The first evidence of mythical animals dates back to the Upper Paleolithic era - it was at this time that artists began to paint them on cave walls. Ancient authors wrote about fantastic creatures; travelers and pilgrims “met” them during their wanderings. In the Middle Ages, heraldists readily depicted them and writers described them in their bestiaries. Then interest in mythical animals fell, and people had to “meet” them less and less - only sailors sometimes saw them emerging from the depths of the sea. But the twentieth century unexpectedly stirred up a fascination with creatures that had long sunk into oblivion. Biologists came up with a special term “mythozoans” and began to enthusiastically study their characteristics. A new book by Oleg Ivik tells about mythical animals, their relationships with people and the history of their study.