Were Unicorns real animals? (Possibly Elasmotheriums)

My girlfriend love unicorns. So i got intersted and decided to search about unicorn sightings. I knew there would be some since those legendary creatures are very famous. Then i found an intersting topic. This made me think that Unicorn were real in sometime of human lifes. But are probably extinct by now but they still persist in memory;

In year 921 Ahmad ibn Fadlan went on the trip to King of Bulgars in the name of Baghdad caliph. When he turn home he said:


"Near this river (the Volga) is a vast wilderness wherein they say is an animal that is less than a camel and more like a bull in size. Its head is like the head of a camel, and its tail is like the tail of a bull, while its body is like the body of a mule, and its hooves are like the cloven hooves of a bull. In the center of its head, it has a thick round horn, which as it rises from the head of the animal gets to be thinner until it becomes like the point of a lance. The length of some of these horns is from three to five cubits, and there are those that may attain to a greater or lesser length. The animal grazes on the leaves of trees, which are quite green. When it sees a horseman, it makes straight for him, and if he happens to have under him a fast horse, he is rendered safe from it with some effort. If it overtakes him, it removes him from the back of his horse with its horn, hurls him into the air, and then catches him with its horn. It continues in this manner until it kills him. It does not bother the horse in any form or manner. They seek out this animal in the forests in order to kill it. They do that by climbing the tall trees among which it is found, and with this object in mind, they assemble a number of archers with poisoned arrows. When it stands in their midst, they shoot at it until it is severely wounded and killed by them."
"I saw in the king's house three large bowls which looked like [they were made of] the onyx of Yemen. The king informed me that it was made from the base of the horn of the animal. Some of the people of the country told me that it was a rhinoceros."

This sighting is way too old to be even considered real. But there is a particular animal the witness describe well. Elasmotherium sibiricum, or big-horned rhinoceros. This particular animal lived in China, Russia, Europe, Africa, Asia, Ukraine and other countrys. In short terms: The only places where unicorn myths originated.

Elasmotherium ("Thin Plate Beast") is an extinct genus of giant rhinoceros endemic to Eurasia during the Late Pliocene through the Pleistocene, documented from 2.6 Ma to as late as 50,000 years ago, possibly later, in the Late Pleistocene, an approximate span of slightly less than 2.6 million years. Three species are recognised. The best known, E. sibiricum was the size of a mammoth and is thought to have borne a large, thick horn on its forehead which was used for defense, attracting mates, driving away competitors, sweeping snow from the grass in winter and digging for water and plant roots. Like all rhinoceroses, elasmotheres were herbivorous. Unlike any others, its high-crowned molars were ever-growing. Its legs were longer than those of other rhinos and were designed for galloping, giving it a horse-like gait.

This animal was more like a horse than a rhino. In fact, the Great Alexender (or another person) stated that unicorns were extremely difficult to tame. Just like modern rhinoceros. And everybody knows: Those who tame rhinoceros like animals are badass.

The article in wikipedia says there were many sub species of Elasmotherium. Some of them probably white! The Eslamotheriuns Causasin was roughly 5 meters in lenght, weighted around 2600 lb (1200 kilograms) and was probably white in color. Pretty big compared to a horse. But descriptions changes with time. Like dragons...



This recustruction from 1920 is extremely similar to a horse:



So, what's the possibility that animals like Elasmotheriums lived recently but are now extinct due to the over hunting? Many animals like the Atlas Bear were extinct in Roman times also due to over hunting. Whomever like Mastodons, there are still sightings of Atlas Bears today.

Ahmad ibn Fadlan, a muslim traveled meet hunters who said to hunt unicorns for their horns. Those who were used t make long lived materials".

Original links:

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Whomever i wasn't able to find any reports of modern sightings. Just like Minhocao (Amazon cryptid) so this leaves me to the conclusion that they are probably extinct.

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reply to post by Frocharocha



Unicorns only exist in movies and children's book, and if there are/were similar species that still doesn't make them unicorns.

Originally posted by Chizzamp
reply to post by Frocharocha

 

Unicorns only exist in movies and children's book, and if there are/were similar species that still doesn't make them unicorns.

Species are know to evolve in a very small period of time. How, i don't know. Good example? Elephants and Mastodons.. Only some thousands years of diference.

