 Illustration of an aquatic animal by Gustave Doré | |
| Folklore | Muisca mythology |
|---|---|
| Country | Muisca Confederation |
| Region | Altiplano Cundiboyacense Colombia |
| Habitat | Lake Tota |
The Monster of Lake Tota is a legendary aquatic animal known in many works as: diablo ballena, lit. 'devil whale'. The monster is an inhabitant of Lake Tota in present-day Colombia, according to the Muisca, who inhabited the Altiplano Cundiboyacense. The earliest reference in modern history was made by the conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. He described the monster as "A fish with a black head like an ox and larger than a whale" (Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita, 1676) and Antonio de Alcedo, 1788[1])). The monster was also defined as "a monstrous fish", "a black monster",[2] and even as "the Dragon" and as a "divine animal archetype" (2012).[3]
- ^ (in Spanish) Antonio Alcedo, 1789, Diccionario geográfico-histórico de las Indias Occidentales ó América Tomo V, S. 187, citation= pez grande - accessed 02-05-2016
- ^ Triana, José Jerónimo; 1880 (Mitos, Leyendas y Folclor del Lago de Tota, Lilia Montaña, UPTC; 1970 - in the book Mitos y Leyendas de Colombia, Eugenia Villa Posse; Ed. IADAP, 1993; S. 204).
- ^ Email by Mariana Escribano (doctorate in Literatur and Semiotics — Paris-Sorbonne University —, Paris, scientific linguist, that has studied the Muisca language since 1970); sent to Fundación Montecito, Okt 27. 2012.
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