Described since antiquity, the unicorn is presented as a mythological creature, an animal that would resemble a horse with a large, wide, pointed, spiral-shaped horn on its forehead. In the time of the ancient Greeks, the unicorn was present on the seals of the Indus Valley Civilization.

It was found in the natural history narratives and manuscripts of various writers such as Strabo, Pliny the Younger, Aelian, and Ctesias. Throughout European mythology, the unicorn was regularly depicted as a white horse or a goat with a large, long, spiral-shaped horn on its forehead. It also had cloven hooves.

During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the unicorn was often described as a forest creature with extremely wild behavior. The unicorn represented a symbol of purity and grace that could only be captured and tamed by a Virgin.

The history of the unicorn in European mythology

European mythology has depicted a whole host of mythical and legendary creatures such as the dragon, the sphinx, the gargoyle, the unicorn, and many others. Among all these creatures, the unicorn was the most beautiful and most appreciated. It was a true symbol of pride, nobility, kindness, and love.

Unlike many creatures in European mythology that represent and bring misfortune and evil, the unicorn is a symbol of luck and success. We can find the presence and exploits of the unicorn in a multitude of ancient tales, medieval bestiaries, or reports from ancient travelers.

The unicorn is also present on ancient tapestries, ancestral frescoes, and even in the stars if you look carefully at the sky at nightfall. For hundreds of years, Europeans believed in the existence of the unicorn. Presented as a real animal, the unicorn was present in foreign and distant countries like India or China for Europeans.

In customs, the unicorn was real and was simply an animal of foreign zoology. This was probably due to the fact that Professor and poet Odelle Shepard explained that the unicorn was no more impressive an animal than certain real animals such as the giraffe, the tiger, and many other species.

If we ask about the unicorn today, everyone agrees that the unicorn is a fairy animal with a mythical and magical meaning.

What is the meaning of the unicorn?

During the transition between antiquity and the Middle Ages, the unicorn became much more popular among European peoples. In the 17th century, the unicorn became very popular following the announcement of the constellation of the Unicorn on the celestial globe.

In 1612, the astronomer Pierre van der Plancke, also known as Petrus Plancius in Latin, announced this mythical animal present in the stars. The unicorn was also known for possessing many remedies, such as its horn, which was considered a remedy against poisons and diseases.

The great German poet of the Middle Ages, Wolfram von Eschenbach, described the horn of a unicorn as a real healing tool; it had a jewel at its base with multiple powers. The belief was so strong that during the Renaissance, many wealthy families acquired what they believed to be unicorn horns to protect themselves from and prevent poisons and diseases.

The unicorn, a symbol of love, purity, and protection.

Since antiquity, the purity and grace of the unicorn have crossed generations and seduced more and more people. According to writings, the unicorn was observed several times in Indian and German forests.

Christian people approved its existence in the fourth century through writings present in the Latin Bible. These texts describe this mythical animal as having extraordinary strength and a horn capable of purifying water and healing diseases. A horn considered precious and highly prized by very wealthy families. For the record, Queen Elizabeth I owned two of them.

Beyond the benefits and protection it offered, the unicorn was rare and its power of seduction grew over the centuries. The many myths concerning it crossed generations and became extremely popular in the Middle Ages.

Described as a symbol of Christ and a divinity of God, unicorns inspired true passion and admiration among people. Emblems of love, kindness, protection, and courtesy, this animal was described as untamable by men and only by a young girl, the Virgin Mary.

The representation of the unicorn in modern times

Even if the popularity of the unicorn has slightly faded today, it has not disappeared and continues to make both young and old dream and travel.

In his poem written in 1948, the British academic writer C.S. Lewis stated that unicorns had disappeared because they had missed boarding Noah's Ark. This poem was reinterpreted a decade later in 1958 by Hoch, in 1962 by the poet Shel Silverstein, and in 1997 in a children's book by the British writer Geraldine McCaughrean.

All these stories reiterate the fact that the unicorn was missing from Noah's Ark, even if the reasons why it missed the boat differ. In 1968, the American writer Peter S. Beagle published the novel The Last Unicorn, which tells the story of a unicorn searching for its lost kin.

Peter S. Beagle told many stories about this mythical animal, such as its capture by virgins. In his novels, he describes a unicorn that possesses a healing horn that even has the power to resurrect the dead. Through many journeys and adventures, Peter S. Beagle's unicorn also fights a bull that would have driven them all into the sea.

The unicorn has experienced growing popularity since its birth in the medieval imagination; it is no longer just a mythological animal but has become a true symbol for many people. This white horse with a horn on its forehead is probably the animal that has known the most significance and popularity among all other mythological animals.

The unicorn is a being representing love and purity, a prestigious being with extraordinary powers. Today, the unicorn continues to make both young and old dream through numerous works, books, television films, and artistic creations. Its name has even come to represent rapidly growing companies and startups that are valued at one billion dollars or more.

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