Žjerdjaj: The Black Stickman
Hundreds of people around the world have reported encounters with what look like giant 3D stick figures in real life. Are these people seeing a new cryptid or are these modern sightings of the Slavic night spirit Zherdyay?
In the last few years hundreds of sightings have been reported online of a large stickman like cryptid stalking people in the dark. The black stickman is described as being very long, tall and thin and pitch black in colour.
Sometimes it is the same height as a human while other times it is said to be up to 12 feet tall. Reports have said that the figures look the same from all angles and appear to be two dimensional.
The black stickman is said to be able to move unnaturally fast. Sometimes they move across surfaces like a shadow and other times they move through space. Sometimes they glide rather than walk. Black stickmen make no sound.
Some people claim they are more likely to encounter one of these figures during wet of stormy weather. They are also more likely to appear at night time. The black stick man does not seem to be tied to any one location but will appear anywhere, out of the blue.
While some encounters with these beings have been verified as hoaxes there are still hundreds of stories online that can’t all be debunked.
The black stickman sounds very similar to the Žjerdjaj or Zherdyay from Slavic mythology. Žjerdjaj directly translates as Longshanks. The Zherdyay is a very long and lanky figure that is described as having limbs like tree branches and being so tall he can warm his hands at the top of a chimney.
Zherdyay is believed to wander aimlessly through the streets and sometimes bend down to look in the windows of houses. Zherdyay is said to be jealous of people living their lives and having things to do so sometimes he pulls pranks on them.
Zherdyay is said to be so terrifying to look at that people faint at the sight of him. He is only able to be able to get in houses if the gates to the north are not properly closed.
If Zherdyay is hanging around he can be gotten rid of with prayer and fasting and by taking the candle from Friday mass and blowing the smoke over a cross hanging in the doorway of the house. The gate to the north needs to be left open so that he can leave and then closed again so he can’t return.
Encounters
Hundreds of people on reddit claim to have seen these creatures in real life. You can read some of their stories here.
Cryptozoologist Marc Wolfgang Miller spotted six black stickmen in Buford, Wyoming. He tried to take a photo of a 12 foot tall stick man, but the creature blended in with the trees in the photograph.
Theories
Skeptics believe that all sightings of the black stickman are a hoax or just shadows that are being misinterpreted by the viewer.
Some believe that the black stickman is a two dimensional being. When it turns to the side it simply disappears from view because it has no depth. This could explain how it is able to appear and disappear so quickly and move across surfaces.
If you enjoyed this article you may also be interested in shadow people or some other lesser known cryptids.
You might also like to have a look at these cool products:
Affiliate links. We may earn a commission.
In 1923, several residents of Berkshire and Richford, Vermont reported seeing a creature resembling a griffin, with a 20 foot wingspan and a serpentine tail.
In the fall of 1951, English mountain climbers Eric Shipton and Dr. Michael Ward were exploring routes to climb Mount Everest from Nepal. While on this mission Shipton discovered some huge footprints in the snow, possibly belonging to the fabled Yeti.
A massive shark is caught on camera prowling near a research vessel off the Massachusetts coast, creating a buzz on social media. What is the link between NASA Zone F and this elusive megalodon?
The Salt Lake Herald featured a story in 1883 about three businessmen who stumbled upon a wild woman with three children who seemed to be half human and half bear.
The Native American Salish tribe recounts tales of a cryptid known as the Stick Indians, which remarkably mirror many reported sightings of Bigfoot.
In the winter of 1959, at least five eyewitnesses claimed to have seen a huge, bipedal creature resembling an octopus in the area around the Ohio River.
The Cornwall Owlman is a Mothman-like creature spotted repeatedly since the 1920’s in a churchyard in the UK.
In August 1817, the skipper of a trading ship entering Gloucester Harbour, Massachusetts, witnessed a baffling 60-foot long, leathery sea creature. This spectacle birthed the story of the Serpent of Gloucester.
In December 1964, a man named Robert Le Serrec witnessed a 75-80ft long creature underwater near Hook Island, Queensland.
Kasai Rex is a gigantic lizard creature that has been spotted several times in Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. Some believe it may be a surviving species of dinosaur.
