We tend to picture sirens as seductive water creatures similar to mermaids, but the original first sirens weren’t actually fish-like creatures at all—they were sea-dwelling monsters with half human half bird bodies. The first depictions of sirens found from historical artifacts show these ocean-dwelling monsters with feathered bird bodies capable of flight, and of course...that ever beguiling song. That’s what really sets the siren apart—the hypnotic voice that drives all who hear it to destruction and even death. This episode explains how sirens appeared in ancient history, from literature to art, and looks at how the half human half bird creatures became more commonly associated with mermaids. From Ancient Greek legends to Medieval bestiaries, and even Egyptian hieroglyphics, the siren’s history is so much more complicated than you think.