What Medieval Manuscripts Reveal About the Hidden History of Whales: A clever cetacean feeding trick may have launched a legend.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Goldman, Nina
- Source
- Smithsonian. Jul/Aug2023, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p1-1. 1p. 1 Color Photograph.
- Subject
- *MEDIEVAL manuscripts
*FISH behavior
*SEA monsters
*WHALES
*UNDERWATER archaeology
- Language
- ISSN
- 0037-7333
The article reports on the medieval manuscripts detailing how the sea monster known as hafgufa caught fish through the method called trap feeding. In the method, the hafgufa kept its mouth open to lure fish inside and quickly shut it to trap them. Also cited are the study by marine archaeologist John McCarthy on the hafgufa and the observations by marine biologists that whales also practice trap feeding.