THE MAGDEBURG UNICORN

The Magdeburg Unicorn is one of the most remarkable fossil reconstructions ever created. In 1663, a skeleton was assembled in Germany that was confidently believed at the time to belong to a unicorn. The reality, however, was far less magical: the skeleton was a mix of fossils from various Ice Age animals, including a woolly rhinoceros.

What makes this reconstruction so famous, or rather infamous, is the absurd and inaccurate way in which the bones were put together. The result is a bizarre, almost comical creature that has since been labeled one of the worst fossil reconstructions of all time. With a horn on its forehead and a strangely assembled body, the skeleton looks more like a mythical invention than a serious scientific specimen.

The man behind this curious project was Otto von Guericke, a physicist and the mayor of Magdeburg. He firmly believed he had discovered the remains of a real unicorn. His enthusiasm, and perhaps a fair amount of wishful thinking, demonstrates how scientific interpretation can be swayed by popular myths and desires.

This sculpture was created for the exhibition Hybrids, which was shown at De Warande in Turnhout.