The Start of the Hunt

The creation of the 7 Unicorn Tapestries is thought to have been between 1495-1505, in the areas of Brussels or Liège in the Southern Netherlands. Although for whom the tapestries were woven is still unknown. The tapestries were in the possession of the La Rochefoucauld family until they were sold to John D Rockefeller, Jr. in 1922. Rockefeller then donated the tapestries to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1935.

They are believed to be one of the finest examples of the art of tapestry in the world, and are housed in the Cloisters in Manhattan, New York CIty, NY.

At the beginning, the Lord, the Master of the Hunt and the companions gather in a meadow on the edge of the forest before the hunt begins. Among the dogs used in the hunt were the lymer or scenting hound, the greyhound, and the mastiff.

When a lymerer (named after the lymer, or scent hound) tracked an animal to its lair, he first marked the place then brought back droppings of the animal to the meadow where a nobleman and his hunting party had gathered for breakfast.

After meeting with all of the lymerers, the lord (or his deputy, the Master of the Hunt) decided which animal would be hunted. Then relays of kennelmen, each with a pair of leashed hounds, set out to cover the line of retreat that the quarry was thought to take when it broke from cover.

From the trees in the distance, the call comes out that the quarry has been sighted. The hunt for the unicorn begins!

Cherry (Prunus avium / Prunus cerasus) was considered a tree of Paradise as well as a tree of everlasting life. The fruit was used to make a healing tonic, and used to treat lung problems as well as to expel kidney and bladder stones.

Daffodil (Narcissus) was sacred to Proserpine (Persephone to the Greeks) who was the queen of the underworld. Daffodil was thought to keep away evil and staunch bleeding. It was used to clean and heal wounds and burns, clear the complexion, and ease joint pain.

Dogs
Medieval people relied a lot on their dogs. Used for hunting, protection, guarding their flocks, they also symbolized fidelity.

English bluebell (Scilla nonscripta) was suspended above a threshold to repel evil.

English daisy (Bellis perennis) was symbolic of the Virgin Mary and the blessed souls residing in Heaven. Its leaves and petals were eaten and it was used to treat fevers and gout, as well as head and intestinal complaints.

English walnut (Juglans regia) was a symbol of the Church and of fruitfulness. Parts of the walnut tree were used to treat bruises, ulcers, abscesses, boils, twisted sinews, headaches, skin and ear problems, and inflammation. As a durable wood, medieval artisans used it to craft chests and wagon wheels.

Periwinkle (Vinca major / Vinca minor) was believed to grow in Paradise. When ground and ingested as a powder, it supposedly created affection and unity between couples. Periwinkle was used against beasts, poison and snakes. It was also used to treat diarrhea, fever, and toothache.

Sweet violet (Viola odorata) was another plant of Paradise. Thought to ward against 'wicked spirits', it was also associated with the Virgin Mary and the saints. Eaten as well as used for garnish, violet was also used for insomnia, sore eyes, fevers, coughs, drunkenness, falling fits, and complaints of the intestine, liver, and stomach.

Wallflower (Cheiranthus cheiri) was used to lesson difficult childbirth during labor. Also used for gout and complaints of the spleen, a woman would drink the distilled flowers for 3-4 weeks to make herself more fruitful.

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) was used to treat stomach pain as well as the spleen. Mixed with the dung of a white dog it was used as a gargle to ease throat ulcers. It was also used to treat bleeding, headaches, broken bones, bad breath, wounds, and tiredness. There was an erotic connotation to the fruit and it was considered 'food for the blessed'.