10 Weird Medieval Beasts

Forward to the Past

With Halloween rapidly approaching, we’re well into the season of monsters and the bizarre, but if we look back through time we’ll see that humans have been interested in strange creatures for millennia.

Encyclopedias that described the natural world gained popularity in the Middle Ages. Topics ranged from the Genesis story to the nature of God to people and their daily activities. However, it is their sections on animals, called “bestiaries,” that we most often remember. Medieval writers often attempted to explain the characteristics and names of the beasts that appeared on their pages. In many cases, they drew allegorical connections between nature and spiritual concepts applicable to the average person.

Most of the creatures portrayed actually existed, but presented alongside them were numerous mythical beasts with fantastical abilities. Even some of the real animals were depicted with special powers (like in number 6 on this list).

In celebration of…

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