John HoylandNov 9, 2022
Natania Barron

I feel, as part of my initiation into this space, I must talk about my love of #Medieval elephants.

Yes, you heard me. You see, though bestiaries were very common in Western Europe, elephants were not.

So things like this happen.

"SO... lion body... got it, cloven hooves, okay, big ears and dead bird eyes... long snake face... PERFECTION."

Nov 7, 2022 at 4:17pmWeb
Show threadNatania BarronNov 7, 2022
Or take this fine specimen, who lives somewhere in the space between "elephant" and "hyena" but also must be about to break into Fleetwood Mac's TUSK at any moment.
Show threadNatania BarronNov 7, 2022

And, finally, my absolute favorite (because it looks like total psychedelic fever-dream) from 1350, THIS GUY. He's just so jaunty. And aggressive? But also maybe happy? It's got many of the right pieces of "elephant" and yet, somehow, is also NOT elephant.

Oh right. That's because it doesn't have ears.

Show threadbeth (she/her)Nov 7, 2022
@natania I like the hooves
Show threadA Republic, while we kept itNov 7, 2022
@natania My favorite part is the high-heeled shoes.
Show threadMichelle DoddNov 9, 2022
@arensb @natania They look good with the slacks!
Show threadM.C. Benner DixonNov 7, 2022
@natania These are marvelous. I have an essay that references this image by Reuwich (specifically the giraffe). The title of the work is something like "Fauna of the Holy Land, Just as We Saw Them." It's so bold.
Show threadNatania BarronNov 7, 2022
@mchristinebd Ah! It's one of my favorite subjects. I could look at bestiaries and accounts of animals from the Middle Ages all day long.
Show threadmrpieceofworkNov 7, 2022
@sjgochenour it's got shoes on, too!
Show threadRichardNov 8, 2022
@natania let us not forget the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary, source of cotton.
Show threadDeirdre StathamNov 8, 2022
@natania Personally, I’m a fan of medieval manuscript murder bunnies. 😂
Show threadKevin Ryan ✍️Nov 8, 2022
@deirdrestatham @natania Bugs Bunny's ancestors didn't mess around
Show threadNatania BarronNov 8, 2022
@deirdrestatham Murder bunnies are also a personal favorite!
Show threadTheIndigoDingoNov 9, 2022
@deirdrestatham my best friend is writing a paper on murder bunnies. Seems they were a real thing & not just a fever dream of Monty Python. lol
Show threadDeirdre StathamNov 9, 2022
@TheIndigoDingo I’ve been working on my own grimoire that’s based on medieval books. I put murder bunnies in it. 😂
Show threadJudithNov 11, 2022

@deirdrestatham @natania

For @MattBooth

Medieval Murder Bunnies and, further up the thread, some interesting "elephants".

Show threadMatt BoothNov 11, 2022

@aroundthehills @deirdrestatham @natania

Oh brilliant 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I love the Murder Bunnies

Show threadMouthy GurlNov 12, 2022
@deirdrestatham @natania hello you!!!
Show threadDeirdre StathamNov 12, 2022
@natania @Mouthygurl yo!
Show threadMouthy GurlNov 12, 2022
@deirdrestatham @natania nice to see you here. This is where I have been hiding since I left the hellsite. It's so much calmer here.
Show threadDeirdre StathamNov 12, 2022
@Mouthygurl Indeed. It is.
Show threadThe Chubby ChefNov 12, 2022

