Medieval Unicorns

_Elsa_

‘Medieval knowledge of the fabulous beast stemmed from biblical and ancient sources, the creature variously represented as a kind of wild ass, goat, or horse.

By A.D. 200, Tertullian had called the unicorn a small fierce kid-like animal, and a symbol of Christ. The predecessor of the medieval bestiary, compiled in Late Antiquity and known as Physiologus, popularized an elaborate allegory in which a unicorn, trapped by a maiden (representing the Virgin Mary) stood for the incarnation. As soon as the unicorn sees her it lays its head on her lap and falls asleep.

The unicorn also figured in courtly terms: for some thirteenth-century French authors such as Thibaut of Champagne and Richard of Fournival, the lover is attracted to his lady as the unicorn is to the virgin. This courtly version of salvation provided an alternative to God's love and was assailed as heretical.’ (Read more here)

‘The legend that unicorn horns could counteract poison and purify water was bad news for narwhal populations, as the single tooth protruding from the front of the whale’s head made for a popular counterfeit. The Danes even had a throne made of narwhal horns. 

At its height, “unicorn horn” was literally worth 10 times its weight in gold. In 1560, German merchants sold a unicorn horn for an astronomical 90,000 scudi—then about £18,000—to the pope. Pharmacies in London sold powdered unicorn horn as late as 1741.’ (Info here)

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