Aani is the Cynocephalus Baboon, a sacred animal in ancient Egyptian religion closely associated with the god Thoth. It is depicted as a dog-headed ape, embodying both canine and primate features in its iconography. The creature symbolizes wisdom and writing, playing a significant role in hieroglyphic representations and religious rituals.

Aani

The Abada is a mythical creature from Kongo folklore resembling a unicorn with two crooked horns and a boar's tail. Its horns are believed to have curative powers, neutralising poison and disease. It is known to appear to those who are lost, offering guidance and hope.

Abada (unicorn)

The Adroanzi are guardian and nature spirits from Lugbara mythology known for their dual appearance as small humanoids or water snakes. They serve as protectors of the dead and natural sites, following travelers by night. While generally benevolent when undisturbed, they exact deadly retribution on those who break the sacred rules of engagement.

Adroanzi

The Agropelter is a fearsome critter from North American folklore known for its branch-hurling attacks from the safety of hollow trees. It combines ape-like and bear-like features with a fully furred, dark appearance accentuated by an ash-grey patterned face. Its exceptional speed and unique reproductive cycle have made it a legendary menace in the conifer forests.

Agropelter

Akhlut is an orca-wolf hybrid from Inuit folklore, known for its ability to transform between a marine and a terrestrial form. In water, it mirrors the grace of an orca, while on land, it takes on the fierce appearance of a wolf. This duality symbolises the interconnectedness of nature in the harsh Arctic environment.

Akhlut

The alal is a monstrous demon from Mesopotamian mythology that emerges from the Underworld to tempt humans. Depicted with a human body, lion head, dog ears, horse mane, and bird claws, it represents a composite, fearsome entity. Ancient Babylonians warded off its malevolent influence using protective amulets.

Alal

Allocamelus is a mythological creature depicted in heraldry. It features the head of a donkey and the body of a camel. Historically, it was used as a crest by the English Eastland Company and later by the Russia Company.

Allocamelus

The Alphyn is a rare heraldic creature featuring a stocky build, tufts of hair, a thick mane, and a distinctive knotted tail with Celtic design. It is depicted with varied clawed feet that can resemble those of an eagle, dragon, goat, or lion. Used as a heraldic badge for the Lords de la Warr, the Alphyn symbolizes noble lineage and mythological hybridity.

Alphyn

Amaru is a mythological chimera-serpent from Andean and Inca traditions, depicted as a double-headed creature with a blend of animal features. It resides in subterranean and aquatic realms, symbolising the vital forces of water and agricultural abundance. Its dual nature as a protector and destroyer reflects the complex interplay of creation and chaos in Andean cosmology.

Amaru (mythology)

Ammit is an ancient Egyptian goddess known as the 'Devourer of the Dead.' She possesses a composite form with the forequarters of a lion, hindquarters of a hippopotamus, and the head of a crocodile. In the Egyptian afterlife, she plays a critical role during the Judgment of the Dead by consuming the hearts of souls deemed unworthy.

Ammit

Anguipeds are divine entities characterized by their unusual composite form, most notably having serpents for legs. In common depictions, especially as Abraxas, they feature a rooster head combined with snake-like limbs. These figures are central to Greco-Roman magical amulets and syncretic cult practices blending pagan and Judaic elements.

Anguiped

Anzû is a colossal, mythological bird from Mesopotamian lore known for its dual ability to breathe fire and water. Alternately depicted as a lion-headed eagle, its composite form emphasizes its unique mythological status. As an antagonist in ancient epics, Anzû challenges divine order and symbolizes chaos in the cosmic realm.

Anzû

The Arimaspi are a legendary tribe of one‐eyed people originating from northern Scythia. They are renowned for their fierce encounters with gold‐guarding griffins in the rugged foothills of the Riphean Mountains. Their unique monoptic appearance and martial prowess have cemented their place in ancient Greek myth.

Arimaspi

Baduhenna is a Germanic goddess worshiped in ancient Frisia, known from Tacitus's Annals. Her sacred grove is noted for the historical killing of 900 Roman soldiers. She is linked to the Matres/Matronae, exhibiting characteristics of both divine nurturing and retribution.

Baduhenna

Bai Ze is a divine creature from ancient Chinese legends, renowned for its unique, hybrid appearance that combines features of a dragon and a tiger. It is famed for creating the Bai Ze Diagram, an extensive record of ghosts and spirits. Revered in folklore, Bai Ze is believed to expel ghosts and protect households from evil influences.

Bai Ze

Baku are Japanese supernatural beings renowned for devouring nightmares. They were created from the spare pieces left over after the gods finished creating all other animals. This enduring legend has made them a fixture in traditional art and modern media alike.

Baku (mythology)

The Basilisco Chilote is a mythological creature from the Chiloé Archipelago in southern Chile, featuring a unique hybrid form with a rooster's crest and a serpent's body. It is notorious for its deadly parasitic feeding on the bodily fluids of house inhabitants. Legends warn that to prevent its emergence, its egg must be burned immediately and the laying rooster must be eliminated.

Basilisco Chilote

Bicorn and Chichevache are satirical, fabulous beasts from European medieval and Renaissance literature. Bicorn, part panther and part cow with a human-like face, devours devoted husbands and is depicted as plump. Conversely, Chichevache devours obedient wives, resulting in a thin, starving appearance.

Bicorn and Chichevache

Bixi is a mythological figure from Chinese lore, depicted as a dragon with a turtle shell. As one of the nine sons of the Dragon King, he embodies qualities of longevity, strength, and endurance. His stone sculptures serve as decorative plinths in commemorative and funerary sites across East Asia, bringing good luck and cultural significance.

Bixi

Biyiniao are unique mythological birds from Chinese folklore. Each individual possesses a single eye and one wing, necessitating a pairing for complete flight. They symbolize unity and partnership as recorded in classical texts like the Erya.

Composite Beasts