In the US, however, such mermaids were curiosities. Fritz said: "Fiji Mermaids were a part of collections and sideshows in the late 1800s. We've heard some stories from people in the community.

At one temple in Asakuchi, a Fiji mermaid was actually worshipped – though it was subsequently found to be made of cloth, paper, and cotton, decorated with fish scales and animal hair. In the US ...

In the US, however, such mermaids were curiosities. Fritz added: “Fiji Mermaids were a part of collections and sideshows in the late 1800s, we've heard some stories from people in the community.

A bizarre "mermaid mummy" hoax is being scanned by scientists who want to determine from what real creatures it was “Frankensteined” together. Experts believe that the specimen dates back to ...

A bizarre 'mermaid' that seems to be part fish, part monkey, and part reptile is being probed by scientists in a bid to unravel its mysteries. The mummy was brought back from Japan by an American ...

Not in the least. It could be argued that P.T. Barnum, whose famous Fiji Mermaid hoax drew millions of patrons to his circuses, was only providing entertainment.

A real-life Princess Ariel who swims with sharks and turtles has learned to hold her breath for four minutes to amaze kids in her shows as a mermaid. Naomi Trott, 37, uses a monofin to swim with ...

Although many such fabricated mermaids date from that era, the most famous example was the "Feejee Mermaid" (also known as the "Fiji Mermaid" or "FeJee "Mermaid"), a grotesque creature allegedly ...