The Unicorn is possibly the only fantastic creature not fashioned from human fears. Early Greek mythology does not include this beast, as their natural history writers were convinced of the reality of the creature somewhere in India. It is a surprisingly universal symbol for a fictitious creature; its legends could have risen from encounters with ancestors of the rhinoceros. The unicorn is one of the world?s most fascinating unsolved mysteries.
According to legends, a unicorn can only be caught with the help of a virgin, on whose lap it willingly lies down. A set of European tapestries, The Hunt of the Unicorn, depict richly dressed noblemen, huntsmen, and hounds in pursuit of a unicorn. They succeed in catching it with the help of a maiden. Other tapestries from the 15th century, La Dame a la Licorne, picture the five senses, the gateways to temptation, and finally Love, with unicorns featured in each tapestry.
In Christian iconography the unicorn is mentioned in Psalms, Job, and Numbers, and represents Mary?s Immaculate Conception. Although in antiquity the unicorn sometimes appeared with evil characteristics, and harbored ill will towards men, the Western church does not recognize this side of the beast. It is a symbol of purity, Christ, and healing love. Its horn was symbolic of the unity of Christ and God. In some mythologies the single horn is thought to be phallic, and as it protrudes from the forehead, to represent chastity and wisdom.
The spirals that entwine into one horn symbolize the union of opposites. In Alchemy the unicorn represents quicksilver, the hermaphrodite Mercury. To the Chinese, it is the essence of the five elements and the union of yin and yang. The Chinese consider the unicorn a herald of good fortune and wisdom. Emperor Fu Hsi is said to have received the secrets of written language from a unicorn 5,000 years ago. In Japanese legends unicorns are fearsome and could detect guilt in a criminal. In Graeco Roman mythologies they are an attribute of all moon goddesses. In European Heraldry it is lunar and feminine, with the horn symbolizing victory of male over female.
The unicorn?s horn is said to detect and purify poisoned water, and heal disease. Many medieval European apothecaries had unicorns as their symbol. Medicines with ?unicorn? horn as an ingredient were expensive; horns were worth about 3000 ounces of gold, and could only be afforded by emperors, kings, and popes. They were used to cure epilepsy, fever, gout, and to provide protection from demons. This belief persisted until the 1700?s. It is thought that these ?unicorn horns? were actually from other exotic animals and sea creatures.
The unicorn has been part of the official seal of Scotland since the 1300?s, used at first for its association with purity and strength. According to folklore from Babylon, about 3,500 BCE, the lion and the unicorn hate each other; a battle that has its roots in the unicorn representing spring and the lion representing summer. Eventually summer always wins. England, with a lion emblem, and Scotland , with a unicorn, were at war for a long period; the battles being mentioned in a traditional nursery rhyme where England was usually victorious. Today the unicorn and the lion are both depicted on the British coat of arms.
Written accounts of unicorn sightings can be found in the Bible and other ancient manuscripts around the world. People such as Adam, Confucius, Julius Caesar, and Genghis Kahn have recorded seeing a unicorn. Alexander the Great rode a unicorn into battle.
The legend of the unicorn as a beast with magical powers has persisted in the West since medieval times and is kept alive today in books, movies, and fantasy art. Unicorns play an important role in the writings of C S Lewis (The Last Battle) and J K Rowling (Harry Potter series) which feature wise, benevolent, and magical unicorns.
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