#karkadann

[archivist-crow]

KARKADANN

Karkadann is a type of Unicorn from the traditions of Persia, India and North Africa. The name Karkadann comes from the Sanskrit kartajan, meaning Lord of the Desert. Described as white in body, as large as a rhinoceros and with a tail like a lion, the Karkadann has two or even three hooves on each foot. Unlike the white or silvery horn sported by most unicorns, the Karkadann has a black spiralling horn in the centre of its forehead. It is extremely fierce and known to hunt creatures as large as the elephant. Only the song of the ringdove can calm it: so fond is the Karkadann of the sound of this song that it will go to great lengths to protect a nest of ringdoves.

Text from The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures by John and Caitlin Matthews (HarperElement, 2005)

[dementra369]

Already sold Didn't find post with him, I think I forgot to post earlier.

Nightfall [he/they]. Pegasus-karkadann, digital dark artist. Sensitive and prickly

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Status: SOLD Owner: Стефания Тимошенко [VK]

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Previous mixes: TwiLestia | LunaJack | SombraPie | ChrysaDash | FlutterDance | RariCord | AppleDance | SombraTwi | SombraJack | Crysarity | Fluttercord | ChrysiPie | LunaDash | ChrysaTwi

[a-book-of-creatures]

hello can i have some unicorns :)

Oooh, of course you can! Let me quickly look up some of my favorite sources...

Thomas de Cantimpré has no less than 3 unicorns covered! That's 3 times the amount of unicorns! From top to bottom, you have the monoceros, the Indian onager, and the unicorn itself.

Albertus Magnus gives us this classic animal, looking somewhat heraldic.

This unicorn from the Ortus Sanitatis, though, is rather contemplative looking. And seems rather goaty too.

The rhinoceros (karkadan) from Middle Eastern manuscripts varies a lot, sometimes clearly a rhino and sometimes more fanciful. This version is from a copy of al-Qazwini.

Jonston covers around 9 different unicorns, some of which are horny in more ways than one! (Trust me. Look them up, I've posted them before). These ones look like standard maned unicorns.

Ambroise Paré had a lot to say about unicorns (and mummies, and the plague, and anything else vaguely related to public health). Here is the pirassoipi, a two-horned unicorn (a bicorn?) from Italy

And you know what? I've been sticking to vintage illustrations but here's Rudolf Freund's spectacular historically-accurate unicorn!

Stay tuned for more unicorn imagery!

[star-steed]

Mizar, the Karkadann. Custom American quarter horse foal. SOLD

[ratsypatsy]

Legends Of Equestria is keeping me busy, here's some silly art I did, cause Karkadanns design in this game is awesome, and since they're a type of unicorn too, then...

[chaotic-myth-boy]

Karkadann

Classification: unicorn

Origin: Persia and India

Appearance: Karkadann are large herbivores closely resembling the Indian rhinoceros approximately the size of a buffalo with a single large curved horn, scaly black skin, long ears like those of a donkey, yellowish nails, and a prominent dewlap.

Karkadann are said to be aggressive towards all other animals.

Like other species of unicorns karkadann are of a magical nature and it is said only a virgin can subdue them.

[charliescreatures]

Here’s the Karkadann, from Indian and Persian mythology! Said to roam grasslands and act in a similar manner to unicorns, this creature is believed to be based on the Indian Rhinoceros!

[smokeyloki]

"...It is said that animals are found, smaller than a camel in size, but broader than a bull. Their heads are like those of camels and their tails are those of bulls. In the centre of their heads, they have a thick round horn. This horn grows thinner and thinner until it becomes like the point of a lance. Some of them are between three and five cubits in length, some more, some less. This creature grazes on the leaves of certain trees that are very green...If the beast catches him [a man on horseback], it lifts him from the back of the horse with its horn, tosses him in the air, and then catches him on its horn and continues to do this until it has killed him. But under no circumstances does it harm the horse..."

-Ibn Fadlan, The Book of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan

(@apenitentialprayer I think you might find this interesting, given your study of Arabic texts).

In Ibn Fadlan's travel narrative, there's very explicit reference to the Karkadann. In the text, he says that the locals call it a "rhinoceros", but it doesn't indicate that this is the name Ibn himself would have called this creature. The description doesn't exactly match a rhinoceros, either.