Mythical Creatures: The Lore and Legends Behind 3 Medieval Monsters

They’re some of the most famous mythical creatures. But what did stories and artworks from the Middle Ages actually say about dragons, griffins, and unicorns?

By Sam Walters
Oct 30, 2023 6:00 PM
An artist active in Switzerland fashioned this tapestry fragment, woven between 1420 and 1430.
(Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Open Access Collection). An artist active in Switzerland fashioned this tapestry fragment, woven between 1420 and 1430. The tapestry features a furry beast with sharp teeth, talons, and scales.

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

All sorts of strange animals bounded through medieval minds.

There were the blemmyes, beings who wore their faces on the front of their torsos, and the bonnacons, bullish beasts that fought their foes with fireballs of dung. There were sea monks and mermaids and mermen, not to mention the many species of sea serpents. And while barnacle birds fell from trees as if they were fruit, some mythical sheep were thought to be suspiciously strong thanks to the wriggling worms that sat inside their brains.

Of course, certain creatures appeared in the stories and artworks of the Middle Ages and Renaissance much more than others. In many ways, the dragon, the griffin, and the unicorn were the three mythical darlings of medieval Europe. They appeared again and again, in written words and in illustrations, but what did their appearances actually mean?

Taken one at a time, these three mythical creatures alluded to a wealth of abstract ideas, from sin to strength to shimmering purity. Their stories speak of triumph and tragedy, of virtue and vice — all the things that captivated medieval minds, and that continue to captivate modern minds today.


0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.