| They were fierce hill tribes in what is now Scotland, | | | | Nessie.She is reported to have an elongated neck |
| and we called them Picts. The name seems to mean | | | | that quite often protrudes from the water with a |
| "The Painted People" for they were known to love | | | | small head, diamond shaped flippers and three distinct |
| bright body art and multi-coloured clothing. They | | | | humps on her back followed by a tail. Sone say that |
| were artists, prolific carvers of stone and from the | | | | she lives under or around Urquhart Castle and many |
| carved standing stones still found in the region around | | | | photographs (mostly fake) have been taken of her in |
| Loch Ness, we can see that the Picts were | | | | the vicinity.The sedimentary rocks which cradle Loch |
| fascinated by animals, carefully etching their likeness | | | | Ness are some of the oldest in the world. The |
| into the surface of the stone. And they left us a | | | | sandstones were originally laid down in warm seas |
| mystery.For all the animals depicted on the Pictish | | | | when Scotland was located in the latitude where |
| stones are lifelike and easily recognisable, except for | | | | Australasia is today. As the continents drifted |
| one. This exception is a strange beast with a long | | | | northwards the land became squeezed into the dry |
| elongated beak or muzzle, a head spout, and with | | | | centre of the super-continent Pangaea.400 million |
| flippers instead of feet, somewhat like a swimming | | | | years ago, the Great Glen side slip fault was created. |
| elephant. This Pictish beast is the earliest known | | | | This Great Glen, almost cutting Scotland in two, is |
| reference to the belief that took hold in the Scottish | | | | home to the black waters of Lochs Ness, Oich, |
| Highlands at least 1,500 years ago, that Loch Ness is | | | | Lochy and LinnheAs the continents began to break |
| home to a mysterious underwater animal. The Loch | | | | up and cluster around the north pole, great Scottish |
| Ness Monster.Columba stood for no nonsense, even | | | | mountains, which would have been Himalayan in size |
| from a monster. He had ordered one of his monks to | | | | were gradually worn down to the stumps which you |
| swim across the loch to fetch a boat when, halfway | | | | see today. Scotland was still in the grip of the ice |
| across, the beast appeared and rushed at the | | | | twelve thousand years ago, but the main advances |
| swimmer, roaring in a most frightening way. The | | | | were over and the land was beginning to rebound |
| Saint himself jumped in the loch crying out at the | | | | from being depressed into the mantle. The surface |
| monster "Go no further, nor touch the man! Go | | | | of Loch Ness would have been at a similar elevation |
| back!". Thus commanded, the monster fled. The | | | | to sea level.Anything living in the Loch today must |
| great Columba converted most of Scotland to | | | | have arrived from the freezing North Sea up the |
| Christianity and apparently converted Nessie too, for | | | | River Ness after the final retreat of ice.Many |
| it is said that until he went out on the waters and | | | | scientists and zoologists will admit to half- believing |
| soothed the beast, she had been a murderess.In | | | | that a large aquatic animal does in fact exist in Loch |
| Scottish folklore, large animals are associated with | | | | Ness. There are numerous theories as to her identity, |
| many bodies of water from small streams to the | | | | including a snake-like primitive whale known as a |
| largest lakes, often labeled Loch-na-Beistie on old | | | | zeuglodon, a type of long-necked aquatic seal, giant |
| maps. These water-horses, or kelpies, are cousins of | | | | eels, walruses, floating mats of plants, giant molluscs, |
| the Irish Pooka and have similar magical powers but | | | | otters, a "paraphysical" entity, mirages, diving birds |
| often malevolent intentions. They are dragons under | | | | and most popularly, a plesiosaur. Nessie was even |
| water, lurking with ravenous intent, waiting for the | | | | given a scientific name "Nessiteras rhombopteryx" |
| onset of darkness in the long Northern nights before | | | | named by Sir Peter Scott so that Nessie could be |
| they come forth and devour the Innocent.The | | | | added to the British Register of officially protected |
| monster, sea serpent, kraken and other mythological | | | | wildlife.The name, translated from Greek means "The |
| creatures have formed a part of folklore since the | | | | wonder of Ness with the diamond shaped fin". Over |
| beginning of time. Around the world there are | | | | the years many have noted that if you rearranged |
| reputed to be sea serpents or monsters in many | | | | the letters of Nessiteras rhombopteryx, it can be |
| bodies of fresh water. Nessie in Loch Ness, Morag in | | | | made to read "Monster hoax by Sir Peter S".This |
| Loch Morar, Shielagh in Loch Shiel, Lizzy in Loch | | | | may mean something - or it may mean nothing at |
| Lochy, Champ in Lake Champlain, Ogopogo in Lake | | | | all.Nessie is either there, or she's not. I like to think |
| Okanagan and, quaintly, Wally in Lake Wallowa.While | | | | she has outwitted our efforts to trap her, pin her |
| research has been conducted at many of these | | | | down, categorise her, tame her and turn her into tea |
| lakes, Loch Ness is the icon for monsters and Nessie, | | | | towels. And one day you may get to see her |
| the Loch Ness Monster is, without doubt, the | | | | yourself. Long may she live in the loch !Susanna Duffy |
| grandmother of them all. It is to Loch Ness where | | | | is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor and mythologist. |
| myriad researchers have flocked with their cameras | | | | She creates ceremonies and Rites of Passage for |
| and sonars, webcams and mini submarines, their | | | | individual and civic functions, and specialises in Croning |
| hopes, fears and dreams of solving the mystery of | | | | and other celebrations for women. |