What’s the deal with old sea monsters? Whenever I look at old maps of the world, even during the Columbian period and many before, I often see odd creatures drawn in the sea, from a huge fish with a gapping mouth like a whale to leviathans and sea serpents miles long. Obviously there’s also the kraken but I personally haven’t seen a giant squid of any sort in maps yet so I don’t know how common giant squids are in these maps. What are these sea creatures and their purpose? Are there distinct types or is each map makers different? If there are certain common types, what are their names and backstories, and why are they on so many old maps? Thanks!