The Basilisk Resptile Will Let You Look Into Horror

A snake, by definition, is one of the scariest animals there is. The good news (or bad news, depending on who you are) is that you can take it a few steps further. Consider, for example, a mythological snake combining several frightening animals. This snake has accompanied many cultures throughout history and has also been present in popular cultural texts, such as the Harry Potter books. Let us introduce you to the Basilisk, the mythical king of reptiles, who, according to legend, can kill you with just a glance.

So where did the myth of the Basilisk begin, what variations exist in different cultures, how did it reach modern culture, and has such a terrifying creature starred in horror films? You are welcome to read everything you need about this beloved mythological creation and see for yourself.

What Is A Basilisk? (Hint: More Than A Snake)

Like many other mythological creatures of horror, such as the Devourer Of The Dead In Eygpt, which we recently wrote about, you can describe the Basilisk as a hybrid: a creature that combines characteristics of several animals.

The most common Basilisk meaning is a giant snake with a crown or corolla on its head, which resembles a rooster. This fact also gave it its name: in Greek, the word “Basiliskos” (βασιλίσκος) means “little king” or “little prince,” probably due to the crown on its head. It also perhaps explains why the Basilisk is considered the king of reptiles.

In some descriptions, the Basilisk includes the body of a rooster and the tail of a snake, while, in others, it also combines elements of a dragon. Its body color varies between descriptions but is usually depicted in dark colors such as black, dark green, or brown. In some descriptions, it has shiny or metallic scales, adding to its menacing appearance.

Basilisk Origin: How Was A Basilisk Born?

We need to ask what needs to happen for a Basilisk snake, with its unique appearance, to reach the world. We are talking about mythologies here, and it isn’t easy to find explanations that seem logical, rational, or scientific to us. However, you may be happy to hear that, as far as we know, this is not a result of forbidden intimate relationships between several animals. According to mythology, for a Basilisk to be born, all that is required is for a snake (and in some versions also a toad) to incubate a chicken egg, from which the little Basilisk will later hatch.

How To Kill A Basilisk

The rooster may have a connection to the death of the Basilisk. In many descriptions, the Basilisk is a monster you cannot kill, except for the rooster’s crowing. Because of the mythical connection between these two creatures, the rooster’s crowing is considered fatal to the Basilisk – which means that fighting it in the early morning is a great idea.

According to some versions of the Basilisk myth, a ferret may also help a person defeat the myth due to its ability to hunt snakes. The pygmy bush, the various species of which grow mainly in the Mediterranean region, can provide some protection.

The Danger Of The Basilisk: A Devastating Gaze, A Poisonous Bite

With all due respect to its size and various monstrous elements, the Basilisk eyes made it such a threatening mythological figure. According to legend, the snake’s gaze is so deadly that anyone who meets it dies instantly, a quick and merciless death without any defense. In some versions, the victim becomes anorexic or completely dehydrated after the Basilisk’s gaze.

There are more severe versions in which even the reflection of its eyes can be fatal. This character is tough to deal with, unlike perhaps rare “predatory” animals, so it is one of the deadliest mythological creatures there is, at least on paper.

It is not only the Basilisk’s gaze that can harm you. Like any horror villain, it can kill easily, quickly, and in various ways without the victims being able to do anything about it. In some legends, The Basilisk has a potent venom, with its bite or even a breath of air potentially causing significant, life-threatening damage. Some legends suggest that the negative power of the legendary monster harms only its very presence, such as by destroying nearby vegetation.

The Basilisk In Diffrent Mythologies

The basilisk snake is associated with Greco-Roman mythology, which is probably the one that brought it into the mythical world. It is described there as the “King of Snakes.”

In 77 AD, Pliny the Elder – Writer, historian, naturalist, military man, and Roman naval officer – published the first volume of his Naturalis Historia, which would become an encyclopedia with no less than 37 volumes. In the encyclopedia, considered the oldest in history and the most extensively published in the ancient world, he described the Basilisk as a small but venomous snake, with its characteristic “crown,” born from a rooster’s egg on which a viper had hatched. Pliny the Elder described trails of venom that the snake leaves behind, a look that could kill, and the ability to wither vegetation and burn the ground when it passes.

Egyptian mythology does not directly refer to the basilisk figure, but a creature closely resembles it, called “Wadjet” or “Uraeus.” This small snake is associated with the Egyptian goddess of protection, Wadjet, and is considered a protective and sacred creature. This character also has a deadly gaze, but he uses it here to protect the Egyptian monarchy. For this reason, you can find the image of the snake in various crowns of pharaohs and gods.

Some mythologies refer to the “Cockatrice,” a combination of a dragon, a rooster, and a lizard. Legend says the cockatiel has magical powers, including turning living creatures into stone. It does this through its gaze (which is influenced to some extent by the myth) but also by touch or the breath of its mouth.

Indian mythology, another example, presents a creature called “Naga” – which is a kind of half-man and half-snake. It has various magical abilities, including a penetrating and deadly gaze. This character is considered complex and can be both good and evil.

Here is a very friendly video that explains the myth in a way that is also suitable for children – one of the primary target audiences of the Horror World website.

