Unicorns and Unicorn Mythology
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Unicorns are Wonderful Creatures
Unicorns are one of my favorite legendary creatures. They are basically white horses with a single horn. But they also have some special, supernatural abilities. Unicorns are always portrayed as good, unlike most of the mythical creatures of legend and lore. Also, unicorns are featured on the coat of arms of Scotland. So, unicorns are quite close to my heart!
Image of Virgin and Unicorn
from Wikimedia Commons.
Table of Contents
- Unicorns are Special
- Don't Confuse Unicorns with Pegasus!
- Origins of Unicorns
- The "Real" Unicorn
- Unicorn Figurines and Toys
- Unicorns and their Young
- Unicorns in Heraldry
- Unicorn Jewelry
- Unicorns on Tapestries
- The Last Unicorns
- The Last Unicorn Movie
- Unicorns Inspire Fantastic Art!
- Unicorn Art Products
- Love Unicorns?
- More Lenses about Unicorns and other Legendary Creatures
- More about Unicorns
- About Me
- Some of My Recent Lenses
- Copyright Notice
Unicorns are Special
Unicorns are mystical creatures found in mythologies, legends, fairy tales, and folkore, and depicted in bestiaries and books of wondrous creatures, especially from the medieval age. Today, they abound in fantasy tales.
Unicorn Princess
by Robin Koni
Buy at Allposters.com
Unicorns are generally considered to have supernatural abilities. Their horns have healing powers and are able to neutralize poisons. Unicorns represent purity and innocence, and can be tamed only by a virgin.
Glowing Purple Unicorn
by Flynn_the_Cat on Zazzle
Don't Confuse Unicorns with Pegasus!
Origins of Unicorns
Unicorns seems to exist in legends around the world. And many believe that unicorns really existed in the past. Or at least, creatures that had one horn if not all the other characteristics of the unicorn. Thus, deformed members of the deer or goat family have been suggested as the origin of unicorns.
It has been suggested that the unicorn horns that have been displayed as historical curiosities are actually from narwhals. These are a kind of whale, found in the Arctic waters, with a single distinctive straight spiral tusk. In fact, the depictions of unicorns in art usually feature a horn that clearly resembles the tusk of the narwhal.
The Narwhal
Buy at AllPosters.com
The unicorn appears in the stories and mythology of the ancient Sumerian culture, the Old Testament of the Bible, as well as Ancient Greek natural history. In the orient, Chinese mythology describes the qilin as a chimera - usually depicted as a creature with the head of a dragon, hooves and antlers of a deer, and tail of a lion - that serves as a good omen of prosperity. Some have suggested the giraffe was misinterpreted as this creature, with the modern Japanese word for giraffe being kirin.
The "Real" Unicorn
Deformed goats, strange whales with tusks, and even a giraffe - give me a break! Those who make such suggestions have missed the fundamental characteristics of the unicorn, at least in my opinion.
Unicorns are glorious creatures, gentle and good (at least toward those who are innocent), and filled with grace and splendor. Magical, yes, in their appearance and character, if not in their abilities.
Unicorn
Buy at Allposters.com
Unicorn Figurines and Toys
The Unicorn, the horse with the single horn, is especially delightful as a figurine or a stuffed toy.
More Unicorn Figurines
Unicorns and their Young
Unicorn and Baby
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Tender Moments
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Who can resist this cute little fellow!
Unicorn and Foal
Buy at AllPosters.com
Unicorn Pastel
Buy at AllPosters.com
Unicorns in Heraldry
Unicorns are quite popular in heraldry where, like this Scottish unicorn, they are usually shown with a broken chain indicating that although once captured they are now free. The heraldic unicorn is a horse with the cloven hooves and beard of a goat, a lion's tail, and the traditional single spiral horn on its forehead.
The Scottish Royal Arms actually feature two majestic unicorns (although this photo shows only one). Another reason I love unicorns!
Image of Arms of Scotland from Wikimedia Commons.
