The Unicorn – A Case of Mistaken Identity?
Is it possible, that the mighty white horse we think of today as a unicorn is actually a case of mistaken identity?
The unicorn myth could have come from a number of different animal sightings and through years of oral tradition and mythology morphed into the horned horse we think of today.
Image from: World of Unicorns
Elasmotherium
Image from: Dinosoria
The myth could be based on the Elasmotherium, also known as the Giant Unicorn, an Eurasian rhinoceros native to the steppes. The beast was large and shaggy with one long horn protruding from its forehead. This creature was thought to have become extinct in prehistoric times.
Rhinoceros
Image from: Marietta.edu
An obvious culprit (and probably what Marco Polo saw, based on his description), it is highly likely that the rhinoceros is the creature with one horn from which the myth stems. Seeing a rhino face to face for the first time would inspire awe in even the bravest man.
Oryx
Image from: University of Liverpool
Another animal with unicorn potential, the oryx has some long pointy horns and they know how to use them. These animals have similarities to the unicorn of many ancient Asian legends, and when they stand sideways, they appear to have only one horn.
Narwhals
Image from: National Geographic
Probably not the source of the myth itself, still the narwhal carries much of the essence and mystery of the horned unicorn. A sea animal with a long sharp horn sprouting from its forehead. In fact, it is said that the narwhal is actually the unicorn of today, the unicorn evolved.
None of these animals carry quite the romantic connotations of a white horse with a flowing mane and tail, however each one could very well be the real magical unicorn the legends speak of.
If you love unicorns, be sure to check out some cool unicorn art.
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There is a possibility that people in the middle and Dark Ages lived such a hard life that they created, in legend, a beautiful creature, perfect and glorious, with one horn in the middle of it’s forehead. Mighty kings, ladies and heroes rode horses, and horses were powerful, fast, timid, and common, so they might have been an obvious candidate. The creature would have been perfect, sent from God, able to fight against evil things like serpents and wolves, so it had to have a weapon, like maybe a horn and divideed hooves. It would have to be magical, able to heal and cure sickness, which was common and often fatal at this time in history, and very kind. With the spread of exploration and the discovery of new animals like the oryx and narwhal, these legends were verified and spread. Soon the unicorn, in all its magical glory, was cemented into the human soul.