Italy
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Turin Alien Dogman
The Turin Alien Dogman was sighted in Scalenghe, Turin, Italy on June 29, 2005, at 4:15 a.m. It was sighted by a farmer going to his mother’s farm to help with her morning chores. The sky was clear and he was biking through a partially harvested wheat field. He saw a creature near the middle of the field roughly 100 feet ahead of him. It was bent over and then stood up when it noticed the witness. It had a human figure with broad shoulders standing at 2 meters tall. The head was larger than normal and had a muzzle, large glossy black eyes, and pointed ears like a dog.…
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Striga/Strigen/Strigle(pl)
The Striga are powerful shapeshifting witches from Hebrew and Roman myth. Its name comes from the Italian word “strega” meaning “witch” which also serves as the root word to many other mythical creatures. They resemble old women, and it is unclear whether they are living creatures or undead. They can transform into birds like magpies and crows, but often take the form of owls which they are commonly represented as. They are thought to be intelligent and very strong, and they drain the blood of children. When children are attacked by the Striga, they are either drained of blood or cursed to waste away and die. It’s thought they cannot…
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Stregoni Benefici
The Stregoni Benefici is a unique supernatural creature from Italian belief. Sometimes they are seen as an Italian variation of the Krsnik. Their name translates to “beneficial vampire.” They are thought to be a form of living vampire, or half vampire, that repents from evil and is forgiven by the church. They abstain from drinking blood and become powerful monster hunters. Sometimes they aren’t actually vampires at all and are simply humans who dedicate their life to vampire hunting. Citations: Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. United Kingdom, Gramercy Books, 2000. Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017. Gothic Shakespeares. Ukraine, Taylor & Francis, 2008. Maberry,…
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Pongo
The Pongo was a massive creature from medieval times in Sicily. It was described as a giant sea monster combining a tiger and a shark. It was believed to have consumed over five hundred people and kept a twenty mile perimeter around the island, attempting to make Sicily uninhabitable. It was eventually killed by the three sons of Saint George. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Bassett, Fletcher S.. Legends and Superstitions of the Sea and of Sailors in All Lands and at All Times. United Kingdom, S. Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1885.
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Lupo Mannaro/Lupo Manaro
The Lupo Mannaro is a form of werewolf from Italian myth. They date back to Roman times and are related to people banned from their communities. They were described as men who could turn into wolves. Attacks victims and kills or rapes them. They are not welcome among humans or animals due to their odd nature. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Erba Martian
The Erba Martian was an alien sighted in Erba, Como, Italy October 18, 1954. The witness was a 37-year-old man named Renzo Pugina. He was returning from seeing a movie when he noticed a glow coming from a nearby villa. He parked and climbed a set of stairs connecting to the villa and he saw a bizarre figure. He determined this figure was a “Martian.” The creature stood 1.3 meters in height surrounded by soft, warm light. It seemed to be wearing armor and a helmet with a transparent front and light was coming from the top. The upper body was covered in overalls covered in metallic, fish-like scales. Its…
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Benandanti
The Benandanti are mythical figures from Italian myth. They are benevolent figures, and their name means “good walker.” They are thought to be humans capable of taking the form of wolves as they sleep. In this wolf form, they descend into Hell and battle evil. They specifically went out on “ember days” meaning solstices or eclipses. Sometimes they took the form of cats, mice, butterflies, or hares. Crops would suffer or flourish depending on whether or not the Benandanti succeeded. If a baby was born with the caul still attached, then it was believed they were Benandanti. These cauls were often dried out and worn as protective amulets. Citations: Guiley,…
