Skip to main content

Could Unicorns Exist?

-Hannah-



So. Unicorns. Do we need to go over the basics? They're white horses with one twisted horn in the center of their forehead. Other details of their appearance and their powers vary with the time period.

History

The ancient Greeks were the first to record unicorns, not as mythical creatures, but as actual natural things found in India, at that time a distant and mystical realm in relation to Greece. The first-ever description of them, found in a book called Indika (On India), describes them as fleet-footed wild asses with a horn two and a quarter feet long.


However several seals from the Indus Valley have what look like unicorns on them (above) dated about 2000 years before the Ancient Greeks began to flourish. It is debatable whether they are unicorns or cows with two horns but printed with bad perspective. 

Moving on to the Middle Ages. A mistranslation in the King James Version of the Bible meant that Unicorns were incorrectly substituted for rhinos, bulls or ox. Subsequently, a lot of religious art began to feature unicorns.

In Daniel a single-horned goat is described:

And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
- Daniel 8:5

Popular stories in the Middle Ages involved unicorns being attracted to virgins, or representing Christ.
"Unicorn horns" were probably sourced from narwhal tusks.

Authors began to write about unicorn horns having magical properties. Cups were made of "unicorn horns," most likely narwhal tusks, thought to neutralize poison. Horns of unicorns were made of a substance called "Alicorn," thought to cure disease and detect poison. They were very valuable and were mostly sold powdered. The throne chair of Denmark was made of unicorn horns.

Moving on to the Renaissance. Beliefs stayed pretty much the same about what the unicorn actually did. Unicorns appeared in a lot of tapestries.

The unicorn, through its intemperance and not knowing how to control itself, for the love it bears to fair maidens forgets its ferocity and wildness; and laying aside all fear it will go up to a seated damsel and go to sleep in her lap, and thus the hunters take it.
- Leonardo Da Vinci
Arms of Ramosch, a district in Switzerland

By the 15th century, no one really believed in unicorns as real animals anymore. However, it continued to be used frequently in heraldry, representing Christ's incarnation, animal passion, and many other things. A collared unicorn showed it to have been tamed, and an uncollared one showed it to be free. Often it represents a haughty being that would rather die than be imprisoned and was chosen as the heraldic symbol for Scotland.

Popular culture depicts unicorns as friendly white pony-like creatures that either fart rainbows or at least have extremely colorful manes. Companies market anything involving glitter or rainbows as unicorn related and the world, in general, seems pretty crazy about unicorns.

So could they exist?

Right. Now we get to the sciencey bit. How do we have a creature that somewhat resembles a horse to grow a horn?

Actually, studies have shown that with animals like goats and sheep horn buds can be transplanted to the center of the forehead and will continue to grow there.

So that's that problem wrapped up. *begins to leave*

But wait! "What about the healing properties of Alicorn?" I hear you saying. *sits down again*

Hmm, that's tricky. Natural healing things...

  • Proteins in the venoms of some snakes can treat things like strokes as well as preventing blood clots.
  • Saliva of most animals contains disinfectants
  • Many animals have the ability to regrow limbs and heal themselves.

But horns can't really have venom or saliva glands, and in any case, the unicorn would have to stab its patients to administer the healing chemicals.

The bottom line: Unicorns in the definitive sense can exist, if we are talking about just single-horned four-legged mammals. However, they would lack supernatural abilities. Including rainbow farts.

Bibliography

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/472315079645946117/
http://creationtoday.org/why-does-the-bible-mention-unicorns/
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=narwhal+tusk&safe=strict&rlz=1C1AVNA_enKH594KH597&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjxkuSTlqDWAhWGA8AKHU8-A48Q_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=wOkPi-vwIqIHMM:
https://www.fastcompany.com/40421599/inside-the-unicorn-economy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=man+made+unicorn&safe=strict&rlz=1C1AVNA_enKH594KH597&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS2uHooaDWAhUCJMAKHXUECLwQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=tRGXRwOb53vHtM:
http://observationdeck.kinja.com/the-un-natural-history-of-man-made-unicorns-1658601966
http://www.goodnet.org/articles/5-animals-incredible-healing-powers-list

Comment below!

Do you have another fantasy creature you want me to review?

Think you've seen a unicorn?

Want to debate with me in the comments?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Plot Elements (Disney Alert)

-Brynbellion- Plot elements are what makes a story a story. Romance, betrayal, impossible odds, to name a few. In this post I'm going to look at classic plot elements, discuss them, and put a spin on them. Classic Disney Princess Plot Elements: Romance Rebellion Magic Good vs Evil Unhealthy Social Systems Remember that Disney Princess movies are, for the most part, based off of some of the first fairy tales. So these elements are in both pop culture and writing history. Romance Romance is timeless. It's relatable, desirable, and adorable (it's a matter of perspective, okay?). Romance is somewhat overused, yet is not cliche. It's a good way of endearing your characters to readers and pulling these readers into the story (aka shipping). To surprise your audience, pull a cliche-breaker. The girl can end up with the sidekick or the comic relief character. Your protagonist could have a hard time choosing a girl, given the inevitable fawning crowd. Rebel...

Writing with Colors

As a writer, it's very important to use colors to describe things. I've written a short story about a girl at her grandpapa's ranch. Notice how I use colors to make the images more vivid. This helps readers get a better picture. It also helps you get away with not using dialogue. I stepped into the hay field, longing to run my hands over the bristly heads. I wanted to run through the endless golden sea of hay. I wanted to leave my mark; my path; my trace. But that would ruin this beautiful sight. I pick a small, dying head and put it in the pouch Grandpapa gave me. It was soft, brown, and made with Indian leather. I moved along toward the pond. When I reached the pond's edge, I noticed a small thicket of blackberries slowly spreading around the side of the pond. As I reached out to pick a berry, I remembered my grandpapa laughing with my about these berries. He told me that was a silly name "blackberries" when they were really "purpleberries....

Intercessor

- Megan - Intercessor I remember when I was falling, like they do now, Now I fly, on the wings of my Father But look, Lord – She's still falling You carry me Lord, why not him? Won't you rescue her too? They cry out, begging me to catch them, But turn a blind eye when I point to their Maker How, Lord, can I make this work? I ask her, I tell him. I knock at their doors I beg my Father to show them the light, But no response comes from either side. I have to do something – they continue to fall I worry and fret, I can't just let them go! I trust in my own strength, I reach in to grab her, But he doesn't start flying, and now I'm tumbling too I've filled my heart with their problems, now I can't hold on to Him I cry out just like they do, and my Maker comes again He's taught me a lesson, and now I have learned That it isn't my job, to carry their load The I AM is the one who carries the world And as the ...