Kraken

A kraken is a huge mythical sea creature. In Scandinavian and Norwegian mythology,^[1] kraken lived off the coasts of Norway, Greenland, and Iceland.

Pen and wash drawing by malacologist Pierre Dénys de Montfort, 1801, from the descriptions of French sailors reportedly attacked by such a creature off the coast of Angola.

Literary works discussed this mysterious sea monster as far back as 1180, according to paleontologist Rodrigo Brincalepe Salvador.^[2] The first known sighting was in 1769.

The legend may actually have originated from sightings of real giant squid.^[3][4] They are estimated to grow to 13 meters (40 feet) or more, including the tentacles.^[5]

Related pages

• Mythology
• Sea monster
• Giant squid

Other websites

• The dictionary definition of Kraken at Wiktionary
• Works related to Kraken at Wikisource
• The King's Mirror (See Chapter XII)