The Magic Tumbler for the Plague: Alicorn and its Medical-Occult Uses in 16th-17th Century Jewish Literature
Alicornand its Medical-Occult Uses in 16th-17th Century Jewish Literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35699/1982-3053.2020.21725Keywords:
Alicorn Cup, Unicorn, PlagueAbstract
Several 16th-17th century Jewish medical and religious sources from Land of Israel mention a substance called “alicorno”. The current study discusses the identification of the substance, its origins and medical usages according to the Jewish literature. “Alicorno” which are the tusks of the narwhal were believed to be the horn of the unicorn. They were perceived as having magical properties and were believed to have the power to cure a wide variety of illnesses, particularly to neutralize poisons. Responsa and medical sources from Eretz Israel region mention the two main usages of the narwhal – as a goblet with supernatural qualities for drinking water or potions and as a medical powder originating from a shaved bone.
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