Several people have reported seeing a huge, bigfoot-like creature with glowing orange eyes around Mansfield, Ohio.
In 1959, a group of three men from Ohio reported an encounter with a mysterious being near Charles Mill Lake. They described the creature as an immense humanoid devoid of arms, sporting luminous, green eyes, and webbed feet.
The Re’em is a creature mentioned nine times in the Bible, translated in the King James Version of the Bible as “unicorn”. Does this mean that Unicorns existed in Biblical times?
In 1942, a bigfoot-like creature was spotted in Cedar Bog, Ohio. This creature was blamed for the disappearance of a group of teenagers, and its legacy still haunt locals to this day.
An article in the Western Star from 1882 tells of a child being taken by a giant snake-like creature. The story was verified by the local doctor and a judge.
In September 2019, an extraordinary video emerged from China, showing footage of a massive and unusual sea creature swimming through the water.
Tsuchinoko are a snake-like cryptid from Japan, said to be about the size of a cat with scaly skin and viper-like fangs.
During the early 1900s, American lumberjacks told terrifying stories of encounters with the Slide-Rock Bolter - a whale like creature living in the mountains.
In Peru, there is a legend that if you commit incest, as a punishment, God will transform you into a monstrous llama with a human face, known as a Jarjacha.
The Nandi Bear is a ferocious cryptid spotted in the highlands of Kenya during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Squonk is said to be the ugliest creature in the world. It is so ashamed of its appearance that it will hide from anyone who approaches and, if caught, it will dissolve into a puddle of tears.
The Shunka Warak’in is a hyena-like creature from Native American mythology that has been spotted in the Rocky Mountains. A museum in Montana claims to have one on display.
The Thunderbird Cryptid is a giant bird resembling a condor or vulture that has been seen all over the United States.
The Germantown Werewolf was a mysterious creature spotted in Defiance, Ohio, several times in 1972. It was a 6ft tall, bipedal wolf that was said to carry a plank of wood In its front paws.
The Black Bird of Chernobyl was said to be about the size of a small airplane, with glowing red eyes and a wingspan of over 20 feet.
Air rods, also known as "flying rods" or "sky fish," are a phenomenon that been captured on cameras and mobile devices worldwide.
A hoop snake is a creature that's said to be able to bite down on its own tail and roll after its prey like a wheel. Hoop snakes have been seen in the USA, Australia and Canada.
The Oklahoma octopus is said to dwell in several man-made freshwater lakes in Oklahoma such as Lake Thunderbird, Oologah Lake, and Lake Tenkiller, where it allegedly preys on unsuspecting swimmers.
The legend of Sheepsquatch is a folk tale from the Appalachian region of the United States. According to the legend, Sheepsquatch is a creature about the size of a bear with white fur and big horns.
On November 17, 1986, a Japan Airlines flight was stalked for 30 minutes by several UFOs. These UFOs were also seen by the Anchorage Federal Aviation Administration who advised the pilot to take evasive action.
Since the 1980s Scientists have been studying a strange aerial phenomenon in Norway but they yet to find a definitive explanation.
In an almost infinite universe, it's unlikely that we're the only intelligent life. But where is everyone else? Could it be that aliens have been coexisting with us on Earth, invisibly, since the beginning of our time?
Hundreds of people over the years have reported encountering strange Men in Black after UFO sightings or witnessing other strange phenomena. Could these men really be government agents involved in covering up alien activity or even something more sinister?
On the 26th November 1977, a strange Alien voice, calling itself Vrillon, interrupted a UK TV broadcast. It spoke of lights in the sky and urged humanity to embrace a more peaceful existence before it is too late.
Air Force Captain Gary Sudbrink planned a surprise trip to visit friends and family in New York. At the airport, he encountered two strange people with clipboards asking personal questions. More odd events followed culminating in Gary receiving four creepy calls with a robotic voice, telling him to ‘keep an eye on the skies’.
Garry Nolan’s studies have shown that many witnesses of UAP events have scarring in their brain that somewhat resembles 'white spots’ caused by multiple sclerosis. Is this brain damage caused by the UAPs themselves or is it a preexisting condition that makes victims more susceptible to experiencing the phenomena?
