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unicorn


unicorn

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Unicorn, detail from “The Lady and the Unicorn” tapestry, late 15th century; in the …—Giraudon/Art Resource, New York

Mythological animal resembling a white horse with a single horn on its forehead. The unicorn was depicted in Mesopotamian art and was referred to in the ancient myths of India and China. Its earliest description in Greek literature dates from c. 400 BC and probably refers to the Indian rhinoceros. The unicorn was believed to be fierce and difficult to capture, but if a virgin were brought before it, it would lay its head in the virgin's lap. Its horn was thought to offer protection against poison. Medieval writers associated the unicorn with Jesus, and the hunt for the unicorn was often represented in medieval art.

This entry comes from Encyclopædia Britannica Concise.
For the full entry on unicorn, visit Britannica.com.

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