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Category Archives: animals

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aspide

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Hana Videen

aspide, m/f.n: asp. (AH-spih-duh / ˈa-spɪ-də)

Medieval manuscript image amidst Latin text of a coiled blue and green snake plugging one of its ears with its tail.
Rabanus Maurus’ De rerum naturis; S Germany (Heidelberg?), 1425; Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 291, f. 93r. [digi.vatlib.it]
Posted in animals, deorhord book Leave a comment

eofor

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Hana Videen

eofor, m.n: wild boar. (EH-ov-or / ˈɛɔ-vɔr)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post answers the question ‘How many fish are there in the sea?’ Read it on Patreon.

Posted in animals, deorhord book Leave a comment

fisca cynn

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Hana Videen

fisca cynn, n: fish-kind. (FISK-ah KUEN / ˈfɪ-ska ˈkyn)

Medieval manuscript image of an assortment of sea creatures, some fairly realistic looking fish, others more fantastical, such as a mer-horse, a horned mer-lion and a sea dragon.
Harley Bestiary; England, c. 1230-40; British Library, Harley 4751, f. 68r. [bl.uk]
Posted in animals, deorhord book, water Leave a comment

gange-wæfre

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Hana Videen

gange-wæfre, f.n: spider (walker-weaver). (GONG-guh-WAV-ruh / ˈgaŋ-gə-ˌwæv-rə)

Medieval manuscript image of a rather unrealistic pair of spiders, each with eight legs, a horse-like head, horns and wings.
Old English Herbarium; England, 11th century; British Library, Cotton MS Vitellius C III, f. 23v. [bl.uk]
Posted in animals, deorhord book, hord highlights, kennings Leave a comment

hrȳþer

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Hana Videen

hrȳþer, n.n: ox, cow. (H’RUE-ther / ˈhryː-θɛr)

Posted in animals, deorhord book Leave a comment

læssa igil

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Hana Videen

læssa igil, n: hedgehog (smaller igil). (LASS-ah IH-yill / ˈlæs-sa ˈɪ-jɪl)

Medieval manuscript image of seven little hedgehogs impaling fruit on their spines beneath a curvy-branched tree or vines.
Aberdeen Bestiary; England, c. 1200; Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, f. 24r. [abdn.ac.uk]
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māra igil

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Hana Videen

māra igil, n: porcupine (greater igil). (MA-ra IH-yill / ˈmaː-ra ˈɪ-jɪl)

Medieval manuscript image of a porcupine standing on a patch of grass.
Jacob van Maerlant’s Der Naturen Bloeme; Netherlands, c. 1300-1325; British Library, Add MS 11390, f. 16v. [bestiary.ca]
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heorot

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Hana Videen

heorot, m.n: male deer, hart, stag (occasionally also used of the female), perhaps the red deer specifically. (HEH-o-rot / ˈhɛɔ-rɔt)

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gīw

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Hana Videen

gīw, m.n: griffin. (YEE-ew / ˈjiːw)

This week’s Wordhord Wednesday post is on lore-smiths. Read it on Patreon.

Medieval manuscript image of an orangey-brown griffin, sporting a pair of feathery wings, four talon-like feet and an eagle’s hooked beak; it poses sedately with one forefoot in the air.
Wonders of the East; England, mid 11th century; British Library, Cotton MS Tiberius B V/1, f. 86v. [bl.uk]
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basilisca

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Hana Videen

basilisca, m.n: basilisk. (BA-zih-liss-ka / ˈba-zɪ-lis-ka)

Medieval manuscript image of a basilisk — a serpentine creature with bird’s wings and talons wearing a crown — with three lesser snakes paying homage.
Bestiary; England, 1226-1250; Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 764, f. 93v. [digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk]
Posted in animals, deorhord book, monsters Leave a comment

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