Graan Basilisk Lizard And More: The Basilisk In Nature

As befits a mythological character, the Basilisk has undergone several changes over the years. In early descriptions, it resembled a small snake, a few dozen centimeters in size. Some of the later descriptions, for example, those from the Middle Ages in Europe, enlarged it to monstrous or draconic dimensions. During these periods, new features, such as the ability to fly and breathe fire, were sometimes added, making it an even more threatening character.

In the real world, you can find – mainly in the Americas – a lizard that bears the name Common Basilisk. This greenish-brown lizard has a long tail and bumps on its head. The overall appearance is reminiscent of the mythical Basilisk, which explains the origin of the name. The lizard has some interesting features, such as the ability to walk on water, reach speeds of up to 11 km/h, or stand still for a relatively long period, but it cannot kill people with its gaze, fortunately. So the answer to the common question, are Basilisk Lizards dangerous, can calm you.

Similarly, The Common Basilisk, which lives mainly in Latin America, reaches a speed of about 105 km/h with its legs and can walk on water (“Jesus Lizard”), but you can safely observe it.

Harry Potter: The Wizard Who Brought The Basilisk Back To Culture

Despite being an ancient mythological creature, the Basilisk fascinates and frightens even today. It appears in various popular culture works, from books to computer games.

The most significant representation is in the Harry Potter books, especially the second book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” In this story, the Basilisk is a vast, ancient serpent kept secret deep within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (more precisely, in the Chamber of Secrets built by Salazar Slytherin). Slytherin placed the serpent there, thinking only the true Heir could free it. Unfortunately, that Heir came in the form of Tom Riddle, later Lord Voldemort. Yes, I know he’s described as “You Know Who,” but I’m not afraid of characters from children’s books, so I will call him Lord Voldemort again. Ahahaha!

The characteristics of the Basilisk in modern culture are reminiscent of ancient mythology, with some changes and adaptations for the wizarding world. In the Harry Potter books, the Basilisk is born from a chicken egg hatched by a toad and can live up to 1,000 years. According to the original myth, the Basilisk’s gaze is fatal when direct, but an indirect gaze – for example, through water or reflection – only causes petrification, not death. The Phoenix in the Harry Potter books is immune to the Basilisk, but when a ghost looks at it, it will turn to stone because you can’t (apparently) kill a ghost more than once. In the book, the Slytherin snake is the one who killed the girl Myrtle Warren, who is better known as her future ghost character, Moaning Myrtle.

Eventually, Harry Potter manages to kill the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor. His character will return several more times later in the series, for example, when Ron and Hermione enter the Chamber of Secrets to take fangs from the snake’s skeleton to destroy Horcruxes, or whatever they call it.

In the Harry Potter Encyclopedia, you can read more about the representation of the Basilisk in the books and films.

Basilisk In Horror Movies And Games

Unfortunately, despite its presence in mythology and popular culture, we haven’t seen many significant representations of the Basilisk in horror movies. However, with the help of the Internet, we found some examples of movies that you probably haven’t seen and probably shouldn’t.

The 2006 TV movie “Basilisk: The Serpent King,” as you can deduce from its name, focuses directly on the Basilisk. As you can deduce from the name and the fact that it’s a TV movie about a mythological creation, the plot here concerns an archaeologist (Jeremy London, “Party of Five”) and his friends, who are forced to deal with a revived myth: because that’s what happens when you take a basilisk egg to a museum in Colorado and encounter a solar storm. The monstrous snake goes on a destructive journey, full of pretty cheap visual effects.

If you thought Buffy the Vampire Slayer only hunted vampires, it’s probably been a while since you’ve seen the show. In one episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the gang encounters a particular version of a basilisk, a powerful demon that can turn its victims to stone with a glance. The creature has also appeared in various versions of computer games, such as “The Witcher,” “Dungeons & Dragons,” “God of War,” “Final Fantasy,” and others.

The Basilisk has appeared as one of the monsters in films depicting encounters with monsters, some of which are children’s content, such as the character Cockatrice in the “Spiderwick Chronicles” cinematic universe, the two-part miniseries “Voyage of the Unicorn” as part of the mythical creatures that the heroes fight, and more.

Another interesting point is that although the Basilisk itself has not appeared in many mainstream horror films, the idea of ​​a creature that can kill with just a look does exist in horror cinema and has influenced several works. The clearest example is the 2018 film “Bird Box,” starring respected names such as Sandra Bullock, Jackie Weaver, Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich, and Rosa Salazar. Although there are no snakes in the film, there are mysterious creatures that cause those who look at them directly to commit suicide.

Where Can You Find The Basilisk?

Despite being a mythical creature, the Basilisk has also left its mark on the world of tourism. Several places around the globe display statues, exhibitions, or attractions related to it, including:

In the Old Town of Warsaw, the capital of Poland, you can find a basilisk statue. According to local legend, the mythological creature once lived in the basements of one of the houses in the Old Town.

In the first district of Vienna, Austria, you can find a house called the “Basiliskenhaus.” On the wall of the house, there is a relief depicting the local legend of the monstrous snake that lived in the house’s well

The Natural History Museum in London occasionally presents exhibitions of mythical creatures, Including Basilsk, and explaining their origins, history, and influence

The Universal Studios theme parks’ Harry Potter complexes include a ghost train ride, “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.” During the ride, you encounter monsters and creatures from the broader world of the books

The Folklore Museum in Krakow, Poland, features exhibits of mythical creatures from local folklore

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