The Carta Marina (Latin for map of the sea) is the earliest known map of the Nordic countries with details and place names. The map was created over a 12 year period by the Swedish cartographer Olaus Magnus (1490–1557) and the first copies were printed in Venice in 1539. The map features some fantastic sea creatures and sea monsters. In the past, it was only possible to imagine what these scary aquatic beings would sound like. Now you can discover the awful audio on the interactive map Sounds of Sea Monsters .

THE Whirlpool, or Prister, is of the kind of Whales, two hundred Cubits long, and is very cruel. For to the danger of Sea-men, he will sometimes raise himself beyond the Sail-yards, and casts such floods of Waters above his head, which he had sucked in, that with a Cloud of them, he will often sink the strongest ships, or expose the Marriners to extream danger. This Beast hath also a long and large round mouth, like a Lamprey, whereby he sucks in his meat or water, and by his weight cast upon the Fore or Hinder-Deck, he sinks and drowns a ship. Sometimes, not content to do hurt by water onely, as I said, he will cruelly overthrow the ship like any small Vessel, striking it with his back, or tail.