Originally posted by Frocharocha

Originally posted by Chizzamp
reply to post by Frocharocha

 

Unicorns only exist in movies and children's book, and if there are/were similar species that still doesn't make them unicorns.

Species are know to evolve in a very small period of time. How, i don't know. Good example? Elephants and Mastodons.. Only some thousands years of diference.

Elephants and Mastodons are different breeds in the same species, I think.

Originally posted by Unrealised

Originally posted by Frocharocha

Originally posted by Chizzamp
reply to post by Frocharocha

 

Unicorns only exist in movies and children's book, and if there are/were similar species that still doesn't make them unicorns.

Species are know to evolve in a very small period of time. How, i don't know. Good example? Elephants and Mastodons.. Only some thousands years of diference.

Elephants and Mastodons are different breeds in the same species, I think.

Yes they are indeed....

A Unicorn is a mythical creature, some pictures show them with wings and some without.
where would they get wings from???

Horses, Zebras and Tapirs all evolved from the same line as the Rhino, the Perissodactyla family. I believe it's entirely possible there were Horses or Zebras with horns in the past.

Originally posted by Ramcheck
Horses, Zebras and Tapirs all evolved from the same line as the Rhino, the Perissodactyla family. I believe it's entirely possible there were Horses or Zebras with horns in the past.

Only possible? I say 100%. Horns would make a goood defense agaisn't predators. And sadly, many animals with horns are hunt today due to the rarity or because of what the material si made (elephants and rhinos).

Great thread op. I think you might be on to something. I've never heard of this animal myself. If they did exist alongside humans it would almost have to be where the myth of unicorns came from. Also, I don't think unicorns are supposed to have wings. That was pegasus, and he didn't have a horn.

Originally posted by dave0davidson
Great thread op. I think you might be on to something. I've never heard of this animal myself. If they did exist alongside humans it would almost have to be where the myth of unicorns came from. Also, I don't think unicorns are supposed to have wings. That was pegasus, and he didn't have a horn.

Yes. The idea of winged unicorns were introduced very recently. Because they look awesome at japanese animes and games lol.

Thought you'd enjoy this one
YT unicorn sighting

Originally posted by Starcrossd
Thought you'd enjoy this one

YT unicorn sighting

Cool vid. Whomever, the unicorn is pure CGI.

reply to post by Frocharocha


I know a lot of people don't put any stock in the Bible but if you're looking for examples or accounts of unicorns, you'll find eight references to unicorns in the Bible: Deuteronomy 33:17, Job 39:9-10, Psalms 22:21, Psalms 29:6, Psalms 92:10, Numbers 23:22, Numbers 24:8, Isaiah 34:7.

Edit: I didn't post this to say that I do or do not believe in unicorns...I am neutral on the subject and I believe just about anything is possible. I only posted this because I am intrigued by the fact that unicorns are one of the few cryptids (dragons are included) mentioned in a holy book that billions of followers believe in wholeheartedly to this very day.

You say your girlfriend likes unicorns. Lucky guy. For the real meaning of unicorns - and it's a little different than you think - see the article "Tantra" at Uncyclopedia, near the bottom if you don't want to read the whole thing. I'm one of the three co-authors, only two of us on the unicorn section (and, sigh, it may need some polishing, so since I'm mentioning it...).

If unicorns were real, we'd have found a fossil by now, an intermediate fossil which would prove evolution. I think that the theory is people mistook narwhal whales for unicorns, although what the unicorn would be doing swimming well out in the ocean is anybody's guess.

When it comes to unicorns, my favourite guy is Dr Beachcombing.

It's the secret-agent name of a genuine English Professor who's been going undercover in the world of cryptozoology and all-out weirdness for a few years. His blog is one of the best out there!

Unicorns in 16th Century Arabia??

Back to the Arabian Unicorns

If anyone likes his blog as much as I do, he did a good interview with Tim Binnall over here.

Real Unicorns

we have references about a human race as unicorns, but unicorns in general, is not a chinese or a local moon myth. There is references for 15000 ago about unicorns as a mythical animal.

Also in nowadays we found humans with 1 horn tnephilim.blogspot.gr...

a reply to: jcutler12888

Yes and in newer bibles they are refered to as great oxen.

I cant find the proper name for it but there is at least one disease that causes horn growth. I think horses with horns could have existed but not a seporate species of animal all together.