F
rom Medieval times through the 17th century the existence of
unicorn was reinforced by the spectacular spiraling
horns that the Vikings brought to Europe. It was believed that
the unicorn horn could detect and destroy any poison that an enemy
might place in ones' food. The Vikings guarded
their secret of the source of the horns from the Europeans
for over 300 years.
The horns were not from the legendary Unicorn, but from the
Narwhal.
The Narwhal is one of the rarest whales in the oceans. It
makes its home in the frigid waters of the Arctic and
it is seldom seen further south than 70 deg North latitude.
They swim the Artic seas from Canada to Russia through
the Norwegian waters. Many Narwhals have been spotted in the Davis Strait,
around Baffin Bay and in the Greenland Sea.
The Narwhal not only lacks a dorsal fin, but the male
Narwhal has a tooth on the left-hand
side of its upper jaw,that grows into a long
spiral horn. The horn may grow to a length of 9 3/4 feet and weigh
up to 22 pounds. A few male Narwhals will grow double horns and
some females may grow a single thin horn. The reason Narwhals
have a horn is unknown. Male Narwhals use their horns to duel
one another called "tusking". Narwhals are also one of the most vocal of the whale species.
The Narwhal is not an endangered species,
but it is still hunted by the Inuit people of Greenland and Canada for
its tusk, flesh and other edible parts.
Its thick skin is boiled or eated raw. Some of the
meat is fed to sled dogs and the blubber is used to produce
heat and light.
Estimates of the world's total population for Narwhal's
is between 10,000 and 45,000 animals.
A 12th century carved Narwhal horn, one of only two
of its type known, are on display at the Liverpool
Museum and the Walker Art Gallery. The top section is
carved with bands of foliage and winged dragons chasing animals.
The lower section shows human figures imprisoned in leaves.
The only other known carved Narwhal horn is in the
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England.
...I have seen Unicorns many times!
