Parandrus
Parandrus ( Harley Bestiary, 13th century, British Library )
The Parandrus , also called Tarandrus or Tarandus , is a mythical animal .
It is the size of an ox , (sometimes long) fur, cloven hooves and antlers. It can change its coat color to camouflage itself. The parandrus was mentioned in ancient times and was later often depicted in medieval bestiaries . According to Pliny the Elder , his ( Tarandrus ) habitat was in Scythia , according to Gaius Iulius Solinus ( Parandrus ) in Ethiopia .
The scientific name of the reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) is derived from its name.
literature
- Theophrastus of Eresos - De animalibus quae colorem mutant, fr. 365 A
- Antigonos of Karystos - Historiarum mirabilium collectio 25c
- Pliny the Elder - Naturalis historia VIII lii pp. 123–124
- Claudius Aelianus - De natura animalium II p. 16
- Pseudo-Aristotle - De mirabilibus auscultationibus p. 30
- Gaius Julius Solinus - De mirabilibus mundi p. 25
Web links
Commons : Medieval representations of the Parandrus - collection of images, videos and audio files
The Medieval Bestiary - Parandrus (English)