Let's expand the blog dedicated to killer rabbits by exploring the broader world of medieval bestiaries. They are among the most fascinating literary works of the Middle Ages, providing us with a glimpse into the (sometimes distorted and bizarre) worldview of those times. These illustrated texts were dedicated to describing both real and fantastical animals, intertwining science, mythology, and Christian allegory. The bestiary was not just a catalog of animals, but also an educational and moral tool, offering teachings through the characteristics and behaviors of the described animals.
Unicorn from the Bestiary of Rochester, The British Library
Origin and Spread
Bestiaries did not first appear in the medieval period; they actually have their roots in classical antiquity, particularly in the works of authors such as Pliny the Elder and Aristotle. However, the one considered "the true progenitor of medieval bestiaries" is the "Physiologus," a text written in Alexandria, Egypt, in the 2nd century A.D. that combined descriptions of animals with moral and allegorical interpretations, also describing real and imaginary plants and stones. The "Physiologus" was translated into various languages and profoundly influenced medieval literature, giving rise to the bestiaries.
From the 12th to the 14th century, bestiaries spread widely across Europe, especially in France and England. These texts were often richly illustrated and were copied and recopied in monasteries, where monks and scholars enriched them with new descriptions, details, and illustrations.
Panther, Bern Physiologus, XIX Structure and Content
Bestiaries are generally organized according to a fixed format; each section is dedicated to an animal, whether real or fantastic, and is divided into three main parts:
Description of the Animal: Includes information about the animal's physical appearance, habitat, and behaviors.
History or Legend: Reports myths or legends associated with the animal, often of pagan or neo-Christian origin.
Moral Interpretation: Each animal is interpreted symbolically or allegorically, often related to Christian doctrine.
Some animals are treated in greater detail, with lengthy digressions on their symbolism. For example, the lion is often described as the king of animals and symbolizes Christ for his strength and nobility. The phoenix, a legendary bird that rises from its ashes, is a symbol of resurrection.
Manticore, The British Library
Animals in Bestiaries
Medieval bestiaries include a wide range of animals, divided into three main categories:
- Real Animals: These include animals known and present in the medieval world, such as the lion, the elephant, the wolf, and the deer. However, the descriptions often mix with fantastic or erroneous elements. For example, it was believed that the elephant had no joints in its legs and therefore could not lie down.
- Exotic Animals: With increasing exploration and trade, animals like the giraffe, the rhinoceros, and the crocodile began to be known in Europe, although they were often described inaccurately or distorted, and their representations are sometimes truly amusing.
- Fantastic Animals: This is the most fascinating section, including creatures such as the dragon, the unicorn, the griffin, and the manticore. These animals often have profound allegorical meanings. For example, the unicorn symbolizes purity and innocence and was believed to be capturable only by a virgin.
Elephants, The British Library
Function and Meaning
Each creature was seen as part of the divine design and as a symbol of a deeper truth. For example, the pelican, which according to legend fed its young with its own blood, was seen as a symbol of Christ's sacrifice. Returning to the lion and its medieval similarities to the figure of Jesus, it was believed that after its death, the lion had the power to be reborn after three days, thus allegorically representing the Resurrection.
Bestiaries were also used as material for preaching, to illustrate sermons and make the Scriptures more comprehensible to the population. Additionally, they were a source of entertainment and wonder, as they introduced readers to distant worlds and incredible creatures.
Illustrations and Iconography
To us, bestiaries are among the most fascinating works of art from the Middle Ages. Artists often worked without ever having seen the animals they depicted, relying on travelers' descriptions and their own imagination, creating results so paradoxical that they were sometimes unrecognizable as the creatures they were meant to portray.
The images were an integral part of the bestiary's message, with animals often depicted in scenes illustrating their symbolic characteristics: the roaring lion, the phoenix rising from the flames, the dragon being defeated by the knight, and, finally, our friends: the killer rabbits.
Influence and Legacy
Bestiaries had a tremendous influence on medieval and Renaissance culture. They helped shape Christian iconography and served as a source of inspiration for artists, poets, and writers. Their descriptions of fantastic animals fueled the collective imagination, contributing to the creation of an entire literary and artistic bestiary that has persisted to this day. After all, what would J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts be if not a contemporary fictional bestiary?
Over time, with the advent of the Renaissance and the development of modern science, the approach to bestiaries changed. The discovery of new species and greater attention to empirical observation led to more accurate representations of the animal kingdom, and folkloric illustrations gradually disappeared. However, medieval bestiaries remained a source of fascination and wonder, surviving as a testament to an era when the natural world was viewed through the prism of symbolism and spirituality.
 Chimera, Jacopo Ligozzi, Royal Collection
Final Curiosities about Medieval Bestiaries
If you want to delve deeper into the topic, here are a few interesting points:
"Aberdeen Bestiary": One of the most famous and complete bestiaries, created in England in the 12th century and currently held at the University of Aberdeen. It is known for its beautiful illustrations and the richness of detail in the descriptions of animals.
"Medicinal" Animals: It was believed that many animals were living panaceas, both real and mythical. For example, it was thought that the unicorn's horn had magical and healing properties. Many medieval courts possessed "unicorn" horns (actually narwhal tusks) as valuable and protective objects against poisons. It is said that even today, traditional medicine in many locations around the world (including Chinese medicine) attributes magical properties to the horns of exotic animals due to some archaic cultural contamination. http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/117/1175857420.pdf
The Longevity of Bestial Symbolism: Many of the symbolic associations of animals in bestiaries have survived to this day, often without us even realizing it. For example, the lion continues to be seen as a symbol of strength and nobility, a belief propagated through the language of medieval bestiaries. I encourage you to reflect on the preconceived notions and characteristics we attribute to certain animals and to look into them. You will be surprised to discover how, in 2024, we are still attached to ideas written under adorably imprecise drawings from over a thousand years ago.