Cultural depictions of turtles

1 In mythology, legends, and folk-

lore

Eco shop

A bas-relief from Angkor Wat, Cambodia, shows Samudra man-

than-Vishnu in the center and his turtle Avatar Kurma below

The Turtle House by the German architect and designer Kurt

Vltzke (Atelier Color, Chemnitz) at El Gouna (Red Sea, Egypt)
The tortoise is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, and is
able to defend itself on its own. It personies water, the
Turtles are frequently depicted in popular culture as moon, the Earth, time, immortality, and fertility. Cre-
easygoing, patient, and wise creatures. Due to their ation is associated with the tortoise and it is also believed
long lifespan, slow movement, sturdiness, and wrinkled that the tortoise bears the burden of the whole world.* [7]
appearance, they are an emblem of longevity and sta-
bility in many cultures around the world.* [1]* [2] Tur- The turtle has a prominent position as a symbol of stead-
tles are regularly incorporated into human culture, with fastness and tranquility in religion, *
mythology, and folk-
painters, photographers, poets, songwriters, and sculp- lore from around the world. [6] A tortoise's longevity is
*
tors using them as subjects. [3] They have an impor- suggested by its long lifespan and its shell, which was
*
*
tant role in mythologies around the world, [4] and are thought to protect it from any foe. [2] In the cosmological
often implicated in creation myths regarding the origin myths of several cultures a World Turtle *
carries the world
*
of the Earth. [5] Sea turtles are a charismatic megafauna upon its back or supports the heavens. [5] The mytheme
and are used as symbols of the marine environment and of a World Tortoise, along with that of a world-bearing
environmentalism.* [3] elephant, was discussed comparatively by Edward Bur-
nett Tylor (1878:341).
As a result of its role as a slow, peaceful creature in cul- *
ture, the turtle can be misconceived as a sedentary ani- Turtles were presented in rock art. [8]
mal; however, many types of turtle, especially sea turtles, For alchemists, the tortoise symbolizes chaos, or massa
frequently migrate over large distances in oceans.* [6] confusa.* [7]

1
2 1 IN MYTHOLOGY, LEGENDS, AND FOLKLORE

1.1 Africa rst to write in the West about these tortoises in the early
20th century.
Predynastic slate palettes represent freshwater (soft cara-
pace, Trionyx triunguis) turtles as does the hieroglyph
for turtlein which the chelonian is always repre-
sented from above.* [9] Zoomorphic palettes* [10] were
commonly made in the shapes of turtles.A stone vase in
the form of a turtle was found in Naqada.* [11] Other
art representations of turtles in Ancient Egypt were com-
mon.* [12]
The earliest representations of the Nile turtle date back
to pre-dynastic times and were associated with magical
signicance that was meant to ward o evil. Amulets and
objects with depictions of the turtles represent the turtle
as a force to defend health and life.* [13]* [14]
Among Ptah's many creatures, Shetw (Tortoise, Turtle)
was neither especially remarkable nor esteemed. Though
excluded from lists of animal oerings to the deities,
there are nevertheless great quantities of turtle and tor-
toise bones associated with archaeology at the great cer-
emonial complex at Heirakonpolis in Upper Egypt. This
may suggests that sacrices of Chelonians served some
ritual or liturgical purpose within the ancient Egyptian
ceremonial system.* [15]
As an aquatic animal, the turtle was associated with the
Underworld.* [16] The turtle was associated with Set, and
so with the enemies of Ra who tried to stop the solar
barque as it traveled through the underworld. Since the
Brooklyn Museum a human gure squatting on a turtle, Africa, XIXth Dynasty, and particularly in the Late and Greco-
19th century Roman periods, turtles were known to have been ritually
speared by kings and nobles as evil creatures.* [9]
In African fairy tales, the tortoise is the most clever ani- The famous Hunters Palette shows most of the hunters
mal.* [7] carrying a kind of shield which was interpreted as a turtle-
*
Mzee (Swahili for wise old man) is the name of a carapace shield. [9] In an Early Dynastic tomb at Helwan
130-year-old Aldabra tortoise. a man was buried beneath the carapace of a tortoise who
had lost his feet in an accident. The carapace may sym-
In the southern part of Africa, storytales about a tortoise bolize the way in which the owner used to move slowly
named Fudukazi are common. Fudukazi gave the animals like a tortoise,or sitting in the carapace may have been
their color. a very useful way for the owner to move around.* [9]
The Medical Ebers Papyrus cites the use of turtle cara-
1.1.1 Nigeria paces and organs in some formulas,* [9] including one for-
mula for the removal of hair.* [17] An ointment made
Ijapa the tortoise (alternatively called Alabahun) is a from the brain of a turtle was the treatment for squint-
trickster, accomplishing heroic deeds or getting into trou- ing.* [18] Parts of turtles were used to grind eye paint,
ble in a cycle of tales told by the Yoruba of Nigeria and which was applied both as a cosmetic and to protect eyes
Benin Republic (West Africa).* [5] from infection and over-exposure to sun, dust, wind, and
insects.* [13]* [19]
The esh of Trionyx was eaten from Predynastic times to
1.2 Ancient Egypt as late as the Old Kingdom, and later the esh of tur-
tles began to be considered an abomination of Ra
TurtleShetyw,Shetw,Sheta,shtywwas and the role of these animals became an evil one. Tur-
common in Ancient Egyptian Art (especially Predynas- tle carapaces and scutes from Red Sea Turtles (Chelonia
tic and Old Kingdom art).* [9] Turtle fossils are the most Imbricata) were used in rings, bracelets, dishes, bowls,
common reptiles found in the Fayoum, including Gigan- knife hilts, amulets, and combs. Land tortoise carapaces
tochersina ammon, a tortoise as large as those living on from Kleinmann's tortoise were used as sounding boards
the Galapagos Islands today. Charles Andrews was the
1.5 Asia 3