@deirdrestatham @natania

*monty python's killer bunny gif*

Show threadDeirdre StathamNov 12, 2022
@natania @chubbychef
Show threadNatania BarronNov 12, 2022
@deirdrestatham @chubbychef perfection. Ni!
Show threadDaisy Doo & TuxieGirl BettyNov 20, 2022
@deirdrestatham @natania What the hell is this!? 😂
Show threadNatania BarronNov 20, 2022
@666k9s @deirdrestatham The magic of the Middle Ages!
Show threadDeirdre StathamNov 20, 2022
@666k9s @natania Medieval Murder Bunnies!
Show threadMel 🦄Nov 8, 2022
@natania It has front legs instead of ears 😯
Show threadMagicLesbianLazerOwlNov 9, 2022
@natania Cyclone-nose bestiary elephant has my entire heart!
Show threadbartholinNov 9, 2022
@natania The mastodon network (1350, colorized) 
Show threadMichelle EvansNov 9, 2022
@natania yessss! honestly one of the things I miss most from twitter is all the weird medieval animal art I follow. need more weird little guys in the fediverse!
Show threadTompsNov 9, 2022
@mv_evans @natania #notalion ! 🥰
Show threadTompsDec 19, 2022
@mv_evans @natania see #medievalcats @medievalcats
Show threadTompsDec 19, 2022
@natania @mv_evans correction - @dailymedievalcats
Show threadNeAlTenNov 9, 2022
@natania interesting how the ears, which are a feature that is usually prominent, are missing on both of the last ones.
Show threadAndrew KnightonNov 9, 2022
@natania Maybe he uses that giant upward trunk to catch rain? Won't help much with his hearing loss, but it's something.
Show threadB Thoreau 🛸Nov 9, 2022
@natania He looks like he is wearing ankle boots!
Show threadTehhundNov 10, 2022
@natania I'd like to know if anyone in medieval Europe drew elephants *correctly*. That might be just as interesting as these!
Show threadeditora con carritoNov 9, 2022
@natania Here, in Soria (Spain), in Berlanga, a very small town, we have an amazing place in the middle of nowhere called "San Baudelio" and there was also a medieval elephant, carrying a castle, painted on the wall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Baudelio_de_Berlanga
San Baudelio de Berlanga - Wikipedia

Show threadmjNov 7, 2022
@natania @Napdragon oh he is PISSED they drew him like that
Show threadRogetNov 7, 2022
@natania This has made my day immeasurably better. Thank you.
Show threadNatania BarronNov 7, 2022
@Roget I do my best.
Show threadAlex Z | WriterNov 7, 2022
@natania
This is definitely a candidate for #NailedIt 😄
Show threadNatania BarronNov 7, 2022
@AlextheZee Ha! Spot on. Wait, do elephants have spots?
Show threadAlex Z | WriterNov 7, 2022
@natania
Maybe the medieval ones do?
Show threadSaraNov 7, 2022
@natania seems fitting
Show threadHannah MoffattNov 8, 2022
@natania 😅 I love this!
Show threadJames BaillieNov 8, 2022

@natania immediate follow, I too love medieval elephants (and bestiary pictures generally, there's so juch lovely nonsense in there).

Have you come across the list of mastodon medieval historians that's been circulating, in case it's of interest?

Show threadNatania BarronNov 8, 2022
@JubalBarca I haven't! But please share and add.
Show threadJames BaillieNov 8, 2022

@natania Here's the list, if you want adding there's a google form linked up at the top :)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10OdDb5R0u-IQ331Xpom6X6fsArdJvXFt1X5K2dLudhU/edit#gid=0

Medievodons - Google Drive

Show threadNatania BarronNov 8, 2022
@JubalBarca Ah! So exciting. Looks like the list is broken at the moment but will keep checking back.
Show threadJames BaillieNov 8, 2022
@natania Huh, that's odd - the spreadsheet is visible and working fine for me.
Show threadNatania BarronNov 8, 2022
@JubalBarca I can't click on the form. I have broken the internet.
Show threadJames BaillieNov 8, 2022
@natania Ah, OK, I'll dig out the link from when I did it
Show threadJames BaillieNov 8, 2022
@natania Found it! Try this: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2UGAV7PnP8_5cOcgFhyOVMxpByj8eK-Oaj_CnLURnPv2IQA/viewform
Medievodons

Medievodons is a list to help Medieval Studies researchers, educators, and postgraduate students find one another on Mastodon. Please consider adding yourself to it via this form. NOTE: Information submitted will be available on the open web at this link. The Medievodons list and this form were created by Stephanie J. Lahey based on Konrad M. Lawson's @[email protected] Histodons list. Questions? Contact: @[email protected] on Mastodon, or @SJLahey on Twitter.

Google Docs
Show threadNatania BarronNov 8, 2022
@JubalBarca Thank you thank you thank you!
Show threadJames BaillieNov 8, 2022
@natania Very much welcome! Look forward to more medievalling to come :)
Show threademmaNov 8, 2022
@natania this is the kind of random trivia that I live for
Show threadsimon grayNov 8, 2022
@natania — add wheels and you’ve got a mulefa
Show threadKevin Ryan ✍️Nov 8, 2022

@natania I heartily endorse your love or medieval elephants!

These are great!