Researchers Discover How Monkey Fish Were Made
Posted on February 28, 2012
Researchers at the St George's University and Horniman Museum have examined mermen and mermaid relics from the 18th century to see how they were constructed. The relics, sometimes called "Monkey Fish," are thought to have been made by Asian fishermen in the 18th century. It was once thought that the Monkey Fish were made by sewing a monkey head and torso to a fish tail. The researchers used photography, microscopy, magnifying equipment, X-radiography and CT scans to see exactly how they were made. It turns out that the monkey part of the Monkey Fish is mostly made from papier mache, wire and wood. It is not a monkey skull. However, the tail of the Monkey Fish and the teeth come from the skeleton of a real fish. Take a look: