The Legend Of Unicorn

In the novel Harry Potter, killing Unicorn considered a great sin against nature. But Lord Voldemort still kill the creature because the blood is believed to give eternal life to those who drink it. That's great award given to this mysterious creature. But whether he actually ever existed in this world? or was he only appeared in the imagination of fiction writers? 

Unicorn in history

In the modern legend that emerged in the Middle Ages, the Unicorn is described as being shaped horse with a horn on his head. 

In a more traditional version, this creature is described as having split nail, beard like a goat and a tail like a lion. But one thing in common of traditional and modern description is the existence of a single horn on his head. 

The first time this creature is known by the ancient cultures of India. At 2,500 years old seal was found in Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, we can see an ancient form of a unicorn and its inscriptions are still unsolved.

Besides India, China also has its own Unicornnya. These creatures are known as Qilin. In Japan, he was known as Kirin and described as having a body like deer, green scales and a long horn on the head. 

In medieval times, the influence of Unicorns through to Europe and began to be used as objects of art and symbols of nobility. At this time, the character of the Unicorn has been turned into a creature that actually resembles a horse entirely with a single horn on his head. 

Along with the rise of humanism, Unicorn get its own place as a symbol of pure love and faithful marriage. 

According to the legend that circulated in Europe, called the Unicorn could only be conquered by a virgin. Therefore, the virgins are often used as bait to capture these creatures in the wild. 

In a more popular belief, unicorn horns could neutralize poisons known. Therefore, according to legend, the horn was used as material for ceremonial cups used by the royal family, although many believe that the horn is used is not really a mythological animal unicorn horns, but horns of the Narwhal, Unicorn whale. 

Then, the question is whether this mysterious creature actually existed in the world?

Another Unicorn 
 Actually we have a unicorn creature in these modern times. 

For example, a creature that has been commonly encountered, ie rhino.

 
Or Narwhal, Unicorn whale that horns can reach lengths of up to 3 meters
.

 
Apart from animals that do have such characteristics, we also have a Unicorn that occur because of abnormalities that are not public.

For example, deer Unicorn born in Italy.

 
Or the man who originated from the Chinese Unicorn.

 
The artists are so eager to have the Unicorn itself even further. They perform implantation procedures or manipulations on animal horns resulting in Unicorn. 

As we can see in this goat.

 
Or cows.

 
But, of course we do not discuss the creatures above. We are discussing this handsome creature:

 
Could he ever in the world? 

Modern science noted that no such creature ever existed. But there are records of the past that seemed to indicate that this mysterious creature may have lived in several parts of the world.

This is reinforced by the fact that almost no information about the Unicorn can we find in the Greek mythology. The ancient Greek writer who ever mentioned about this being entirely assumed that this creature really existed, precisely in India. This confirms the discovery of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa seals.
The author who first mentioned about the existence of this creature is describing Ctesias Unicorn as a wild ass with one horn in white, red and black along the 1.5 cubit.
Ctesias describe the creature as follows:

    "The unicorn is a creature native India. The size of a donkey with a head of reddish purple. Her body is white, blue eyes with a horn emerging from his forehead. The tip of the horn is bright red, black and white center at its base. Its length is about 18 inch " 

Ctesias also the first to report that unicorn horns could be used to neutralize toxins.

Other authors, Strabo, also never mentioned the existence of a unicorn in the Caucasus region.

A more complete description is then given by the Roman historian, Pliny the elder. Regarding the Unicorn, he writes:

    "A very vicious creature is called the Monoceros and has a head like a deer, feet like an elephant, and a tail like a boar, while the rest of her like a horse. He issued a low sound deep and have a single black horn coming out of the middle of her forehead with length of approximately two pinch. "

Some historians debating the description of this Pliny. People think if he just was not describing a rhinoceros and unicorn. But the rhino did not seem to "have a head like a deer and other parts of the body like a horse".
In addition to Pliny, Julius Ceaser also never mentioned about this creature with a description similar to Pliny. According to him:

    "His head was like a deer, his feet like an elephant, its horns have a length of 90 cm with a tail like a boar."