In September 1977 a young Cornish couple saw a strange glowing blob floating around the outside of their cottage. In the days afterwards the couple both became violently ill with an unexplained illness resembling radiation poisoning.
Many believe that over 50 years ago, aliens came to Studham, a peaceful village near Dunstable, Bedfordshire, UK. This belief was sparked by a strange story told by six young boys in January 1967, who said they saw something very unusual.
Before dawn on April 10, 2012, a motorist and a state trooper ten miles apart reported witnessing a colossal, neon-green object plunging from the sky into Bantam Lake, Connecticut.
The Kelly–Hopkinsville encounter was a close encounter with extraterrestrial beings in 1955 near the communities of Kelly and Hopkinsville in Kentucky. UFOlogists regard it as one of the most significant and well-documented cases in the history of UFO incidents.
The Veggieman was a strange creature witnessed by a hunter in the woods around Fairmount, West Virginia in 1968. The hunter believed the creature was extraterrestrial in origin.
The Dogon Tribe, of Mali in West Africa, are relatively unknown but remarkable. Despite having a population of less than one million, they have demonstrated an advanced understanding of astronomy that has led some to speculate about possible extraterrestrial contact in their past.
In 1964, Donald Shrum went hunting with friends in California and got lost in rugged terrain. As darkness fell, he climbed a tree to protect himself from predators and saw what he thought was a search helicopter. It turned out to be something more sinister.
On September 20th, 1977 a series of bright, flying objects resembling jellyfish were reported in the skies over Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
Seventeen year old Kristina Florence was on a road trip with her family when their car broke down. She remembers her sister calling her to “come quick” then suddenly her and her sister were lying on a blanket in a park. The next thing she knew they were driving away at high speed. Kristina believes during this missing time she was abducted by aliens.
Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, is home to numerous mysterious pyramids located alongside the Wei River. Some people believe the pyramids have alien connections.
The Tuatha Dé Danann or the Shining ones of Ireland were an ancient race of people believed to be the descendants of fairies. Some believe they were extraterrestrial in origin.
The Copper Man was a strange creature sighted over 200 years ago near Portsmouth, UK. It was described as being 4ft tall with glistening copper skin and no facial features.
There have been reports of several unidentified objects being shot down by US, Canadian and Chinese Military at the beginning of February 2023. What is going on?
In 1973, Jeff Greenhaw, Falkville Chief of Police, received a call about a UFO in a field outside of town. He went to the scene and saw a figure standing there that was slightly taller than 6 feet and was wearing a reflective material that looked like "rubbing mercury on nickel".
In May of 1973 in the Isle of Wight, two children came across a strange creature. It called itself Sam and was described as being a cross between a clown, an alien and a robot.
On November 2nd 1957, near the small town of Levelland, Texas, fifteen reports of strange aircraft and lights in the sky were reported to police. This incident has become one of the best verified UFO incidents in history.
Nestled deep within the Ural Mountains in Russia lies a secret military base named Mezhgorye, believed by some to be Russia’s Area 51 and possible the home of captured alien technology.
One March evening in 1994 hundreds of people around Lake Michigan saw strange lights darting around the sky at impossible speeds.
The Patomskiy Crater is a large scar on the landscape of Siberia that has puzzled scientists since its discovery in 1949. Theories about its creation range from volcanic gas to meteorites to UFOs.
The Rendlesham Forest incident is one of the most famous UFO encounters in the UK. Several unexplained lights and objects were reported around Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk by multiple witnesses.
Around the same time as the Mothman sightings of West Virginia, before the collapse of the Silver Bridge, people also reported seeing a strange man named Indrid Cold. Indrid Cold had a large, unmoving grin and seemed to be able to speak telepathically.
The Dropa Stones were stone discs with hieroglyphics etched on to them found in China and estimated to be about 12,000 years old. The archeologist who found them claims they speak about an alien race that has been living in China for centuries. Were they just a hoax or is there something more to this story?
On Thursday 25th February 1999 a team of 14 forestry workers witnessed an elk being lifted off of the ground and carried off by a peculiar flying disc shaped object. A few days later the body of the elk was found a few miles away.
Just like the infamous Silver Bridge Mothman sightings, witnesses claim seeing a strange, 7ft tall flying humanoid in the weeks before the collapse of the I-35W bridge in 2007.