bestiaria
Bestiaria refers to a group of medieval Latin compendia of beasts, with bestiarium as the singular. The term is used by scholars to describe the tradition of bestiary literature that grew from late antique roots and matured in the High Middle Ages, especially in Western Europe. These works collect entries on animals and, often, on mythical creatures, combining natural description with moral, allegorical, or theological interpretation drawn from Christian tradition.
The typical structure of a bestiarium includes a brief description of each creature, sometimes supplemented by
Notable examples within the tradition include the Aberdeen Bestiary (late 12th to early 13th century), which