Fish-man of Liérganes
A 17th-century Spanish account of a man transformed into a sea creature.
- Region
- Cantabria and the Bay of Cádiz, Spain
- Documented sightings
- 2 on map →
Overview
The Fish-man of Liérganes is the documented case of Francisco de la Vega Casar, a young carpenter from Liérganes, Cantabria, who disappeared while swimming in 1674 and was reportedly recovered five years later in the Bay of Cádiz by fishermen, transformed into an aquatic humanoid. The case was investigated and published in 1742 by the Benedictine scholar Benito Jerónimo Feijoo.
Identification
Described as approximately human in size and proportion but pale-skinned with reddish hair, a ridge of rough scales running from throat to spine, and the inability or unwillingness to speak above isolated monosyllables. The creature reportedly subsisted on raw fish, refused most clothing, and would periodically attempt to return to the sea.
Lore & Origin
Feijoo's "Teatro Crítico Universal" treats the case as documented historical fact, drawing on testimony from witnesses in both Cádiz and Liérganes. The case has been examined by modern historians as an unusually well-attested early modern cryptid account. A bronze statue of the Hombre Pez stands in Liérganes today.