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Deimos-Remus — M is for Manticore
#alphabet #cat #creaturedesign #feline #man #monster #myth #scorpion #teeth #bestiary #chimera #fantasy #folklore #lion #manticore #mythicalbeast #mythicalcreature #mythicalcreatures #mythology #sphinx #persianmythology #persianmyth
Published: 2015-04-18 03:44:58 +0000 UTC; Views: 36480; Favourites: 681; Downloads: 0
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Description
Name: Manticore, Martyaxwar, MartichoraArea of Origin: Persia
The Manticore or Martyaxwar (Man-Eater in Middle Persian) is a legendary beast, similar to a sphinx. The beast had the body of a lion, a human head with three rows of sharp teeth, akin to that of a shark, and the barbed tail of a scorpion. Some variations give it wings of some kind. It is also described as having a trumpet-like voice. The more common name, Manticore comes from the Greek translation of Martyaxwar as Martichora. Through false etymology, it was assumed that the name was a combination of 'Man' and 'Tiger' and gradually morphed into what it is called today.
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Comments: 28
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"MY TRUE PRISON IS SHAME!" - Tiny Manticore
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Awesome! Always thought Manticores where one of the scariest monsters in mythology for some reason.
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Thanks!
Yeah! Always been one of my favorites, super strange too!
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Is it possible that these creatures have the ability to speak?
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I'm not sure, I think I've heard that they could, at least in certain variations of the myth...
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Funny that you put Lammasu and Manticore after one another as they are quite similar - and in D&D, Lammasu take great offense if one brings that up.
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They're both from areas that are now very Iran-centric (Persia itself IS Iran now), so their similarities are definitely interesting!
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Indeed, that's probably no accident. Maybe the greeks who visited saw the statues and made up the manticore legends. Though still not sure where the "three rows of teeth" thing comes from. I have seen silly depictions where they misinterpreted it as them having a row of teeth between the upper and lower jaw... creepy.
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Thanks! Always been one of my favorites!
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Curious. I had never seen a Manticore without wings until now. Maybe people think it's more epic ? I kinda like it though.
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It's the opposite for me, I've always seen them without wings. I just wanted to contrast it with the Lamassu which was right before it (it had wings). Didn't want to crowd it.
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Looks great... but it kinda looks like Nicolas Cage. lol.
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Ha, thanks! A friend of mine thought it looked like Jeff Bridges.
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