Magical creatures have long been the subject or books, movies, and television. They were even more prevalent back hundreds of years ago. Our knowledge base is so much broader today than it was even a hundred years ago. We’ve pretty much closed the door on the chance of us finding dragons or fairies in our world. At least we thought.
Here’s how the story of the mysterious skeletons found in a London basement went:
A home in London that used to be an orphanage uncovered something very interesting….and extremely disturbing in 2006. They found over 5,000 skeletons in the basement! They’re definitely not the type of skeletons you’re thinking of though.
The man who “found” these remains was named Thomas Merrylin. He was a Crypto-naturalist, Fringe Zoologist and Xeno -Archeologist. Basically that means he searched for creatures that almost all scientists agree never existed. He was born in 1782. According to some he possessed unnaturally long life, which some say was the result of him practicing black magic. He is said to have not looked a day over 40 when he was well into his 80’s.
The orphanage was originally the home of Merrylin. In 1942 he contacted an orphanage and asked if they would be willing to accept a large London town house as a donation. They accepted, but with one caveat. The house could never be torn down and the basement never opened. Well in 2006 a foundation inspection was done, and the door to the basement was opened. Inside they found 5,000 skeletons of strange creatures from myth and legend!
Merrylin is said to have traveled the world over with his father, who was also into the study of weird creatures that probably never existed. After his father’s death he became a recluse and buried himself in his work.
The Merrylin Cryptid collection is actually a fictional invention of Alex CF, a London-based illustrator, writer, and sculptor with a fantastically warped imagination and a talent for the obscure.
The collection is supposedly the culmination of Merrylin’s life work.
He even supposedly had the remains of vampires in this disturbing collection.
Inside lay thousands of bizarre artifacts.
Apparently demon babies are a thing, who knew?
The sculptures are very realistic in a very non-realistic way.
Back in the 1800’s you may have been convinced that these were actual remains of creatures that existed instead of sculptures.
These make me think of the creatures you would find in a Harry Potter book.
This guy looks like the dog from How The Grinch Stole Christmas!
H/T: Merrylin Museum
Eventually, the full truth was out: these stomach-churning artifacts were actually made by a London-based illustrator, writer, and sculptor named Alex CF. He created these incredibly detailed terrors for the entirely fictional “Merrylin Cryptid Museum.” In order to make his artwork contagious, he fabricated the backstory of a Thomas Merrylin, who actually never existed. Did you believe it?
Sure, finding out the truth ruins the illusion a bit, but it doesn’t stop his creepy creations from being awesome.