206 Sharks: The Animal Answer Guide
might make Jonah 1:17 the first record of a shark attack in Western history
and therefore case number 1 in the International Shark Attack File.
Sawfish, referred to as Serra, appear as early as the tenth century in me-
dieval bestiaries. These natural history guides, dating back to the second
century, were generally lavishly illustrated and contained often-fanciful de-
scriptions of animals. In later centuries, accounts were linked to lessons,
parables, and passages of the Christian Bible. Serra has the same root as ser-
rated, meaning “sawlike.” The serra of the bestiaries are said to have raced
sailing ships unsuccessfully, although some versions have them attacking
boats. The illustrations accompanying the accounts bear no resemblance to
actual sawfish, however.
Did early philosophers and naturalists mention sharks
in their writings?
Pliny the Elder (23 CE–79 CE) was the first Roman philosopher and
natural historian to describe fossil shark teeth. He surmised that they fell
from the sky during lunar eclipses. Later natural historians who found
large fossil teeth speculated that they were the petrified tongues of dragons
and snakes. These glossopetrae (literally, “tongue stones”) were considered a
remedy for various poisons and toxins, including snake bites. Royalty wore
glossopetrae pendants or kept them in pockets and purses as good-luck
charms. Their actual nature wasn’t understood until 1667, when Danish
anatomist Nicolaus Steno dissected a White Shark’s head and illustrated
the teeth; the link to glossopetrae became obvious. Necklaces and pendants
made with fossil shark teeth remain a popular form of jewelry, regardless of
purpose (see “Is there such a thing as shark jewelry?” in chapter 10).
Aristotle (384–322 BCE) is considered by many to be the father of zo-
ology. He was the first (among Western philosophers) to make careful ob-
servations and dissections, at the time a revolutionary act. Among his dis-
coveries were that some sharks produce eggs that hatch within the mother,
and that some sharks have a placenta-like structure and an umbilicus (see
“Do sharks care for their young?” in chapter 6). He also published detailed
descriptions of the anatomy of electric torpedo rays. Aristotle’s dissections
of torpedo rays were relevant because these marine electric fishes, which
produce strong electric shocks equivalent to about 1 kW of power, were
used as shock therapy to cure a variety of ailments, including epilepsy.
What roles do sharks play in various cultures?
It is no surprise that sharks played and still play an important part in
many cultures. The power of large sharks and their potential to injure and
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