Olaus Magnus's Carta Marina is filled with fantastical creatures, many of which are sea monsters. These creatures were often based on sailors' tales and myths, as well as Magnus's own imagination. The sea monsters depicted in the Carta Marina are a mix of real and imaginary creatures, and they reflect the fears and superstitions of the time. Upon closer examination, one can see creatures writhing in the deep strangling other beasts, taking a ship down to the depths of the sea, or making former wreckages into their private playgrounds.
Magnus' Beasts of the Sea
*All captions from Orkney Museums.com
This strange 'Sea Rhinoceros' cannot be equated with any real, living creature. In the key Olaus merely says “A monster looking like a rhinoceros devours a lobster which is 12 feet long.”Sea Serpent: “They who in Works of Navigation, on the Coast of Norway, employ themselves in fishing or Merchandise, do all agree in this strange story, that there is a Serpent there which is of vast magnitude, namely 200 foot [61 meters] long, and more – over 20 feet [6 meters] thick; and is wont to live in Rocks and Caves towards the Sea-coast about Berge: which will go alone from his holes in a clear night in Summer and devour Calves, Lambs, and Hogs, or else he goes into the Sea to feed on Polypus, Locusts, and all sorts of Sea-Crabs. He hath commonly hair hanging from his neck a Cubit long, [18 inches, 45 cm] and sharp Scales, and is black, and he hath flaming shining eyes. the Snake disquiets the Shippers, and he puts up his head on high like a pillar and catcheth away men, and he devours them, and this happeneth not but it signifies some wonderful change of the Kingdom near at hand; namely that the Prince shall dies, or be banished; or some Tumultuous Wars shall presently follow.”Two ‘pristers’ are being repulsed by a ship that they are going to attack. Barrels are being thrown to them, to distract their attention. Olaus Magnus records that they like to play with such barrels. Also, a man on the sterncastle of the ship is playing a trumpet. These creatures hated any loud, sharp sounds and would flee in fright. It is interesting to note that barrels are thrown to distract a sea monster in folk tales from Lofoten in Arctic Norway, Shetland and Orkney.