Unicorn Jewelry
More Unicorn Jewelry
Unicorns on Tapestries
There are two very significant tapestries, well actually each is a series of tapestries, that feature unicorns. They were both created around the end of the fifteenth century. The unicorns have the characteristics of the heraldic unicorn - a horse with the cloven hooves and beard of a goat, a lion's tail, and the traditional single spiral horn on its forehead.
The Lady and the Unicorn
The Lady and the Unicorn series has six tapestries. Each tapestry has a noble lady in medieval garb, a unicorn, a lion, as well as various other animals. Five depict the senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. Thus, in the detail from the "sight" tapestry, the unicorn is shown looking at its reflection in a mirror held by the lady. The sixth tapestry is mysterious, bearing the inscription À mon seul désir ("to my only desire") woven into the tent behind the lady. A common understanding is that it represents love.
Detail from The Lady and the Unicorn: "Sight"
Buy at AllPosters.com
The Hunt of the Unicorn
The series "The Hunt of the Unicorn," also called the "Unicorn Tapestries," contains seven tapestries. These depict a group of noblemen and hunters hunting a unicorn. As the series progresses, they encounter the unicorn and are amazed by its powers as it dips its horn into a poisoned water fountain to protect and heal all the creatures. However, the unicorn is attacked, and despite fiercely defending itself, it is captured and brought back in triumph, mortally wounded. In the final tapestry, though, the unicorn is seen alive again, and apparently tamed.
Image of The Hunt of the Unicorn from Wikimedia Commons.
Interpretations of this series of tapestries include the mythological account that a unicorn can only be tamed by a virgin maiden (only fragments of the tapestry apparently depicting this scene remain), and Christian symbolism of the resurrection of Christ.
The Last Unicorns
The Last Unicorn Movie
The Last Unicorn
Amazon Price: $4.72 (as of 02/16/2012)
In this animated movie a unicorn appears to be the last of her kind, and sets off on a quest to search for any others who may have survived. Based on the book by Peter S. Beagle "The Last Unicorn" is my favorite unicorn movie. It has simple animation but the voices from an all star cast and the haunting soundtrack make it wonderful. This is just a lovely movie with such sympathy toward the unicorn, and with a host of other mythical creatures as well as humans, even a magician!
"The Last Unicorn" Book
The Last Unicorn
Amazon Price: $7.73 (as of 02/16/2012)
Peter S. Beagle's "The Last Unicorn" is a classic of fantasy, well worth reading by children and adults alike.
Unicorns Inspire Fantastic Art!
Fantasy Unicorn by Gail Rein
Buy at AllPosters.com
A Gift to the Unicorn King
by Steve Roberts
Buy at AllPosters.com
Enchanted Forest
by Lydian at zazzle.com
Unicorn Waves
by Rachael Tallamy at zazzle.com
Norwegian Woods by Earth, Wind & Horses at Zazzle.com
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Love Unicorns?
Here's your chance to share your love of unicorns.
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AlleyCatLane
Feb 12, 2012 @ 10:37 pm | delete
- Magical lens! Great job on a beautiful mythical creature. Blessed!
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flicker
Feb 5, 2012 @ 10:09 am | delete
- Beautiful lens! I really enjoyed the images!
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antoniow
Jan 15, 2012 @ 1:50 pm | delete
- Very interesting rading thumbs up!
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WriterJanis
Dec 26, 2011 @ 3:22 am | delete
- I love unicorns. What a beautiful lens.
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YayasHome
Oct 30, 2011 @ 12:51 am | delete
- Unicorns definitely inspire beautiful thoughts of magical possibilities, don't they?
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Copyright Notice
Copyright © Jennifer P. Tanabe, 2009.
This page was created on September 6, 2009 and is the property of jptanabe (Jennifer P. Tanabe) and Squidoo, LLC. Please do not copy my material!
by jptanabe
I just love mythical creatures! I'm a dragon in the Chinese zodiac so I'm partial to them, griffins are a bit similar, who can resist unicorns, and I... more »
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