Medieval Bestiaries.

Medieval bestiaries were treasuries of artworks and text describing various birds, animals and rocks. Each beast in the book would have it's own drawing alongside a characterisation, describing it's general attributes. It was also common for each beast to have a moral story accompanying it. The people of the times were fascinated in the animals that their survival depended on; and were hungry to know what the animals around them could teach them; as the book of Job said "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." The animals often had links drawn between them and biblical stories, such as the pelican who revives her young after three days with her own blood, in the same way christ was revived after three days to save humanity - or the dove, who is safe from dragons so long as they stay in the peridexion tree in the same way people will be safe from evil so long as they stay with the church. These divine characteristics given to the animals give them a mystical and spiritual quality.