Greek mythology tells us that the Nereids were the fifty Haliad Nymphs or goddesses of the sea.
They were the patrons of sailors and fishermen, who came to the aid of men in distress, and goddesses who had in their care the sea's rich bounty.
Individually they also represented various facets of the sea, from salty brine, to foam, sand, rocky shores, waves and currents, in addition to
the various skills possessed by seamen. They dwelt with their elderly father Nereus in a silvery cavern at the bottom of the Aegean Sea.
The Nereids were depicted in ancient art as beautiful young maidens, sometimes riding on the back of dolphins and other sea creatures.