Unicorns have been present in both cinematographic and literary works throughout cultural history. Nowadays, we also find them in stories and comics for children. This beautiful and attractive animal undoubtedly captures people's attention, as it has always been presented in a striking way and has been linked in many cases to the exploits of those who star in these stories. However, currently it is not an animal that really exists, it is not present within the vast description of living species that inhabit the planet.
But where do the stories about these animals come from? Did they ever populate the Earth? We invite you to read this article on our site so that together we can discover if ever unicorns ever existed or not
The Legend of the Unicorn
The stories about the unicorn date back many years, in fact, they have been around for centuries There are different approaches to the possible origins of the legend of this mythical animal. One of these corresponds approximately to the year 400 BC, and is found in an account prepared by the Greek physician named Ctesias of Cnido, which he titled Indica. In this narration, a description is made about the north of India, highlighting the fauna of the country and the unicorn is mentioned as a wild animal, similar to a horse or an ass, but white, blue eyes and with the presence of a horn about 70 cm long. According to the reference, this horn had medicinal properties, so it could alleviate certain ailments. Other Greek characters who also alluded to one-horned animals were Aristotle and Strabo; in addition to the Roman Pliny the Elder. The also Roman writer Eliano, in his work on the nature of animals, cites Ctesias and refers that in India horses can be found with the presence of a single horn.
On the other hand, some translations of the Bible interpreted the Hebrew word "reʼém" as "unicorn", while other versions of the scriptures gave it the meaning of "rhinoceros", "ox", "buffalo", "bull" or "uro", probably because there was no clarity about the true meaning of the term. Later, however, specialists translated the word as "wild oxen".
Another story raised by the existence of these animals is that, in the Middle Ages, the supposed horn of the unicorn was highly covetedfor its apparent benefits, but also because it became an object of prestige for whoever owned it. Currently, it has been identified that many of these pieces found in some museums correspond to the tooth of a narwhal (Monodon monoceros), which are toothed cetaceans in which there is the presence of a large helical fang in male specimens, which protrudes considerably, reaching an average length of 2 meters. In this way, it is estimated that the Vikings of the time and inhabitants of Greenland, to satisfy the demand for unicorn horns in Europe, wore these dental pieces passing them off as horns because the Europeans of the time did not know the narwhal, which was native Arctic and North Atlantic.
It has also been suggested that many of the horns marketed as unicorn horns actually belonged to rhinos. So did unicorns really exist? Now that we know some of the most popular legends and stories that have placed this animal on the planet, let's see the reality.
The Royal Unicorn
The true story of unicorns is related to an animal that was known as elasmotherium, giant or Siberian unicorn, which would really be the animal that we can refer to as unicorn, which, by the way,is extinct and belonged to the species Elasmotherium sibiricum , so it was more like a giant rhinoceros than on a horse. This giant rhinoceros lived in the late Pleistocene and inhabited Eurasia. It was taxonomically placed in the order Perissodactyla, the family Rhinocerotidae, and the genus, also extinct, Elasmotherium.
The main characteristic of this animal was the presence of a large horn, about 2 meters long, considerably thick, probably the product of the union of the two horns that some species of rhinos have. This trait, according to some scientists, may be the real origin of the unicorn story.
The giant rhinoceros shared habitat with other extinct species of rhinoceros and elephants. It has been specified by the discovery of its teeth that it was a herbivorous animal specialized in the consumption of grass. These ice age giants were twice the weight of their relatives, so it is estimated that they weighed an average of 3.5 tons. In addition, they had a prominent hump and most likely could run at high speeds Although with various previous corrections, it has recently been claimed that this species lived until at least about 39 000 years. It has also been reported to have existed at the same time as the last Neanderthals and modern humans.
Although it is not ruled out that mass hunting could have caused its extinction, there is no concrete evidence in this regard. The indications point more to the fact that it was a rare species, with a low population rate and that it suffered the climatic shocks of the time, which finally caused its disappearance.
Evidence that unicorns existed
Considering the species Elasmotherium sibiricum as the real unicorn, there are several fossil evidenceof its existence. Unicorns, as we know them today, did not exist and, therefore, there is no evidence of their presence on the planet. Returning to the presence of the giant rhinoceros cataloged as "unicorn", a large number of skeletal remains of the species have been found in Europe and Asia, mainly dental parts, skull and jaw bones; many of these remains were found in localities in Russia. Specialists have suggested that the species presented sexual dimorphism due to certain differences and similarities found in various skulls of adult individuals, especially linked to the size of certain areas of the bone structure.
More recently, scientists managed to isolate the DNA of the Siberian unicorn, which made it possible to establish the location of Elasmotherium sibiricum, as well as the rest of the group belonging to the genus Elastrotherium, and also to clarify the evolutionary origin of rhinoceroses. Learn about the current types of rhinos in this other article.
One of the most important conclusions of the studies is that Modern rhinos diverged from their ancestors about 43 million years ago and the giant unicorn was the last species of this ancient lineage of animals.
In articles like these we see that animals not only amaze us from their real existence, but also from the emergence of myths and legends that, although many times have their origin in the true presence of some animal, by adding fantastic aspects, they generate attraction and curiosity, which ultimately promotes the desire to learn more about the species that inspired these stories. On the other hand, we also see how the fossil record is an invaluable aspect, since only from its study is it possible to reach important conclusions about the evolutionary past of the species that inhabit the planet and the possible causes that led to the extinction of many, as is the case with the real unicorn.
