What Is A Unicorn?

The question 'What Is A Unicorn' has been asked down the ages. And there have been many theories.

But now, WE REVEAL THE TRUTH!

Read on to find out about the history behind Unicorns, their symbolism, unicorns in heraldry, unicorns in modern times and more....

We even review some films with unicorns in - we just watched a really good one!

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What Is A Unicorn

Appearance

The unicorn is a legendary, mythical creature that has been described since days gone by as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead.

In European art and literature, the unicorn has for the last thousand years or so been depicted as a white horse-like animal with a long straight horn with spiraling grooves and cloven hooves.

Cultural Variations

While often described as white and graceful, some depictions in older tales have a short, colored horn and a goat-like body.

Symbolism

The unicorn in mythology

The unicorn is a symbol of purity, innocence, and power in many cultures. In Celtic mythology, they are also associated with masculinity and chivalry.

Their horns are often shown as having magical healing powers, in particular the ability to purify water and make it drinkable, and to heal sickness.

Some people feel they have a connection with unicorns and fairies! The 2 magical creatures can be called upon in hard times to give a dash of fairy dust and a beam of unicorn light. Together the fun of the fairies and the energy of the unicorn can guide you....believe in the magic!

History

Unicorn imagery

Unicorns have been depicted in art and literature since ancient times, with evidence appearing in Mesopotamian artworks and ancient Greek writings. There are also references in the myths of India and China.

Unicorn-like imagery can be traced to the Indus Valley Civilization (around 3300 B.C. to 1300 B.C.), where seals depicted a horse-like creature with a single horn.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the unicorn was often described as a symbol of purity and grace, believed to be a wild creature that could only be captured by a virgin, and its horn was thought to have healing properties. Over a period of time, the unicorn has become a powerful symbol of protection and chivalry in medieval culture.

In the Bible an animal called Re'em looks very similar to the Unicorn.

The Unicorn in Heraldry

the Royal Coat of Arms

The Lion and the Unicorn are symbols of the United Kingdom. They appear in the full royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.

The lion stands for England and the unicorn stands for Scotland.

In the Scottish version of the Coat of Arms, the two have switched places so the unicorn is on the right. Both are crowned, and the lion on top is colored red.

The lion and the unicorn have also been used in the arms of Newfoundland since 1637, the arms of Hanover between 1837–1866, and the arms of Canada since 1921.

Nursery Rhyme

There is a nursery rhyme about the traditional legend of enmity between the lion and the unicorn.

It has the following lyrics:

The lion and the unicorn

Were fighting for the crown

The lion beat the unicorn

All around the town.

Some gave them white bread,

And some gave them brown;

Some gave them plum cake

and drummed them out of town.

And when he had beat him out,

He beat him in again;

He beat him three times over,

His power to maintain.

This rhyme was played upon by Lewis Carroll, who incorporated the lion and the unicorn as characters in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass.

Characters in Through the Looking Glass

Unicorns in Modern Times

Unicorns continue to appear in modern literature, film, and popular culture, often as symbols of fantasy or rarity.

While still a magical creature in folklore, the term "unicorn" is also used in finance to describe a privately held start-up valued at over $1 billion.

In the 21st century, the unicorn has become an LGBTQ+ symbol.

Unicorns are often depicted with rainbow-colored manes and tails, directly linking them to the rainbow flag, a prominent symbol of LGBTQ+ pride.

Modern cartoon unicorns!

Movies with Unicorns in Them

Death of a Unicorn (2025)

We recently watched this film (June 2025) - it was really good!

A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties.

A 2025 American dark fantasy comedy horror film written and directed by Alex Scharfman in his directorial debut.

The Last Unicorn (1982)

A beautiful unicorn sets out to learn if she truly is the last of her kind in this sparkling animated musical.

The Last Unicorn is a story about friendship and love. The Unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world. Searching for a sense of identity, she starts a quest to find the other unicorns.

This film stars Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow and Angela Lansbury.

Reviews say the songs are really lovely - we may watch this with the grandkids!

The film is based on a book that you can buy on Amazon here.

Click here to buy the DVD of The Last Unicorn movie.

We hope you have enjoyed finding out about the Unicorn!

You can read about other Fantasy Creatures here.

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