Unicorn: Origins of the Myth, Ctesias, the Narwhal and Its Meaning
The unicorn first appears in Ctesias in the 5th century BC, becomes a Christian symbol in the Middle Ages, inspires The Lady and the Unicorn and is confused with the narwhal. History and advice.
Key points
| First description | Ctesias, 5th century BC: a wild ass from India with one horn |
|---|---|
| Possible real animal | The Indian rhinoceros (a common hypothesis) |
| In the Bible | Greek translation of the Hebrew word re'em, a wild buffalo |
| Middle Ages | Symbol of Christ and purity; “captured by a virgin” |
| Famous tapestries | The Lady and the Unicorn (c. 1500, Musée de Cluny) |
| False horn | Narwhal tusk, sold as unicorn horn |
| Emblem | Scotland (national animal) |
Where the unicorn comes from
The earliest known description of the unicorn is by the Greek physician Ctesias of Cnidus (5th–4th century BC), who recounted tales about India. He spoke of wild asses larger than horses, with white bodies, purple heads, blue eyes and a long horn on the forehead. Ctesias never saw India: he reported what he was told.
These accounts are thought to describe the Indian rhinoceros, distorted by distance. Pliny the Elder later mentions the monoceros, a fierce one-horned animal: the legend became more defined century after century.
A famous mistranslation
In the Greek translation of the Bible (the Septuagint, 3rd–2nd century BC), a Hebrew animal called re'em (probably the aurochs, a large wild ox) is rendered as monokeros, “one-horned”. Latin and French translations turned it into the “unicorn” of certain verses. This is a valuable example: a real animal (the aurochs) became a legendary one through translation.
The unicorn in the Middle Ages
The Physiologus, a Christian collection of animal stories (written between the 2nd and 4th centuries), tells that the unicorn, untameable, can only be captured by a virgin, in whose lap it comes to sleep. Christian authors read in this an image of Christ incarnate in the womb of Mary.
Through the bestiaries, the unicorn became a symbol of purity, untamed strength and courtly love. It is in this form that it adorns churches, manuscripts and coats of arms.
The Lady and the Unicorn
The Lady and the Unicorn is a set of six wool and silk tapestries, woven in Flanders around 1500 and held at the Musée de Cluny in Paris. Five of them are often understood as the five senses (taste, hearing, sight, smell and touch); the sixth, “À mon seul désir” (“To my only desire”), remains enigmatic. The unicorn accompanies a lady, alongside a lion.
Art historians disagree on the exact meaning of the set. It can be appreciated without settling on a single explanation.
Unicorn horn and the narwhal
| Idea | Reality |
|---|---|
| Unicorn horn | Narwhal tusks, from the Arctic whale (Monodon monoceros), sold at high prices in Europe from the Middle Ages |
| Power against poisons | A belief without foundation; the surgeon Ambroise Paré criticised it as early as 1582 |
| Today | Trade in narwhal tusks is regulated; “horns” on sale are casts or resins |
The narwhal is a marine mammal whose long tusk is in fact a spiralled tooth. Avoid buying objects claimed to be narwhal without papers, as species protection rules apply.
Possible symbolic readings
Depending on the context, the unicorn evokes purity, rarity, a freedom that cannot be constrained, the ideal one pursues without reaching it. In the unicorn hunt, a common theme of late medieval tapestries, the wounded or captured animal also stands for Christ's sacrifice or, in a secular register, amorous conquest. One image therefore carries very different meanings, which is what makes it rich.
A simple question to take up: what in your life is rare, precious and cannot be confined? This is an exercise in reflection, not a prediction.
The unicorn today
- National emblem of Scotland, where it has appeared in the royal arms since the Middle Ages.
- A symbol of fairy tales and childhood in popular culture, often rainbow-coloured.
- A symbol sometimes chosen by LGBT+ communities as an emblem of uniqueness.
- A finance term for a young company valued at over one billion dollars (“unicorn”), a recent coinage by an investor in 2013.
- An image of a rare ideal: “chasing the unicorn”.
These uses are modern. None of them makes the unicorn a real animal.
Giving or wearing it
A unicorn is a charming gift, for a child or an adult. If the object is for a very young child, think about safety (small parts, materials). In stone, it comes as figurines (see our figurines) or as a pendant in quartz or agate. Always specify the material: see Our commitments. To explore also: the dragon and the dove, or The Stars (Lenormand).
Frequently asked questions
Where does the unicorn come from?
From an account by Ctesias in the 5th century BC of a wild ass from India, probably the rhinoceros. The myth grew richer in the Middle Ages.
Why can a virgin capture the unicorn?
Because the Physiologus, an ancient Christian text, tells it that way, seeing in it an image of the incarnation of Christ.
What was the unicorn horn sold in the Middle Ages?
A narwhal tusk. It was believed to neutralise poisons, which nothing proves.
Is the unicorn Scottish?
It has been the national animal of Scotland since the Middle Ages.
What does The Lady and the Unicorn depict?
Six tapestries from around 1500, often read as the five senses and a sixth, enigmatic panel, “To my only desire”.
Also read
The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Symbol dictionary.