Monster nosed: in the middle Ages painted elephants

In the Middle ages to move around the world was much harder and longer! — than now, and the photos did not exist, because many European artists painted not from life or memory, and focusing on the descriptions made by third parties. So, for example, was with the elephants: the artists had never seen elephants and depicted these animals with the words travelers.

Imagine a giant creature with four legs without knee joints that can not lie down, and sleeps leaning against a tree. A creature with a long tube instead of a nose, reaching such proportions that his back is quite possible to build a small castle. This animal is terrified of mice, and lives for 300 years. About as medieval artists described the elephants. And they improvised as best they could.

The artists never saw the beast with my own eyes, but knew about its existence. To draw elephants, they had only the stories of travelers — and it turned out always different options. These images of the elephants were found at different times across Europe.