The most basic of tortoise facts is their membership to a group of reptiles that also include their aquatic cousins the turtle and the terrapin. Tortoises dwell mainly on land, while the other two are water-based, the turtle a sea-going species and the terrapin adapted to live in fresh water.In ancient folklore, the humble tortoise has worn a variety of guises. In a tale by Aesop, a meandering tortoise manages to achieve the impossible by beating a rabbit in a foot race. It is a tale told to children to emphasize the value of persistence and not giving up, even if all the odds seem stacked against you.
In Greek and Roman mythology, the tortoise appeared as an emblem of fertility and an aspect of the love goddess Aphrodite or Venus to give her Roman name. Also from Greek myth comes the story of a nymph called Chelone who was turned into a tortoise as punishment for insulting Zeus and Hera.
The Yoruba people of Nigeria see the tortoise as a trickster and know many tales of its wily adventures and its cunning. In most of their tales, tortoise is known as a source of great mischief.
The people of Tibet revere the tortoise as an embodiment of creativity. It symbolizes water in feng shui, and may be placed in a spot to represent the water element. A tortoise is believed to attract good fortune and blessings.
The Chinese revere the tortoise as one of the four fabulous beasts or four symbols said to embody each of the four wind directions. The other three are the Azure Dragon for the east, the Vermilion Bird of the south and the White Tiger of the west. The Black Tortoise of the North, also called Zhi Ming is associated with the element water and the season of winter. This probably relates to the hibernation of tortoises. The Chinese were convinced that tortoises changed their shell in springtime and that the secret of their lengthy existence lay in their habit of hibernating.
The Japanese link the tortoise with longevity, and thus it is a symbol often incorporated in wedding ceremonies. They also associated it with the god Kumpira, whose province is sea-faring nations.
Native Americans made combs from tortoise shell. They believed its shell to be the foundation of the roots of the cosmic tree.
The people of the South Sea Islands associate the tortoise with divinity. In Polynesia, for instance, a tortoise symbolizes the war god Tu and they mark themselves with tattoos of tortoises to honor him.
In alchemy the tortoise represents chaos. Perhaps it has something to do with the shell. People are never quite sure what mood or possibilities might emerge from within. One of the most undeniable of tortoise facts is that they have been fascinating mankind for centuries and more.