for lutes, harps and mandolins.* [9] Turtle shells were The tortoise was the symbol of the ancient Greek city of
also used to make norvas, an instrument resembling a Aegina, on the island by the same name: the seal and
banjo.* [20] coins of the city shows images of tortoises. The word
Chelonian comes from the Greek Chelone, a tortoise
god.* [7] The tortoise was a fertility symbol in Greek and
Roman times, and an attribute of Aphrodite/Venus.* [25]
Aphrodite Ourania, is draped rather than nude Aphrodite
with her foot resting on a tortoise at Muse du Louvre.
The playwright Aeschylus was said to have been killed by
a tortoise dropped by a bird.

An example of a Zoomorphic palette, a turtle.

In a meticulously documented discussion, Fischer traces

the Nile turtle's decline in popularity as food, showing
that while eaten in Predynastic, Archaic, and Old King-
dom periods, turtles were used only for medicinal pur-
poses after the Old Kingdom. Carapaces were used well
into the New Kingdom.* [21] In reliefs and paintings of
the Old, Middle, and Early New Kingdoms, the turtle is
depicted rarely, and is depicted as an innocuous reptile.
After Dynasty XIX, the turtle is usually depicted as a ma-
lignant creature associated with Apophis and subject to
ritual extermination. Fischer shows that in Predynastic
and Archaic times, objects of daily use, such as cosmetic
palettes, dishes, and vessels, were made in the shapes of
turtles, while after the Old and Middle Kingdoms repre-
Aphrodite Ourania, draped rather than nude, and with her foot
sentations of turtles are more often found on amuletic ob-
resting on a tortoise (Muse du Louvre).
jects and furniture. After the Middle Kingdom, the tur-
tle's shape is very rarely associated with any object which
would come into close contact with a person, a fact which
reects the increasing explicit hostility shown to turtles in 1.5 Asia
scenes and texts.* [22]
1.5.1 Malaysia

1.3 Ancient Mesopotamia Ketupat penyu is made from a coconut leaf to appear like
a turtle. It is used in a ritual to banish the ghosts in Malay
In ancient Mesopotamia, the turtle was associated with traditional medicine.
the god Ea and was used on kudurrus as a symbol of
Ea.* [23] The heron and the turtle is an Ancient Sume- 1.5.2 China
rian story that has survived to this day.* [24]
In China the traditional Chinese character symbolizing
the turtle () shows a head like that of a snake at the
1.4 Ancient Greece and Rome top, to the middle left of the paws, to the middle right
of the shell, and at the bottom of the tail. According to
One of Aesop's fables is The Tortoise and the Hare. the Book of ceremonies, the single-horned rhino,
4 1 IN MYTHOLOGY, LEGENDS, AND FOLKLORE

Rock art of a turtle in Baku Museum Gobustan

A bixi holding Kangxi Emperor's stele near Marco Polo Bridge in

Beijing, China

Ketupat penyu, Malaysia

phoenix, tortoise, and dragon are the four entities that

possess spirit. Tortoise shells were used for divination
during the ancient Chinese Shang Dynasty and carry the
earliest specimens of Chinese writing. Some Chinese are
of the opinion that their script was taken from the signs
on the back of the tortoise.
For the Chinese, the tortoise is sacred and symbolizes
longevity, power, and tenacity. It is said that the tortoise
helped Pangu (also known as P'an Ku) create the world:
the creator goddess Nuwa or Nugua cuts the legs o a sea
turtle and uses them to prop up the sky after Gong Gong
destroys the mountain that had supported the sky. The at
plastron and domed carapace of a turtle parallel the an-
cient Chinese idea of a at earth and domed sky.* [26] For
the Chinese as well as the Indians, the tortoise symbol-
izes the universe. Quoting Pen T'sao, the upper dome-
shaped part of its back has various signs, which corre-
spond with the constellations on the sky, and this is Yan;
the lower part has many lines, which relate to the earth
and is the Yin.* [7]
The tortoise is one of the "Four Fabulous Animals",* [2] Zhenwu painted statue with turtle and snake at feet
the most prominent beasts of China. These animals
govern the four points of the compass, with the Black
Tortoise the ruler of the north, symbolizing endurance,
 1.5 Asia 5