Whether they're talking about a rhinoceros? 

If not, is there any other records that more modern that confirms the existence of this creature?
The answer: no. 

Report sightings In 1486, Von Berhanrd Breydenbach, an elder at Mainz cathedral, tells a fascinating story about an encounter with a unicorn. He poured it in a book titled "Peregrinatio in Terram Sanctam" or "Journey to the holy land." 

This encounter occurred in 1483 when he was with a group of 150 members went to the middle east to do the spiritual pilgrimage. In this way, they set out from Venice to Jaffa, and then to Ramala with the caravan.

From there they continued on to Jerusalem and visited all the holy places there. After that group went into the desert of Sinai and visit the monastery of Santa Catharina. There, one of a pilgrim named Felix Fabri together a group of people who were with him saw a unicorn was standing on the hill near the foot of Mount Sinai. Felix the entourage observe these creatures closely for some time. This sighting occurred on 20 September 1483. 

In 1530, Ludovica de Bartema, an Italian nobleman who traveled to Egypt, Arabia and India also met with these mysterious creatures. When about to go to Mecca, he used the pseudonym Mussulman so I can mingle with other pilgrims caravan. In the city, said she saw two male Bartema Unicorn. The creature's body is yellow brown. His head was like a deer with a long neck and mane. Short legs and has a nail like a goat. According to local residents, both animal it came from the king of Ethiopia who want to offer it to the sultan of Mecca. 

Bartema testimony showed that at the time, Unicorn may live in Ethiopia or Africa. This is confirmed by other testimony from Don Juan Gabriel, a Portuguese colonel who lived in Ethiopia for several years. According to him, he had never seen a unicorn in the province Damota. The creature is sized like a horse and a bit dark in color. Some other Portuguese people living in the country also reported never seen Unicorn grazing on a hill in the district Namna. 

In more modern centuries, Unicorn sighting reports told by a Swedish naturalist named Dr.Sparrmann. In 1772-1776, he conducted research at Good Hope and wrote in his journal about a man named Jacob Kock.
Kock who then travel to southern Africa to find rocks that berukirkan Unicorn. These stones were carved by a local tribe called Hottentots. Kock Based on interviews with members of the tribe, known that Unicorn has indeed well known among the tribes Hottentots. Residents of the tribe say that the Unicorn has a shape like a horse with a horn on his head. This creature also can run very fast. 

The story is told Dr.Sparrmann then get confirmation from another story told by Mr.Henry Cloete in 1792 to the New Zealand academy of science. 

Mr.Cloete tell about the experience Gerrit Slinger, a member of Hottentots tribe who are fighting with tribal Bushmen, found nine Unicorn and shoot one of them. According to Slinger:

    "The creature that resembles a horse with a light gray color. Under the jaw there is a white line. He also has a horn that grows right in the middle of his head. The head of this creature like a horse and its size was approximately equal."

Mr.Cloete also confirms that these animals have confirmed its existence by a tribe of Hottentots.
Interesting. 

Although it may not be exactly like the picture that we have on the books of fiction, it looks like a horned creature resembling a horse actually existed in the world! 

Elasmotherium

 
Of course, most researchers would still deny its existence and considered only as being an imaginary unicorn or mythological creatures like dragons. But there are some researchers who tried to see the basis for the establishment of trust on the Unicorn. 

They believe that the Unicorn is a creature that might be called Elasmotherium, a rhinoceros Eurasia that has been extinct millions of years ago.

Although thought to have been extinct millions of years ago, oddly enough, in some ancient tribes in the world there are legends about the big-haired animals are shaped like a cow with a big horn on his head. Just like Elasmotherium. 


The legends of this tribe believed to have been the foundation of modern formation of legendary Unicorn.

However, whether Elasmotherium seem to have a body like a horse such as descriptions of ancient writers?  

Apparently not. 

If so is it possible out there still exist a mysterious animal that we know called Unicorn? 
(theourworld)