesale from his predecessors, Belon and Rondelet, he appended a ''collolarium'' section containing his own findings and observations. As to the creature that measured 4 cubits, Gesner added that it had a black face like an [[Ethiopian]], according to a German rhyme.{{sfnp|Pinon|2005|p=254}}<ref>{{harvp|Roeleveld|Knudsen|1980|pp=316, 323}}: "blackamoor"; {{harvp|Steenstrup|1855|pp=76, 86}}: "som Morian", "Morianfarve".</ref> Gesner here quoted [[Albertus Magnus]]'s account of the ''monachus maris''.{{sfnp|Pinon|2005|p=256}} He also mentioned a similar monster found in the [[Firth of Forth]], citing Scottish historian Hector Boethius ([[Hector Boece]]).<ref>{{cite book|last=Bath |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Bath |title=Emblems for a Queen: The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots |publisher=Archetype Publications |year=2008|url={{GBurl|id=nUDrAAAAMAAJ}} |page=73|isbn=978-1-904982-36-4}}</ref> Gesner had two other sources to draw from, namely [[Georg Fabricius]] and Hector Mythobius.<ref>{{harvp|Roeleveld|Knudsen|1980|pp=317}}; {{harvp|Steenstrup|1855|p=77}}</ref>

The aforementioned Lycosthenes in ''Prodigiorum ac Ostentorum Chronicon'' [Of Portents and Shown Times] (1557) described the 1546 sea monk as having a black head, and gave an illustration of it as such.<ref>{{harvp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=40}} and p. 41, fig i.</ref>

=== Literary works ===
The sea monk was subsequently popularised in [[Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas|Guillaume du Bartas]]'s epic poem ''La Sepmaine; ou, Creation du monde'', where the poet speaks of correspondences between land and sea, mentioning both the "mytred Bishop" and the "cowled Fryer":

<blockquote>
"Seas have (as well as skies) Sun, Moon, and Stars;<br/>
(As well as ayre) Swallows, and Rooks, and Stares;<br/>
(As well as earth) Vines, Roses, Nettles, Millions,<br/>
Pinks, Gilliflowers, Mushrooms, and many millions<br/>
of other Plants lants (more rare and strange than these)<br/>
As very fishes living in the Seas.<br/>
And also Rams, Calfs, Horses, Hares, and Hogs,<br/>
Wolves, Lions, Urchins, Elephants and Dogs,<br/>
Yea, Men and Mayds; and (which I more admire)<br/>
The mytred Bishop and the cowled Fryer;<br/>
Whereof, examples, (but a few years since)<br/>
Were shew'n the Norways, and Polonian Prince."
</blockquote>

==Explanations==

In the early 1850s, Danish zoologist [[Japetus Steenstrup]] suggested that the sea-monk was a [[giant squid]],<ref name=steenstrup/><ref name=steenstrup-tr-roeleveld&knudsen/>{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=42}} a theory more recently popularised by writer [[Richard Ellis (biologist)|Richard Ellis]].<ref>Ellis, R. (1998). ''[[The Search for the Giant Squid]]''. Lyons Press. London.</ref> Cryptozoologist [[Bernard Heuvelmans]] believed the report was based on the discovery of an errant [[walrus]].<ref>Heuvelmans, B. (1974). ''Dans le Sillage des Monstres Marins''. Famot. Geneva.</ref>

More recently, it has been suggested that it was an [[angelshark]], ''Squatina squatina'', which is commonly called "monkfish" in English or ''munk'' in Norwegian and Danish.{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|pp=39, 43}} Other suspected identities of the sea monk include the [[grey seal]], the [[hooded seal]], the [[monk seal]],{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|p=44}} or a hoax such as a [[Jenny Haniver]].{{sfnp|Paxton|Holland|2005|pp=45–46}}

==See also==
* [[Bishop-fish]]
* [[Dagon]]
* [[Umibōzu]]
* [[Jenny Haniver]]

==Explanatory notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
;Citations
<!--
* Steenstrup, J. J. S. (1855). Om den i Kong Christian IIIs tid i Øresundet fanget Havmand (Sømunken kaldet) ''Dansk Maanedsskrift'' '''1''': 63–96.
-->
{{reflist|2|refs=
<ref name=nature>{{cite journal|last=Lockyer |first=Norman, Sir |author-link=Norman Lockyer  |title=The Monk fish |journal=Nature |volume=29 |issue=745 |date=7 February 1884 |url={{GBurl|id=CxpCAQAAMAAJ|p=348}} |page=348|bibcode=1884Natur..29Q.348. |doi=10.1038/029348a0 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name=steenstrup>{{cite journal|last=Steenstrup |first=J. J. S.  |author-link=Japetus Steenstrup  |title=Om den i Kong Christian IIIs tid i Øresundet fanget Havmand (Sømunken kaldet) |journal=Dansk Maanedsskrift |volume=1 |year=1855 |url={{GBurl|id=k_gsAAAAMAAJ|p=63}} |pages=63–96}}</ref>
<ref name=steenstrup-tr-roeleveld&knudsen>{{cite journal|last1=Roeleveld |first1= M. |author-link1=<!-- M. Roeleveld--> |last2=Knudsen |first2=J. |author-link2=<!--J. Knudsen--> |title=On the merman (called the sea monk) caught in the Øresund in the time of King Christian III. A translation into English |journal=Steenstrupia |volume=6 |year=1980|pages=293–332}}</ref>
}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation|last=Barthe |first=Pascale |author-link1=<!--Pascale Barthe --> |title=Guillaume Ronldelet's Monkfish, or Natural History of Social Network |work=Itineraries in French Renaissance Literature: Essays for Mary B. McKinley |editor1=Jeff Persels |editor2=Kendall Tarte |editor3=George Hoffmann |publisher=BRILL |year=2017|url={{GBurl|id=kDE9DwAAQBAJ|p=377}} |pages=377–|isbn=978-90-04-35151-6}}
*{{cite journal|last=Gudger |first=E. W. |author-link=<!-- Eugene Willis Gudger --> |title=Jenny Hanivers, Dragons and Basilisks in the Old Natural History Books and in Modern Times |journal=The Scientific Monthly |volume=38 |issue=6 |year=<!--Jun.-->1934 |pages=511–523}} {{JSTOR|15490}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Paxton |first1=Charles G. M. |author-link1=<!--Charles G. M. Paxton--> |last2=Holland |first2=R. |author-link2=<!--Robert Holland (ecologist)--> |title=Was Steenstrup Right? A new interpretation of the 16th century sea monk of the Øresund |journal=Steenstrupia |volume=29 |year=2005 |pages=39–47|citeseerx=10.1.1.525.6135 }}
* {{citation|last=Pinon |first=Laurent |author-link1=<!--Laurent Pinon --> |title=Conrad Gessner and the Historical Depth of Renaissance Natural History |work=Historia: Empiricism and Erudition in Early Modern Europe |publisher=MIT Press |year=2005 |url={{GBurl|id=TqT_od-UHNQC|p=256}} |pages=241–268|isbn=0-262-16229-6}}

{{refend}}

[[Category:Medieval European legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Christian legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Mythological aquatic creatures]]
[[Category:Legendary fish]]