strength, and longevity.* [27] The tortoise and the tiger 1.5.3 India
are the only real animals of the four, although the tor-
toise is depicted with supernatural features such as dragon Main article: World turtle India
ears, aming tentacles at its shoulders and hips, and a long
hairy tail representing seaweed and the growth of plant
In Hindu mythology the world is thought to rest on the
parasites found on older tortoise shells that ow behind
backs of four elephants who stand on the shell of a tur-
the tortoise as it swims. The Chinese believe that tortoises
tle.* [30] In Hinduism, Akupara is a tortoise who car-
come out in the spring when they change their shells, and
ries the world on his back, upholding the Earth and the
hibernate during the winter, which is the reason for their
sea.* [2]
long life.* [7]
One Avatar of Vishnu is the giant turtle Kurma. The Sri
The Chinese Imperial Army carried ags with images of
Kurmam Temple in Andhra Pradesh, India, is dedicated
dragons and tortoises as symbols of unparalleled power
to the Kurma avatar. Kurmavatara is also Kasyapa, the
and inaccessibility, as these animals fought with each
northern star, the rst living being, forefather of Vishnu
other but both remained alive. The dragon cannot break
the protector. The plastron symbolizes the earthly world
the tortoise and the latter cannot reach the dragon.* [7]
and the carapace the heavenly world. The Shatapatha
In China, the tortoise was also called the Black warrior,
Brahmana identies the world as the body of Kurmaraja,
standing as a symbol of power, tenacity, and longevity,
the king of tortoises, with the earth its plastron, the
as well as that of north and winter. A tortoise was often
atmosphere its body, and the vault of the heavens its cara-
put at the base of burial monuments. Legend holds that
pace. The tortoise holds the elephant, on which rests the
the wooden columns of the Temple of Heaven in Bei-
earth. The elephant is the masculine symbol and the tor-
jing were built on the shells of live tortoises since people
toise the feminine.* [7]
thought that these animals were capable of living for more
than 3000 years without food or water and are adorned
with a magical power that prevents wood from rotting. 1.5.4 Japan
It was considered that the tortoise does not remember the
day and month of its birth so calling someone atortoise
in China was considered oensive.
In Tibet, the tortoise is a symbol of creativity.* [7]
The tortoise is of the feng shui water element* [28] with
the tiger, phoenix, and dragon representing the other
three elements. According to the principles of feng shui
the rear of the home is represented by the Black Tortoise,
which signies support for home, family life, and per-
sonal relationships. A tortoise at the back door of a house
or in the backyard by a pond is said to attract good for-
tune and many blessings. Three tortoises stacked on top
of each other represent a mother and her babies.* [28] In
Daoist art, the tortoise is an emblem of the triad of earth-
humankind-heaven.* [29]
The tortoise is a symbol of longevity, with a potential
lifespan of ten thousand years.* [2] Due to its longevity, a
symbol of a turtle was often used during burials. A burial
mound might be shaped like a turtle, and even called a
grave turtle.A carved turtle, known as bixi was used
as a plinth for memorial tablets of high-ranking ocials
during the Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE) and the Ming pe-
riods (1368-1644 CE). Enormous turtles supported the
memorial tablets of Chinese emperors* [27] and support
the Kangxi Emperor's stele near Marco Polo Bridge in
Beijing, China. Tortoise shells were used for witchcraft Japanese Edo period depiction of a minogame.
and future forecasting. There are innumerable tales on
the longevity of the tortoises and their ability to transform
Japanese culture adopted from China the myth of four
into other forms.* [7]
Guardian Beasts, said in Japan to protect the city of Heian
(Kyoto) from threats arising from each of the four car-
dinal directions. The Black Tortoise or Gen-bu, some-
times depicted as a combination of a tortoise and a snake,
6 1 IN MYTHOLOGY, LEGENDS, AND FOLKLORE

protects Kyoto from the north; the other beasts and as- King's envoy oered a sacred turtle (Vietnamese: Thn
sociated directions are the Azure Dragon (Sei-ryu, east), Quy) which was carved in Khoa u script on its carapace
the Vermilion Bird (Su-zaku, south), and the White Tiger writing all things happening from the time Sky and Earth
(Byak-ko, west). had been born. Yao King ordered a person to copy it and
In Japan, however, the turtle has developed a more inde- called it Turtle Calendar.
pendent tradition than the other three prominent beasts Another legend told that Kim Quy Deity (Golden Tur-
of China. The minogame (), which is so old it has tle Deity) came into sight and crawled after An Dng
a train of seaweed growing on its back, is a symbol of Vng's pray. Following the Deity's foot prints, An
longevity and felicity. A minogame has an important role Dng Vng built C Loa Citadel as a spiral. An
in the well-known legend of Urashima Tar. Dng Vng was given a present of Kim Quy Deity's
According to traditional Japanese beliefs, the tortoise is claw to make the trigger (Vietnamese: ly), one part of
a haven for immortals and the world mountain, and sym- the crossbow (Vietnamese: n) named Linh Quang Kim
bolizes longevity, good luck, and support. It is the symbol Tro Thn N that was the military secret of victorious
of Kumpira, the god of seafaring people.* [7] Zhao Tuo.

