Odell Shepard

The Lore of the Unicorn Odell Shepard

This work, created in the early 20th century by Odell Shepard, is one of the better works made through time to craft mythology (and cryptozoology of a fashion) together with more modern historical treatments of its subject matter. It is the unicorn (or alicorn) here which concerns the text- and related material ranging from the quite antiquated, to the medieval, and the then-modern as anthropology and adventure made its way further into the outlands of Africa, India, and Tibet. Here, of note, is an extensive treatment of the purported healing and anti-poison properties of unicorn horn, medieval medicine processing the same through alchemy and quack medicine into tincture and powdered forms, and the latter day abandonment of such materials within medical lore during the enlightenment. The unicorn is thus not treated solely within this more rational text as a misunderstood rhinoceros, but also as other misunderstood beasts, a spirit, and a religious icon overlapped with royalty, especially in the English tradition.