Iara

Origin and tradition

Brazilian folklore tells of Iara as an enchanted river woman or mermaid whose beauty and song draw people into Amazon waters.

Illustration in this atlas

A dark-haired river woman with luminous skin and a fishlike lower body in some versions, combing her hair near the waterline.

References and further reading

1. en.wikipedia.org — Iara (mythology)

These references offer further reading. Accounts and depictions vary; the atlas illustration is interpretive artwork, rather than historical or scientific evidence.