The tortoise is a favored motif by netsuke-carvers and
other artisans, and is featured in traditional Japanese wed-
ding ceremonies.* [2] There is also a well-known artistic
pattern based on the nearly hexagonal shape of a tortoise's
shell. These patterns are usually composed of symmet-
rical hexagons, sometimes with smaller hexagons within
them.* [31]
A 15th-century legend tells that L Li returned his
sacred sword named Thun Thin (Heaven's Will) to
Golden Turtle in Lc Thy lake after he had won Ming's
army. That is why Lc Thy lake was renamed Sword
Lake (Vietnamese: H Gm) or Returning Sword lake
(Hon Kim Lake). This action symbolizes taking leave
of weapons for peace.

1.5.5 Vietnam 1.5.6 Taiwan

In Taiwanese villages, paste cakes of our shaped like

turtles are made for festivals that are held in honor of
the lineage patron deity. People buy these cakes at their
lineage temple and take them home to assure prosperity,
harmony, and security for the following year.* [27]

1.6 North America

The World Turtle carries the Earth upon its back in myths
from North America; for this reason many aboriginal
North Americans refer to it as Turtle Island. In Cheyenne
tradition, the great creator spirit Maheo kneads some mud
he takes from a coot's beak until it expands so much
that only Old Grandmother Turtle can support it on her
back. In Mohawk tradition, the trembling or shaking of
the Earth is thought of as a sign that the World Turtle is
stretching beneath the great weight that she carries.* [5]
Indians of North America used combs made of tortoise
shell to signify the margin between life and death. Ac-
cording to their beliefs, the cosmic tree emerges from the
spine of the tortoise.* [7]
The expression "turtles all the way down" comes from the
notion of the World Turtle.

1.7 South America

The stone turtle carries stela on its back Vn Miu in Hanoi,
Vietnam. Turtles are beloved by many Indigenous South American
cultures and have thus entered their mythologies. Accord-
Many legends of Vietnam connect closely to the turtle. ing to many of these myths, the Jebuti (Portuguese: ja-
During the time of Emperor Yao in China, a Vietnamese buti, pronounced: [buti], land turtle) obtained its
2.2 Judaism 7

Moche Sea Turtle. 200 A.D. Larco Museum Collection. Lima,

Peru

mottled shell in a fall to earth as it attempted to reach the

heavens with the help of an eagle in order there to play a
ute at a celebration.* [32]

1.8 Oceania

1.8.1 Tahiti

In the Tahitian islands, the tortoise is the shadow of the

gods and the lord of the oceans.* [7] Turtle Armband, Papua New Guinea

1.8.2 Polynesia

In Polynesia the tortoise personied the war god Tu.

Drawing tattoo marks of a tortoise was a custom among
warriors.* [7]
In a story from Admiralty Island, people are born from
eggs laid by the World Turtle. There are many similar
creation stories throughout Polynesia.* [5]

2 In Religion Rock-painting-turtle, Kakadu National Park, Australia

2.1 Islam 2.2 Judaism

In Susm the hatching and return of baby turtles to the
sea is a symbol for returning to God through God's guid-
ance.* [33] The journey of the baby turtle is a good model
for the Quranic verseExtol the name of your Lord, the
Highest, who has created and regulated, and has destined
and guided[87:1-3].
According to the laws of Kashrut (Kosher), the turtle is
considered "impure" and cannot be eaten.
Back when the Jews still had the temple, when a woman
completed her period, she had to give two pigeons and
two turtles to a Kohen, a priest. The exact passage from
the Torah is:
8 3 IN MODERN FICTION

dove,a kosher bird, and not a reptile. Reptiles, according

to Leviticus, are never kosher for eating or for sacrice.

