The intelligent and friendly dolphin, which is a mammal and not a FISH. has long attracted interest from mariners, perhaps nowhere more so than in the Mediterranean area. For the ancient Greeks, dolphins were symbols of both the divine and of wisdom. Apollo himself at times took the form of a dolphin. No doubt the occasional interaction that takes place between humans and dolphins contributed to the depiction of men riding dolphins in Greek art. In fact, the Cretans believed that the dead withdrew to the
ends of the Earth and that dolphins carried them there. For mariners worldwide, the dolphin was seen as a protector and guide, again likely owing to accounts of dolphins attacking sharks to protect SAILORS who had fallen overboard, plus their tendency to play in the wake of the bow of ships. It is also not uncommon to see dolphin tattoos that repeat, creating arm bands or anklets.
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