beastiaries

Beastiaries, or bestiaries, are compendia that describe animals, real and mythical, often presented with illustrations. In medieval Europe they served as both natural histories and moral or theological glossaries, combining observed details with allegorical lessons. The term can also refer to modern collections of beasts in literature, gaming, or fantasy worlds, but the medieval form is its historical core.

Entries in beastiaries typically introduce a creature by name, describe its appearance, temperament, and habitat, and then impart a practical or moral takeaway. The descriptions are frequently accompanied by moral exempla or scriptural commentary, and the accompanying illustrations helped readers remember and interpret the text. Beastiaries were not primarily attempts at scientific accuracy; they aimed to teach virtue, explain divine order, and illustrate lessons using animal imagery.

Beastiaries drew on earlier traditions such as the Physiologus, a didactic text that circulated widely in late antiquity and influenced medieval compilations. From the Physiologus and subsequent Latin and vernacular versions, later beastiaries incorporated local lore, travelogues, and scholastic materials. Notable medieval manuscripts include the Aberdeen Bestiary and various English, French, and Italian exemplars, which often featured ornate illuminations and standardized arrangements of beasts.

In modern contexts, the term beastiary can refer to field guides to real animals or to catalogs of fictional creatures in fantasy literature, role-playing games, and worldbuilding. Across both historical and contemporary uses, beastiaries reflect a long-standing human interest in cataloging the animal kingdom and in interpreting animal life as a mirror of moral, cultural, and theological ideas.