3 In modern ction
See also: List of ctional turtles

3.1 Folk lore

Possibly echidna from aboriginal art

Br'er Fox Tackles Br'er Tarrypin, from Uncle Remus, His

Songs and His Sayings: The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation

In Aesop's fable The Tortoise and the Hare, a tortoise

defeats an overcondent hare in a race.
Sea turtle, Australia - Google Art Project

And on the eighth day she shall take unto

3.2 Literature
her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and
(Alphabetical by author's last name)
bring them unto the priest, to the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. Thomas King's novel The Back of the Turtle alludes to
( ,Leviticus 15:29-30) the idea of the World Turtle.
In Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, the turtle is
a prominent gure. Named Maturin, the turtle is one of
In this case, however, theturtlereferred to is aturtle- the twelve guardians of the beams which hold up the dark
3.3 Film and television
tower. There is also a small carving of the turtle which
is described as a 'tiny god'. A rhyme is recited by the
characters,See the TURTLE of enormous girth, on his
shell he holds the Earth.This rhyme and the turtle also
show up in King's novel It, where the turtle represents the
opposition to the terror that is It.
Turtle is a character who gures prominently in Barbara
Kingsolver's novels The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven.
She is a Cherokee child whose adoptive mother, Taylor
Greer, so nicknamed her because Turtle grabs onto Tay-
lor and will not let go. Taylor explains, In Kentucky
where I grew up, people used to say if a snapping turtle
gets hold of you it won't let go till it thunders.* [34] In children's literature such as Dr. Seuss's Yertle the Tur-
In the books by Terry Pratchett, the Discworld is carried tle, the turtle is often depicted as a humorous charac-
on the backs of four elephants, who in turn rest on the ter having
back of the gigantic world turtle Great A'Tuin. In the tics. [36] [37]
Discworld novel Small Gods, the Great God Om mani-
fests as a tortoise. 3.3
In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck uses the tortoise
as an emblem of the resolve and persistence of theOk-
iesthat travel west across the US for a better life.* [4]
Ursula K. Le Guin's novel "The Lathe of Heaven" intro-
duces a person whose dreams involuntarily become real-
ity. The novel eventually features sea turtle aliens.
3.2.1 Children's literature
The Mock Turtle from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
There is a character called the Mock Turtle in Lewis Car-
roll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In the illustration
by John Tenniel, the Mock Turtle is depicted as a turtle
with the head, hooves, and tail of a calf; referencing the
real ingredients of mock turtle soup.* [35]
9
In the children's story, Esio Trot by Roald Dahl, a char-
acter named Mrs. Silver has a small pet tortoise, Ale,
who she loves very much. One morning, Mrs. Silver
mentions to Mr. Hoppy that even though she has had Al-
e for many years, her pet has only grown a tiny bit and
has gained only 3 ounces in weight. She confesses that
she wishes she knew of some way to make her little Ale
grown into a larger, more dignied tortoise. Mr. Hoppy
suddenly thinks of a way to give Mrs. Silver her wish
and (he hopes) win her aection. He eventually begins
swapping the tortoise for bigger and bigger ones, with the
illusion of using magic.
* *
a mixture of animal and human characteris-
Film and television
Bert the turtle
The television show Avatar: The Last Airbender fea-
tures a magical, ancient, island-sized creature called
the Lion Turtle.
Duck and Cover was a six-minute civil defense lm
that starred an animated character called Bert the
Turtle.
Gamera, a Japanese movie monster, is the star of
eleven lms from 1965 to 2006.
Kung Fu Panda, an animated movie, has a turtle
spiritual master - Oogway.
The character Rainbow Dash in the show, My Little
Pony: Friendship is Magic, has a pet tortoise named
Tank.
The TV British sitcom One Foot in the Grave features
a tortoise at the start and end of each episode.
The British speculative ction documentary series,
The Future is Wild shows a giant descendent of tor-
toises called the Toraton.
10 5 IN COINS

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are comic book
characters whose adventures have been adapted
for TV and lm. They are Leonardo, Raphael,
Donatello, and Michelangelo. They were created in
1983.* [38] They were a cultural phenomenon be-
tween 1988 and 1992, with their images ubiquitous
in advertising, cinema, comics, magazines, music,
newspapers, and television.* [39] Their action g-
ures were top sellers around the world. In 1990,
the cartoon series was shown on more than 125 tele-
vision stations every day and the comic books sold
125,000 copies a month.* [38] Their origin ushed
down the toilet and ending up in the sewer sys-
tem echoed contemporary urban legends of small
reptiles that were ushed down toilets growing into
erce animals in city sewers.* [39]
The Pokmon series has a few species resembling tur-
tles or tortoises. Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise are
the water-type 'starter' Pokmon in the Kanto Region.
Turtwig, Grotle, and Torterra are likewise the grass-type
starter Pokmon of the Sinnoh Region. Shuckle, in the
Johto Region, can often be mistaken for a stylised turtle,
but is in fact a Mould Pokmon. Tirtouga and Carracosta
are can be revived from Fossils in the Unova Region.
Blastoise, the nal evolved form of Squirtle, is the mascot
of the Pokmon Blue video game.
4 Political use

Sea Turtles are referred to multiple times in the

Pirates of the Caribbean lms. First mentioned by
Gibbs in The Curse of the Black Pearl about how
Sparrow managed to escape the island where Bar-
bossa marooned him years ago. It is stated that two
turtles were lashed together by Sparrow with human
hair from his back to form a raft. This same trait
was apparently used by Will in the second lm and
the Prison Dog in the third one.

