Devilfish & Jesus Fish

The comparison here was too delightful for The House to ignore. The image on the left, below, is a dried “devilfish.” The devil fish (or giant devil ray) is a type of endangered sting ray that is most common in the Mediterranean sea. Its feeding fins resemble horns, hence the name. A similar specimen from the collection of the British Museum (also pictured below) is part of a set of 11 healing items collected from Mexico in the 1970s that belonged to an herbalist. “It could be ground to powder, boiled and the water drunk, or worn as a good luck amulet.”

The image on the right, below, is known as a “Crucifix Fish,” — in reality, a sailcat skull, which has a cross-shaped piece that evokes the image of Jesus on the cross. Sailcats (or hardhead catfish) are a saltwater species common in the Gulf of Mexico. These curios were sold by enterprising souvenir shops in the 1950s and 1960s, with the following poem printed on the box.

The Legend of the Crucifix Fish

Of all the fishes in the sea, our Lord chose the lowly Sailcat to remind us of his misery.

His body on the cross is outlined,

The hilt of the sword, which was plunged into his side, is clearly defined.

Look at the back of the fish's bone, Where the Roman shield is shown.

When you shake the cross, You will hear the dice being tossed, for our Lord's blood stained dress.

Those who can hear them —will be blessed.” — Conrad S. Lantz

There are two loose pieces inside the skull that rattle when you shake it. A clever marketing tactic — everyone can use a blessing.

The crucifix fish is not the only association between Jesus and fish. There is, of course, the ichthys, a symbol used to identify persecuted Christians thousands of years ago and by modern Christians today as a symbol of their faith.

Dried Devil Ray, House of Good Fortune Collection, courtesy of Dark Interiors

Dried “Devilfish” from the British Museum

Crucifix Fish, House of Good Fortune Collection

Detail of Dried Devil Ray, House of Good Fortune Collection