Photo from open sources
If we reveal the ancient annals, then among the animals, listed on the pages of ancient books: bears, lynxes, tours, wolves and other animals with surprise will find a crocodile! What is this A strange beast was found on our lands hundreds of years ago?
The first mention of crocodiles
Crocodile (or corcodile) first found in documents XII century. Metropolitan Nikifor of Kiev in his letter to Vladimir Monomakhu mentions a crocodile, and does not accompany the mention a detailed explanation of what kind of beast it looks like, than eats, etc., apparently considering it superfluous: the prince already knows.
The author of “Praise to Roman Mstislavich Galitsky” (1201), compares the heroic prince with a lion, tour, trot, eagle and … crocodile. “He directed more quickly to the filthy yak and the lion, and to the yak and a cododel. “As we see, the author knew that a crocodile is a dangerous beast and meeting with him does not bode well. Moreover, the author also I was sure that the elder, having read about the crocodile, will not ask with surprise nearest adviser: “Crocodile … And what kind of miracle is this?”
Well, these are princes, educated people, and ordinary Russians about a crocodile might not have heard it. No, they’ve heard.
Miracle of Slavic lands
In the collection “Flower Garden” (1665), among other legends about in pagan times there is a legend about Prince Volkhov, who under desire could turn into a “fierce beast of a crocodile.” In animal form the prince lived in the river, demanded worship, and not those who wished him to render proper honors drowned and devoured. Well typical crocodile!
But maybe the word “crocodile” was something for the Russian people like “miracle-yuda”, and they called him every terrible animal?
No, Russian people knew very well what a crocodile looks like. Russian pilgrims visited the holy places of Israel, Egypt and saw real crocodiles. Traveler Notes has enough exact descriptions: big beast, fish (i.e. lives in water), four legs, sharp tail, huge mouth, “teeth like a saw” and “like a mouth reveals, it becomes all of it. “You will not confuse anyone.
In a big fashion there were buckets, the handles of which were made in the form of crocodiles. So, calling the monster a crocodile, our ancestors are quite clearly understood who it was. But, as it turns out, the Slavs are not only heard of crocodiles, but also saw them alive.
Slavic crocodiles
Again, leafing through the documents. Pskov Chronicle, 1582: ” Izydosha animals fierce crocodiles from the river and many people eating. ” The chronicler is not limited to a simple statement of fact. It is mentioned that people hid in the huts and prayed for salvation, but only a few managed to survive.
But can this be believed? Is this a 16th century thriller (Hitchcock is resting) a figment of his imagination monk? If the author has exaggerated, then just a little.
The English merchant Jerome Horsey, who visited Muscovy in 1589, writes that on the banks of one of the rivers he saw the body of a dead crocodile. By to his order the servants tore the body of the monster with spears, and from the corpse he went such a stench that an Englishman, having swallowed poisonous air, is somewhat days he fell sick in the nearest village.
At the end of the 16th century, America was already discovered, the sea route was found in India, the images of the reptile Gorsey probably came across, and he didn’t could call a crocodile a dead pike. As for the sizes, then hardly spears would tear a small carcass.
Austrian Ambassador to Russia Sigismund Herberstein, who visited Russia and Lithuania in 1517 and 1562 also wrote about snakes on short paws resembling lizards. In емemaitija (northwest modern Lithuania), local residents worshiped and fed them. According to Gerberstein, these “lizards” were extinct to 65-70 cm. If they also possessed an aggressive disposition, it is not surprising that the inhabitants of Zemaitiya these “crocodiles” were feared.
Arzamas Monster
The Arzamas Archive contains a document dating back to 1719 Signed by the Zemstvo commissioner Vasily Shtykov. After a terrible storm inflicted terrible losses on the province, city residents found a “snake great, “which stinked terribly. The document describes snakes as monster with short legs and a huge mouth full of sharp teeth.
A photo from open sources
Mindful of the decree of Peter I on collecting for the Kunstkamera all sorts of wonders, the body of the “snake” was packed in a barrel in double wine and sent to St. Petersburg. Among the exhibits of the Kunstkamera, the Arzamas monster did not is listed. Apparently, all the same, rotten on the road. But the fact of the event no doubt. It is unlikely that anyone would dare to play formidable emperor. Peter I was quick and the “joker” was completely could be left without a head.
Unknown to the beast
The last crocodile was caught in the Belarusian swamps in 1885. The stuffed monster for a long time decorated the zoological office real school in Minsk. The director was proud of this exhibit awful. The scarecrow could not survive the civil war.
Of course, this animal is unlikely to have been a crocodile. In northern latitudes, an inhabitant of Africa or India would die by 3-4 days. But if there was the northern elephant is a mammoth, the northern one could well exist crocodile option.
Of course, the probability is that in the marshes of the north-west of Russia representatives of an animal species unknown to science still live, almost equal to zero. Then we will rejoice for our ancestors, who was lucky to see the “Slavic” extinct by today crocodiles. ”
Posted by Klim Podkova
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