National Network for Equitable Library Service

A fascinating journey with the sea creature that has captured human imagination for thousands of years, Poseidon's Steed follows the seahorse through secluded waters across the globe, tracing a rich history of fascination with the animal. From the reefs of Indonesia to the back streets of Hong Kong and back in time to ancient Greece and Rome, seahorses have surfaced in unexpected places. They appear in decorative arts, tribal folklore, literature, ancient myths, and early medical texts, where they were prescribed to treat ailments ranging from skin complaints to baldness. Marine biologist Helen Scales explores the mystery of the seahorse, revealing its classification as a fish despite its exotic anatomy and unusual reproductive process—male seahorses are the only males in the animal kingdom that experience childbirth. The earliest known depictions of seahorses appeared six thousand years ago on Australian cave walls. The ancient Greeks named them hippocampus, describing them as half-horse, half-fish, pulling Poseidon's golden chariot through the ocean. Even in modern times, seahorses have found themselves at the center of intrigue, including an international art scandal involving a two-thousand-year-old winged seahorse brooch, stolen by Turkish tomb raiders and sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Poseidon's Steed is as captivating as the creature itself, bringing to life an aquatic treasure that continues to mesmerize scientists, artists, and storytellers. Rarely seen in their natural habitat, seahorses exist vividly in the human imagination, reminding us that the seas provide not only sustenance but also inspiration.