Revisiting the South African Unicorn: Rock Art, Natural History and Colonial Misunderstandings of Indigenous Realities

European ideas about unicorns spread across the world in colonial era. In South Africa, hunts for that creature, and indigenous rock paintings of it, were commonplace. The aim was proof from ‘ terra incognita ’, often with possibility claiming a reward. There has, however, been little consideration independent, local creature onto which unicorn transposed. During cross-cultural engagements, foreign beliefs mythical desire evidence its natural history intermixed to an extraordinary degree one-horned animal. For over two centuries, colonists researchers alike failed realize by chance, resembled unicorn. A new synthesis southern African ethnography, writings early travellers, missionaries politicians provides unambiguous creatures obtained before arrival colonists. Moreover, it shows these are depicted art, they manifestation San (Bushman) rain-animals. By ignoring relevant images, previous scholars have acknowledge was, apart four legs single horn, wholly different one.