Alegendary creature is a type ofsupernatural entity that is described infolklore (includingmyths andlegends), and may be featured in historical accounts beforemodernity, but has not been scientifically shown to exist.
In theclassical era, monstrous creatures such as theCyclops and theMinotaur appear inheroic tales for the protagonist to destroy. Other creatures, such as theunicorn, were claimed in accounts ofnatural history by various scholars of antiquity.[1][2][3] Some legendary creatures arehybrid beasts or Chimeras.
Some legendary creatures originated in traditionalmythology and were believed to be real creatures—for example,dragons,griffins and unicorns. Others are based on real encounters or garbled accounts of travellers' tales, such as theVegetable Lamb of Tartary, a sheeplike animal which supposedly grew tethered to the earth.[4]
A variety of mythical animals appear in the art and stories of theclassical era. For example, in theOdyssey, monstrous creatures include theCyclops,Scylla andCharybdis for the heroOdysseus to confront. Other tales includeMedusa to be defeated byPerseus, the (human/bull)Minotaur to be destroyed byTheseus, and theHydra to be killed byHeracles, whileAeneas battles with theharpies. Thesemonsters thus have the basic function of emphasizing the greatness of theheroes involved.[5][6][7]
Some classical era creatures, such as the (horse/human)centaur,chimaera,Triton and theflying horse Pegasus, are found also inIndian art. Similarly,sphinxes appear as winged lions in Indian art and thePiasa Bird of North America.[8][9]
Inmedieval art, animals, both real and mythical, played important roles. These included decorative forms as in medieval jewellery, sometimes with their limbs intricately interlaced. Animal forms were used to add humor or majesty to objects. InChristian art, animals carried symbolic meanings, where for example the lamb symbolized Christ, a dove indicated theHoly Spirit, and the classicalgriffin represented a guardian of the dead.Medieval bestiaries included animals regardless of biological reality; thebasilisk represented thedevil, while themanticore symbolised temptation.[10]
One function of mythical animals in the Middle Ages wasallegory. Unicorns, for example, were described as extraordinarily swift and uncatchable by traditional methods.[11]: 127 It was believed that the only way for one to catch this beast was to lead a virgin to its dwelling. Then, the unicorn was supposed to leap into her lap and go to sleep, at which point a hunter could finally capture it.[11]: 127 In terms of symbolism, the unicorn was a metaphor for Christ. Unicorns represented the idea of innocence and purity. In theKing James Bible,Psalm 92:10 states, "My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn." This is because the translators of the King James erroneously translated the Hebrew wordre'em as unicorn.[11]: 128 Later versions translate this as wild ox.[12] The unicorn's small size signifies the humility of Christ.[11]: 128
Another common legendary creature that served allegorical functions within the Middle Ages was thedragon. Dragons were identified with serpents, though their attributes were greatly intensified. The dragon was supposed to have been larger than all other animals.[11]: 126 It was believed that the dragon had no harmful poison but was able to slay anything it embraced without any need for venom. Biblical scriptures speak of the dragon in reference to the devil, and they were used to denote sin in general during the Middle Ages.[11]: 126 Dragons were said to have dwelled in places like Ethiopia and India, based on the idea that there was always heat present in these locations.[11]: 126
Physical detail was not the central focus of the artists depicting such animals, and medieval bestiaries were not conceived as biological categorizations. Creatures like the unicorn and griffin were not categorized in a separate "mythological" section in medieval bestiaries,[13]: 124 as the symbolic implications were of primary importance. Animals we know to have existed were still presented with a fantastical approach. It seems the religious and moral implications of animals were far more significant than matching a physical likeness in these renderings. Nona C. Flores explains, "By the tenth century, artists were increasingly bound by allegorical interpretation, and abandoned naturalistic depictions."[13]: 15
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_at_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_3_April_2018.jpg)