A trio of Looney Tunes cartoons depicts Bugs Bunny

racing the slow-moving Cecil Turtle in a contempo-
rary version of one of Aesop's fables. The cartoons
are Tortoise Beats Hare, Tortoise Wins by a Hare and A turtle in an American political cartoon poking fun at the
Rabbit Transit. Because of this trio, Cecil is the only Embargo Act of 1807.
character in the Looney Tunes series who consis-
tently gets the better of Bugs.* [40]
Various Native American groups use the term "Great
For the Hammer Films production of One Million Turtle Island" as an alternate term for America, use of
Years B.C., Ray Harryhausen created and animated the term implying that the continent in question belongs
a giant version of the prehistoric turtle Archelon, to its indigenous inhabitants and that its conquest and set-
which attacked a group of cavemen. tlement by Europeans was illegitimate.* [41]
A post turtle is a reference to a politician who is being
A running gag in Tomska's asdfmovie series is a manipulated or controlled.
character stepping on a turtle with a button on its
back. The turtle then explodes. This turtle has be-
come known as Mine Turtle.
5 In coins
3.4 Video games
Silver stater obverse Aigina
Koopa Troopas (Japanese: Nokonoko) are
common enemies in the Mario series which resemble tor- Greek drachma of Aegina. Obverse: Land Chelone
toises, usually displayed as henchmen under the direct / Reverse: (INA) and dolphin. The oldest
leadership of Bowser, who is also a Koopa. There are Aegina Chelone coins depicted sea turtles and were
also various other Koopas in the game universe, such minted ca. 700550 BC.
as the Koopalings. However, since Nintendo 64, many
Koopas are friendly and very peaceful, living in villages Greek drachma of Aegina
like Koopa Village near Toad Town, the capital of Mush-
room Kingdom. And one blue-shelled Koopa, Kooper, Coin of Ukraine
helps Super Mario in his Adventures against Bowser and
his evil henchman. Coin of the Russian Federation

