However, this newer take on the winged creature comes with a small twist – it was impossible to capture and very hard to catch a glimpse of it – just as humans would with happiness in their lives.Īs with most creatures in Slavic mythology, the Sirin is not one of its kind, it has a counterpart – the Alkonost. This is why Sirin can be seen as a crest or a coat of arms in various Russian or Eastern European cities. The word ‘Sirin’ is a metaphor that symbolizes the word of ‘God’ entering a man’s heartĪs we mentioned, the image of the Sirin was revamped in the 17th century and has since been depicted as a symbol of world harmony and eternal happiness. The word ‘Sirin’ was used as a saying for heretics who tempted the weak Was good for saints, as it sang songs for them, foretelling fortunes Singing songs that make people forget everything, and eventually die What Did Sirin Do?Īt first, Sirin was considered to be a creature dangerous to people, but since the 17th century, Sirin was depicted as a good mythological creature, as it was believed that it lived near paradise.īelow, we can see the differences between the “bad” and the “good” Sirin. Items such as insignias, pottery, seals, pendants, and even books dated back to the 8th-9th century were excavated in regions near Kyiv and Sevastopol, and have been found to carry a symbol that resembled the Sirin. It carried a crown and/or a nimbus, depicting its holiness and goodness.

The rest of his body is similar to a bird (most commonly depicted as an owl).

Sirin was a winged creature, with the head and a chest of a beautiful woman.

Other theories state that the Sirin is a Slavic/Russian take on the Japanese demon known as Tengu or the Hindu deity known as Garuda. The reason for this is the appearance (Sirin looks like them by being half human and half beast. The origin of the Sirin is not known, but some people theorize that it’s based on the Greek mythological creatures – the sirens.

Siren mythical creature