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The Mysterious Unicorn
Fossils in legends and myths
Historical sources show the important role that fossils
used to play in mythology, philosophy, religion, art and science, and they bring witness about
important personalities who were preoccupied with them (e.g. Aristoteles, Avicena, Boccacio,
Athanasius Kirchner, Leonardo da Vinci, Voltaire, Darwin). Fossils were explained according
to the then philosophical concept of the world. The prehistoric man used them as a ritual amulet,
for ancient thinkers they meant the result of the impact of stars, for a scholarly Jesuit witnesses
of the biblical flood, for Darwin the proof of the evolution of life on Earth; the story teller
found in them endless inspiration for fairy tales and myths on far-away countries with grim dragons,
basilisks, mythic unicorns and cruel giants.The way to understanding the origin of fossils is skirted by stories full of groping, victories and errors. Based on authentic items, the exhibition presents fossils as freaks of nature, ritual objects and medicaments, witnesses of the biblical flood, remains of giants, dragons or unicorns and even saints. The exhibits have been gathered from the whole of Europe. Many finds entered the folk tradition and became the topic of various legends.
The exhibition shows a lot of unique historic items from both Czech and foreign institutions, e.g. the basilisk from the Cabinet of Curiosities in the Strahov Monastery, the horn of a unicorn from the Natural History Museum in Karlsruhe or remains of giants from the Košice Cathedral. On display are rare old prints and bestiaries from the Strahov Library speaking about the then admirabilities of the world. E.g. the book by Konrad Gesner from 1565 shows the oldest picture of fossils. The visitor can see the famous bible Physica sacra by Johann Jacob Scheuchzer or Mundus subterraneus by the famous Jesuit Athanasius Kirchner who was the curator of one of the oldest museums of the world in Roma.
To create a mysterious atmosphere we have chosen a corresponding design. Exhibits placed in special showcases made on purpose for this exhibition are lightened with spots and the exhibition rooms are provided with music background. A part of the exhibition presents works of art inspired by myths and mythic figures. To the most valuable exhibits of this part of the exhibition belong items from the former Mathematics Museum in Klementinum - the oldest public Czech museum. Exhibits have been borrowed from following museums: Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris, Tylers Museum Haarlem, Musée Cuvier Montbéliard, University of Vienna, National Museum Prague, Moravian Gallery Brno, City Museum Brno, City Museum Čáslav, Museum of South-Eastern Moravia Zlín, Museum of Kroměříž, Czech Silver Museum Kutná Hora, Museum of the Highlands Třebíč, Lednice Castle.
The exhibition is held under the auspices of the Czech Ministry of Culture, the Czech ICOM Committee and the European Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists. A workshop for curious visitors has been prepared by the Children's Museum. Children and adults can try to recognize a true fossil from a fake, sort animals according to their place on the geological time line or to set together the skeleton of a unicorn. Which animals and their remains were at the origin of legends about mythic creatures, that can be discovered while watching living exhibits in terrariums as well as flat marionettes. The visitors can draw and paint fossils or mythic creatures with various techniques. Besides other surprises and games, children can use a non-traditional puppet theatre.
RNDr. Růžena Gregorová
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