The Legend of the Serra Revisited
Identifying the Composite Creature
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17822290 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Polina Ignatova (0000-0003-0496-3093, Linköping University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 127-158 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Preternature Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2161-2188 • E-ISSN: 2161-2196 |
| Publisher | The Pennsylvania State University Press (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.5325/preternature.15.1.0127 |
| OpenAlex | W7159689661 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 30 |
This article focusses on the unidentified marine monster called the serra, which appears in multiple medieval sources. It argues that the serra should be viewed as a compilation of knowledge about several water-borne animals. It further demonstrates the influences of Christianity and of Islamic culture upon the serra’s representations. In the conclusion, the article identifies potential fields for further investigation, which can improve our knowledge of the medieval perceptions of nonhuman animals
Christianity · Field (mathematics) · Islam · Legend · Monster · Perception · Scots · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Literary Analysis and Cultural Studies
Medieval Everyday Life Reflected Through the Lens of a Dominican Author
The Fish Pain Debate
Monster Culture (Seven Theses)
Iranian Composite Creatures between the Caucasus and Western China
The Gendering of Language
Divine Nature and the Natural Divine
The Animal History of Albertus Magnus and Thomas of Cantimpré
Fishing for Sport in Medieval Europe
Caerulean Hounds and Puppy-Like Voices
Silk Economics and Cross-Cultural Artistic Interaction
The animal turn
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |