While Dragon and unicorn have long topped the A - list of mythologic creature , mediaeval bestiary are filled with an assortment of bizarre creatures that are hardly remembered today . Ever heard of a bonnacon , which attack its opposer with poisonous dung ? Then scan on .
Curators at the British Library ’s Department of History and Classics havecompileda collection of illustrated texts documenting these uncanny and howling creature . Among the highlighting :
The Amphivena
“ The name of this wolf is multifariously given as anphivena , amphisbaena , amfivena , and many other variations . But the true spelling of its name is not the least of its mystery ; the exact nature of the amphivena ’s form was also a source of considerable dubiety .
“ The bestiary text severalise us that this beast is so called because it has two heads , one in the ‘ normal position ’ and one at the end of its seat , and that its body forms a circular shape . Isidore of Seville enounce that the amphivena can ‘ move in the direction of either head with a rotary motion ’ , which seems , understandably , to have been confusing to some bestiary creative person . Pliny characterize it as a vehement , poisonous fauna , which might account for many of the depiction of it in the enactment of in two ways assail itself . ”
The Leucrota
“ The leucrota is somewhat bewilderingly described as experience the rear part of a stag , and the chest of drawers and legs of a lion , but with cloven hooves . Its most distinctive characteristic is its charming all-embracing - mouthed smile , which stretches across its capitulum . Its teeth are single , continuous piece of ivory , and it is capable of imitating the sound of a human interpreter . ”
The Bonnacon
“ The bonnacon is describe by the bestiary to be found simply somewhere ‘ in Asia ’ , and has a deceptively normal appearing . In general , it looks like a Taurus , but has horns that whorl backwards so that if someone were to fall on them , they would be uninjured .
“ Banish any thoughts that the bonnacon is a considerate and patrician animal , however ! This animate being ’s true claim to fame is its unparalleled defense mechanism ; when jeopardize , we are told , a bonnacon will spray its attacker with venomous dung . This excrement ‘ grow such a malodor over an domain of two acres that its estrus babble out everything it touches ’ , and needless to say , it is super effective at ending a pastime . For obvious grounds , bestiary artists were fond of picture this variety of scene , but some , perhaps move by slightness , have declined to instance it . ”
Read about other mythological creatures at the British Library’sMedieval Manuscriptsblog .
AnimalsHistory
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