6 In heraldry
Coat of arms of the Cayman Islands
British Indian Ocean Territory
Seychelles
Galpagos Islands
Flag of Central Province Solomon Islands
Crottendorf, Germany
Galapagar, Spain
Gruenheide, Germany
Hnow, Germany
Hoppegarten, Germany
Seirijai, Lithuania
701st Airlift Squadron
7 In conservation and tourism
Wooden Red Tortoise Mould used in making Red Tortoise Cake
Sea turtles are used to promote tourism, as sea turtles
can have a symbolic role in the imaginations of potential
tourists. Tourists interact with turtles in countries such
as Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Greece, and the United
States. Turtle-based ecotourism activities take place on
nesting beaches around the world.* [3] Sea turtles are on
Tuvalu postage stamps as a national symbol.* [3] The mas-
cot of the KAME project is a sea turtle.
Due to the turtle's status as a charismatic megafauna, it
is a agship animal for conservation eorts. Educating
the public about turtles and conserving their habitats can
positively aect other species living in the same habitats
as turtles. Turtles are also used as marketing tools to
give products the appearance of being environmentally Secondly, sea turtle(simplied Chinese: ;
friendly.* [3]
11
Ecotourism has become popular in Brazil. In Praia do
Forte, a marine conservation project called Tamar (from
tartaruga marinha or sea turtle) has more than 300,000
visitors every year, who are attracted by the idea of saving
the habitat of ve endangered sea turtle species that nest
on the coast. Tamar uses the sea turtle as a symbol for
the need for the protection of the coastal environment.
Turtle-related souvenirs are sold to tourists, and hotels
areturtle-friendly": low-rise, dimly lit, and located away
from the beach.* [42]
At the World Trade Organization's 1999 meeting in
Seattle, sea turtles were a focal point of protests.* [3] A
group of protesters from the Earth Island Institute that fo-
cused on the issue of TED use in shrimp trawls wore sea
turtle costumes. They brought 500 turtle costumes to the
demonstration.* [43] Images of protesters wearing turtle
costumes were carried in the media, and they became a
symbol of the anti-globalization movement.* [3]
8 In Chinese slang
Chinese symbol of turtle
Firstly, tortoises and turtles are regarded as insuciently
virile. Gui tou(turtles head) is a common
euphemism for a penis. From this combination turtles
are often associated with cuckolds in China. This folk
identication may be reinforced by the old Chinese ex-
pression to wear a green hat(simplied Chinese:
; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: di
lmozi) or to wear a green scarf(simplied Chi-
nese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin:
di ltujn), which derives from sumptuary laws of the
Spring-Autumn period (5th to 8th Century BCE) and
means to be a cuckold.
traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: hi gi) is slang for
12
Chinese turtle symbol
a returnee, a Chinese person who has studied abroad and
returned home. (There is also a pun here, as hi gi is also
, to come back home from overseas). The term
has positive connotations, implying a dynamic ability to
travel across the ocean. By contrast, "kelp" (simplied
Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: hi
di), is used to describe an unemployed returnee. It has
negative overtones, implying the person is drifting aim-
lessly, and is also a homophonic expression (Chinese:
; pinyin: hidi, literally sea waiting).
9 See also
Owen and Mzee, a real-life friendship between an
old Aldabra tortoise and a baby hippopotamus.
Turtle racing
Turtle soup
Zaratan
10 References
[1] Cirlot, Juan-Eduardo, trans. Sage, Jack, 2002, A Dictio-
nary of Symbols, Courier Dover Publications, ISBN 0-
486-42523-1.
[2] Ball, Catherine, 2004, Animal Motifs in Asian Art, Courier
Dover Publications, ISBN 0-486-43338-2.
[3] Lutz, Peter L., Musick, John A., and Wyneken, Jeanette,
2002, The Biology of Sea Turtles, CRC Press, ISBN 0-
8493-1123-3.
10 REFERENCES
[4] Gareld, Eugene, 1986, The Turtle: A Most Ancient
Mystery. Part 1. Its Role in Art, Literature, and Mythol-
ogy, Towards Scientography: 9 (Essays of An Information
Scientist), Isis Press, ISBN 0-89495-081-9.
[5] Stookey, Lorena Laura, 2004, Thematic Guide to World
Mythology, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-31505-1.
[6] Plotkin, Pamela, T., 2007, Biology and Conservation of
Ridley Sea Turtles, Johns Hopkins University, ISBN 0-
8018-8611-2.
[7] http://www.eedi.org.ua/eem/3-11eng.html
[8] File:Rock-painting-turtle.jpg
[9] Turtles in Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt
[10] The Prehistory of Egypt
[11] Stone vase in the form of a turtle, Naqada culture, Egypt
[12] Topographical Bibliography of Ancient Egyptian Hiero-
glyphic Texts, Statues, Reliefs and Paintings
[13] http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/religion/turtles.html
[14] http://ethnology.wordpress.com/category/
african-tribesculturescountries/ancient-egypt/
[15] http://home.earthlink.net/~{}fridjian/id7.html
[16] Turtle headed watery messenger of Osiris Archived De-
cember 12, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
[17] Archived June 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
[18] Ophthalmology in Ancient Egypt
[19] Photo of Turtle Palette Archived June 13, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine.
[20] Museum Halls
[21] Ancient Egyptian Representations of Turtles book
[22] : 133135. JSTOR 40000646. Missing or empty |title=
(help)
[23] Green, Anthony and Black, Jeremy, 1992, Gods, Demons
and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: an illustrated dic-
tionary, University of Texas Press, ISBN 0-292-70794-0.
[24] The heron and the turtle Sumarian Story
[25] Bevan, Elinor (1988). Ancient Deities and
Tortoise-Representations in Sanctuaries. The
Annual of the British School at Athens. 83: 16.
doi:10.1017/s006824540002058x.
[26] Allan, Sarah, 1991, The Shape of the Turtle: Myth, Art,
and Cosmos in Early China, SUNY Press, ISBN 0-7914-
0459-5.
[27] Simoons, Frederick J., 1991, Food in China: A Cultural
and Historical Inquiry, CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-8804-
X.
[28] Moran, Elizabeth, Biktashev, Val and Yu, Joseph, 2002,
Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui, Alpha Books, ISBN
0-02-864339-9.
 13

[29] Tresidder, Jack, 2005, The Complete Dictionary of Sym-

bols, Chronicle Books, ISBN 0-8118-4767-5.

[30] Cobb, Kelton, 2005, The Blackwell Guide to Theology

and Popular Culture, Blackwell Publishing, ISBN 1-4051-
0698-0.

[31] Niwa, Motoji, 2001, trans, Thomas, Jay W., Snow, Wave,
Pine: Traditional Patterns in Japanese Design, ISBN 4-
7700-2689-7.

[32] http://www.lexiline.com/lexiline/lexi73.htm

[33] Feild, Reshad Feild, 2002, The Last Barrier: A Journey

into the Essence of Su Teachings, Publisher: Lindisfarne
Books, ISBN 1584200073.

[34] Kingsolver, Barbara (1993). Pigs in Heaven. Harper

Perennial. p. 78.

[35] Reichertz, Ronald, 1997, The Making of the Alice Books,

McGill-Queen's Press, ISBN 0-7735-2081-3.

[36] Smith-Marder, Paula (2006). The Turtle and the Psy-

che. Journal of Psychological Perspectives. 49 (2): 228
248. doi:10.1080/00332920600998262.

