The Legend of Kraken - The Ruler of the Seas
Kraken is depicted as a giant creature that resides in the waters around Iceland and Norway. It is said to attack passing ships by wrapping them with its massive tentacles and pulling them down.
The word "Kraken" itself comes from the Scandinavian word "Krake", which means to refer to an unhealthy animal or something strange. This word is still used in modern German to refer to an octopus.
Such is the popularity of this creature that it is often referenced in popular films such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Clash of the Titans. If there is a giant sea ruler, then Kraken is its name.
Kraken's Character
We might think that Kraken is just a part of folklore, but in reality, it is not so. The term Kraken first appeared in the book Systema Naturae written by Carolus Linnaeus in 1735.
Mr. Linnaeus was the first to classify living creatures into different groups. In his book, he classified Kraken into the class Chepalopoda with the Latin name Microcosmus. So, it can be said that Kraken has a place in modern science.
Erik Ludvigsen Pontopiddan, the Bishop of Bergen who was also a naturalist, wrote in his book Natural History of Norway published in 1752 that Kraken "cannot be denied, is the largest sea monster ever known". So, Kraken is not just a mythical creature but also has a historical and scientific significance.
According to Pontopiddan, the Kraken is described as a creature the size of a floating island with tentacles resembling a starfish. He also mentions that this creature can wrap its tentacles around passing ships and drag them to the depths of the ocean. However, Pontopiddan also writes about another side of this mysterious creature. He states that fish in the sea are attracted to the Kraken, and Norwegian fishermen who know this risk capturing fish by bringing their boats directly above the Kraken. If they return with a bountiful catch, the villagers know that the fishermen have likely caught fish directly above the Kraken.
For a long time, this creature was considered part of ancient mythology, equivalent to a fairy tale. However, when remains of this monster washed ashore in Albaek, Denmark in 1853, scientists began to realize that the legend of the Kraken might be based on something real, such as giant squid, colossal squid, or giant octopus.
How large can a squid or octopus grow?
Is it true that they can attack large ships as depicted in films?
Significant Sightings
In 1801, Pierre Denys de Montfort, who investigated the subject of the Kraken, discovered that there was a painting in the Chapel of St. Thomas in St. Malo, Brittany, France, depicting a giant octopus attacking a ship by wrapping its tentacles around it. The incident depicted in the painting was based on a real event.
Unfortunately, the exact year of the incident that happened to the sailors is not known. However, at least the attack of a giant monster on a ship cannot be dismissed as mere myth.
In addition to the story of the painting at the Chapel of St. Thomas, Mr. Monfort also recounted another encounter with a similar creature, a giant squid or octopus, experienced by Captain Jean-Magnus Dens from Denmark, who also encountered the creature off the coast of Angola. The giant creature attacked their ship and even managed to kill three crew members.
The other crew members did not stand idly by and quickly grabbed cannons and fired at the monster repeatedly until it disappeared into the ocean.
Captain Dens estimated that the monster was 11 meters long.
Another incident occurred on November 30, 1861. While sailing in the Canary Islands, the crew of the French ship Alencton witnessed a giant sea monster swimming not far from their ship. The sailors quickly prepared bullets and mortars and fired them at the monster.
The frightened monster immediately swam away. However, the Alencton ship was quickly directed to chase it. When they managed to approach it, iron forks were immediately thrust into the body of the monster and nets were thrown. When the crew lifted the net, the body of the monster broke and crumbled, leaving only part of its tentacle.
When the ship landed and the tentacle was shown to the scientific community, they agreed that the crew of the ship may have witnessed a giant squid with a length of about 8 meters.
In October 1873, a fisherman named Theophile Piccot and his son successfully found a giant squid tentacle in Newfoundland. After measuring it, researchers concluded that the animal could have been as long as 11 meters.
In 1924, Frank T. Bullen published a book titled "The Cruise of the Cachalot." In this book, Bullen recounted an extraordinary story that allegedly took place in 1875. This story made the Sperm Whale the archenemy of the Kraken.
According to Bullen, in 1875, he was on a ship sailing in the Strait of Malacca. During a full moon night, he saw a large disturbance in the water.
"There was a big commotion in the sea during the full moon. I grabbed the night telescope that was always ready on its mount. I saw a large Sperm Whale engaged in a fierce battle with a colossal squid almost the size of the whale. The head of the whale looked agile like a mere hand. The head of the squid, which was also large, could be seen alongside its black head. Terrifying, I never imagined a squid with a head that big."
Upon hearing Bullen's testimony, one might be tempted to say that he exaggerated or even made up the story. However, in October 2009, the marine research community realized that Bullen's story may not have been mere fiction. Giant squids and Sperm Whales are indeed known to be enemies.
In the waters around the Bonin Islands in Japan, marine researchers managed to obtain rare photos showing a Sperm Whale feeding on a giant squid estimated to be around 9 meters long.
Giant Squid, Colossal Squid, and Giant Octopus
Now, let's get to know our three giant friends who may have sparked the legend of the Kraken. I'll start with the Giant Squid.
Giant Squid
The Giant Squid, also known as Architeuthis, has 8 species and is known to reach lengths of up to 13 meters for females and 10 meters for males. This measurement is taken from the caudal fin to the tip of its tentacles. However, these squids can be even larger than estimated.
In 1880, a piece of tentacle was found in New Zealand, estimated to belong to a Giant Squid that measured 18 meters in length. An extraordinary size!
The idea of a giant squid being able to sink a ship may seem far-fetched in modern times, as ships today are much larger than those in the past. For example, Christopher Columbus' ship, the Pinta, was only 18 meters long. A squid measuring 10-15 meters could easily attack and sink such a ship.
The behavior of the Giant Squid was largely unknown until 2004 when Japanese scientists managed to capture 556 photos of the creature alive. The squid was caught in a trap and managed to escape, but one of its tentacles, measuring 5.5 meters, was severed. From this length, the scientists estimated that the creature could have been 8 meters long.
Colossal Squid
If you thought the Giant Squid was already enormous, then let me introduce you to the Colossal Squid.
This creature, scientifically known as Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, is believed by scientists to grow up to at least 14 meters in length, making it the longest invertebrate in the world. However, scientists cannot confirm how long this creature can actually grow.
Regarding the Colossal Squid, Dr. Steve O'Shea, a squid expert from Auckland University, said:
"Now we know that this creature is larger than the Giant Squid. The Giant Squid is no longer the biggest squid out there. Now we have something bigger. And not just bigger, but significantly bigger."
If there is a Kraken out there, then the Colossal Squid is the prime suspect.
So, what's the difference between the Giant Squid and the Colossal Squid?
The Giant Squid only has tentacles with suction cups and small teeth, while the Colossal Squid has tentacles with sharp hooks, some of which have 3 ends.
In addition to the two types of squid mentioned above, there is also another creature with tentacles that can grow to enormous sizes, the Giant Octopus.
Giant Octopus
The Giant Octopus can grow up to 9 meters in length. This size makes it a feared monster among Norwegian sailors. This creature is believed by Monfort to be the monster that attacked Norwegian sailors off the coast of Angola, as depicted in the painting hanging in the St. Thomas Chapel.
 |
| This carcass washed ashore on St. Augustine Beach, Florida, in 1896. It is believed to be that of a giant octopus. |
In modern times, the theory of giant squids or octopuses is considered the most plausible explanation for the legend of the Kraken. If we assume that the European legend of the Kraken being the size of an island is an exaggeration, then the mystery of the Kraken may have been solved.
Comments
Post a Comment