FANTASTIC ANIMALS
Creatures depicted in
heraldry that are not known to have existed as actual animals are frequently categorized
as fantastic animals. While some of these creatures have no basis in reality at all, some
are based at least partially on some animal that does or did at one time exist. For
example, the image of the unicorn is said to have come about as a result of observations
of wild antelope in Syria and Palestine. When viewed from the side, the two long horns of
these animals gave the illusion of a single horn. Thus, the image of the unicorn was born.
unicorn rampant | unicorn passant | unicorn statant | gryphon segreant | gryphon passant | |
gryphon statant |
male gryphon |
dragon rampant |
dragon passant |
dragon statant |
|
wyvern | wyvern wings displayted |
wyvern erect | cockatrice, a.k.a. basilisk |
camelopard | |
merman, a.k.a. triton |
mermaid (a mermaid with two tails is called a melusine) |
centaur (a centaur with bow and arrow may be termed a sagittarius) |
sphinx |
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salamander |
enfield |
opinicus |
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