blemmos

The blemmyae are legendary creatures described in ancient and medieval bestiaries as a race of headless people with their faces located in their chests. They are often depicted as fearsome warriors. Historical accounts of blemmyae can be found in the works of writers such as Pliny the Elder and Pomponius Mela, who placed them in remote regions of Africa. These descriptions contributed to their presence in medieval bestiaries and illuminated manuscripts, which served as encyclopedic sources of information about the natural world, including mythical beasts. The blemmyae are considered to be one of many examples of "monstrous races" that populated the imaginations of ancient and medieval peoples, reflecting their perceptions of the unknown and the exotic. Their stories often served to highlight the boundaries between the known and the unknown world. The exact origins of the blemmyae myth are difficult to pinpoint, but they are thought to have arisen from travelers' tales and symbolic interpretations of distant lands and peoples.