Fischer Louis-Paul, Cossu Ferra Fischer Véronique
Laboratoire d'anatomie, Faculté de médecine Lyon-Est, 8, av. Rockefeller, 69008 Lyon.
Hist Sci Med. 2011 Jul-Sep;45(3):265-74.
In the 4th century A.D. the first unicorn was shown as a little horse with a twisted horn and was completely different from the Oriental one described by Marco Polo. The new unicorn appeared during the 4th century A.D. in Alexandria. This animal enamoured of purity was used as a Christian symbol of purity and sacrifice and adornment of churches like in Lyons in the 13th century. In the 15th & 17th centuries the unicorn was found again in famous tapestries like La Dame B la Licorne as it meant courage, speed and purity. Since the 6th century the powder of unicorn horn was used as a medicine or a drug against poisoning. Depictions of unicorn can be found in chemist's signs, engravings or paintings until the 19th century.
公元4世纪，第一只独角兽被描绘成一匹长着扭曲角的小马，与马可·波罗描述的东方独角兽完全不同。这种新的独角兽于公元4世纪出现在亚历山大港。这种喜爱纯净的动物被用作基督教纯洁、牺牲的象征，以及像13世纪里昂的教堂装饰。在15和17世纪，独角兽再次出现在著名的挂毯上，如《淑女与独角兽》，因为它象征着勇气、速度和纯洁。自6世纪以来，独角兽角粉被用作药物或解毒剂。直到19世纪，在药剂师的招牌、雕刻或绘画中都能找到独角兽的描绘。