[37] Goldstein, Jerey H., 1994, Toys, Play, and Child Devel-
opment, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-45564-
2.

[38] Long, Mark A., 2002, Bad Fads, ECW Press, ISBN 1-
55022-491-3.

[39] Jones, Dudley, and Watkins, Tony, 2000, A Necessary

Fantasy?: The Heroic Figure in Children's Popular Cul-
ture, Routledge, ISBN 0-8153-1844-8.

[40] Lenburg, Je, 2006, Who's Who in Animated Cartoons:

An International Guide to Film & Television, Hal Leonard,
ISBN 1-55783-671-X.

[41]

[42] Levine, Robert M., 1999, The History of Brazil, Green-

wood Press, ISBN 0-313-30390-8.

[43] Berg, John C., 2003, Teamsters and Turtles?: U.S. Pro-
gressive Political Movements in the 21st Century, Rowman
& Littleeld, ISBN 0-7425-0192-2.

11 External links
Sea Turtle Postage Stamps of the World.

The Appearance of the Spirit Turtle - An arti-

cle about Japanese turtle folklore at hyakumono-
gatari.com
Kathleen Rodgers, Turtles in Literature (S&S Learn-
ing Materials, 1997).
14 12 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

12 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

12.1 Text
Cultural depictions of turtles Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_turtles?oldid=749391640 Contributors:
Kingturtle, Bueller 007, Markhurd, Tpbradbury, Samsara, Topbanana, Paul G, Daibhid C, Ferdinand Pienaar, Andycjp, AndrewKeenan-
Richardson, M.R.Forrester, Dbachmann, Bender235, Zscout370, Bendono, Bobo192, Giraedata, Apostrophe, Geschichte, ProhibitO-
nions, Zxcvbnm, Woohookitty, Tabletop, Ilya, Luigi2, Rjwilmsi, Brighat, Vmenkov, MightyAtom, HowardBerry, CanadianCaesar, Yser-
arau, Grafen, Caiyu, Wknight94, Fang Aili, Enni84, JuJube, Shawnc, Mais oui!, SmackBot, Allixpeeke, ProveIt, Hmains, Chris the
speller, DMS, Colonies Chris, Sk'py Skwrrrl, LouScheer, E. Sn0 =31337=, Weregerbil, Rdavout, Ryulong, Philjohnston, Chris Stangl,
Kurtan~enwiki, CmdrObot, Anthony Bradbury, Metanoid, Bellerophon5685, Doug Weller, Ghostexorcist, Aldis90, Savager, Headbomb,
Blathnaid, Turtle Falcon, RobJ1981, Knowhenmen, Froid, Neweco, Ciao 90, Philg88, MartinBot, R'n'B, CommonsDelinker, Nono64,
Eliz81, A Nobody, AvatarMN, Chiswick Chap, Entropy, Vranak, Rajasekhar1961, Kellyrhoda, Rkt2312, Davehi1, Knock-kneed, An-
dreas Kaganov, Stephen Fireduck, Karategal, Oldag07, Phe-bot, Merotoker1, Fratrep, Blake, Lord Opeth, Martarius, Sevilledade, Uncle
Milty, Niceguyedc, Ashashyou, Sun Creator, Arjayay, Ost316, WikHead, Addbot, USchick, Firedrop, Jarble, Yobot, Ptbotgourou, Legobot
II, Csalmon, AnomieBOT, JimBreen, Rootology Bot, Materialscientist, LilHelpa, Xqbot, WTFA54, Sodacan, Firefoxes, Ricardiana,
FrescoBot, Fortdj33, 123abcdoreme3, Pamdhiga, Yottie, Tom.Reding, Dazedbythebell, Stardrake, ContinueWithCaution, Lu-igi board,
Kibi78704, Yunshui, Qygen, ZhBot, Mr. Nile, EmausBot, Dewritech, 1967GMC, MikeyMouse10, JDDJS, Lendvai, F, Josve05a, Goon-
head5, , L Kensington, Heralder, LezheLady, Mikhail Ryazanov, ClueBot NG, Fluttershy~enwiki, Rich Smith, Yjfstorehouse, Gareth
Grith-Jones, Mobtown Mongrel, Lysosome, Helpful Pixie Bot, Reddogsix, Argento Surfer, Gorthian, Wendybelcher, TheOwlWBU, Cy-
berbot II, Kanghuitari, Jfgoofy, MatthewHoobin, Srt PiriLimPomPom, PokeZelda64, Alayambo, Loraof, Jtst4, Jonahpoke92, GreenC bot
and Anonymous: 109

12.2 Images
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png License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
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File:Brer_Fox_tackles_Brer_Tarrypin,_1881.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Brer_Fox_tackles_
Brer_Tarrypin%2C_1881.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina at
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File:Brooklyn_Museum_22.1453_Figure_Squatting_on_a_Turtle.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
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12.3 Content license 15

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