Naiad
In Greek mythology, the naiads (/ˈnaɪædz, ˈneɪædz, -ədz/; Greek: ναϊάδες, translit. naïádes) are a type of female spirit, or nymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water.
A Naiad by John William Waterhouse, 1893; a water nymph approaches the sleeping Hylas. | |
| Grouping | Mythological |
|---|---|
| Sub grouping | Water spirit Elemental |
| Similar entities | Mermaid Huldra Selkie Siren |
| Habitat | Any body of fresh water |
They are distinct from river gods, who embodied rivers, and the very ancient spirits that inhabited the still waters of marshes, ponds and lagoon-lakes such as pre-Mycenaean Lerna in the Argolis.
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