What Medieval People Thought 15+ Animals Looked Like Based on Legends

In the past, people relied only on travelers, their descriptions, and illustrators’ skills to understand what animals around the world looked like. All this led to having the wrong idea about the creatures that were living on Earth.

Bright Side has found different animal drawings our ancestors did, and when we compared them to what the creatures actually look like, the results were far from what we expected.

1. Lion

2. Whale

3. Elephant

4. Owl

5. Firefly

6. Hippo

7. Crocodile

8. Tiger

9. Leopard

10. Cricket

11. Gazelle

12. Oyster

13. Turtle

14. Seal

15. Lobster

16. Cat

17. Snake

18. Spider

19. Snail

How do you like the results of these “mix-ups?” Which medieval illustration did you laugh at the most?