Buzz
Cabinets of curiosities were once popular as showcases of fascinating and odd specimens, blending the natural and artificial worlds. These collections were symbols of wealth, knowledge, and scientific inquiry for centuries. Their diverse contents blurred the lines between reality and imagination, and between nature and human creation. In this list, we present 10 items commonly seen in these wondrous collections.
10. Sirens and Sea Monsters
Taxidermied sirens, mermaids, and other sea monsters were often found in cabinets of curiosities, typically crafted from various fish parts. In Ambroise Pare’s (1510–1590) Of Monsters and Marvels, the author argues that, just as the Earth harbors monstrous beings, there must also be equally monstrous creatures beneath the sea. Sirens, mermaids, and tritons are described not only as part fish and part human, but as bizarre hybrids of fish, monkeys, and bears too!
Among the most unique, the monk-fish and bishop-fish appear in some of the most famous bestiaries of the period, including those by Ambroise Pare, Conrad Gessner, and Pierre Belon.
Scholar Guillaume Rondelet (1507–1566) claimed to have seen an image of a bishop-fish:
[From] Gisbert, a German physician, who received it in Amsterdam along with a text that assured him this sea creature, dressed as a bishop, had been spotted in Poland in 1531. It was then taken to the king of that country, who witnessed the creature signaling its longing to return to the ocean. Once returned, the fish leaped back into the water immediately.
Although Rondelet reported this account, he did not believe that the fish had made the sign of the cross before returning to the water.
9. Automata
Automata, the earliest forms of robots, were true feats of mechanical engineering and were highly desired for display in cabinets of curiosities. For instance, Milanese collector Manfredo Settala (1600–1680) owned a devil automaton, which he placed at the entrance to his cabinet. The mechanism would stick out its tongue and produce loud noises whenever someone entered.
These ingenious creations gained widespread popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries, a time when philosophical views of nature as a machine inspired artisans to replicate living beings through artificial means. Jacques de Vaucanson (1709–1782) invented a mechanical duck that seemed to digest food, although it was later revealed as a hoax—pre-digested food had been inserted into the machine.
At the same time, Swiss watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790) crafted automata capable of playing musical instruments and writing. In 1780, Abbot Mical created a series of mechanical talking heads designed to mimic human speech. These heads could speak phrases like “The king brings peace to Europe” and “Peace crowns the king with glory.” With this invention, the ecclesiastic aimed to win an annual competition at the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg.
8. Paradise Birds Without Feet
The arrival of paradise birds in Europe through trade routes from the East sparked widespread fascination. According to popular tales, these vibrant birds were said to have no legs. They were believed to live in continuous flight, nourished by their lush plumage, and sustained by the dew or air.
Even Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), who developed the classification system still used today to categorize organisms, named the bird Paradisaea apoda (“bird of paradise without feet”). When traders began bringing these birds to the West, their legs were often removed to perpetuate the myth and make a profit.
7. Aldrovandi’s Dragon
Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522–1605) is regarded as one of history’s most renowned collectors. A professor of natural philosophy at the University of Bologna, he curated an extensive collection of natural specimens and established one of the earliest botanical gardens.
Aldrovandi authored several treatises on natural philosophy, including A History of Monsters and A History of Serpents and Dragons. In the latter, he described the discovery of a deceased dragon found in the fields surrounding Bologna. The creature was a “long-necked, long-tailed, scale-covered biped with a thickened torso and a forked tongue.”
Aldrovandi took great pride in adding this extraordinary creature to his collection. Its rarity made it all the more valuable. As he put it, “Serpents naturally do not have feet.”
In Aldrovandi’s time, belief in dragons was not uncommon. One of the most famous works of the era, Conrad Gessner’s Historiae Animalium, mentioned reports of “flying four-legged serpents resembling lizards” near Styria, Germany, with wings and an incurable bite.
6. Unicorn Horns
Unicorn horns, which were proudly showcased in cabinets of curiosities, were most likely narwhal horns. These items were believed to be potent antidotes for ailments such as the plague, snake bites, and rabid dog bites. It is even said that Mary Stuart (1542–1587), Queen of Scotland, used a unicorn horn to prevent her food from being poisoned.
Conrad Gessner (1516–1565), the author of one of the most famous bestiaries ever created, dedicated a page to the unicorn in his Historiae Animalium. Unusually for contemporary readers, Gessner placed an image and description of this mythical creature alongside an entry about the common mouse. Drawing from biblical, medieval, and mythological sources, Gessner believed the unicorn had miraculous abilities, such as curing epilepsy and purifying water.
It was commonly thought that unicorns would only allow virgin women to approach them. Upon encountering a virgin, the creature would rest its head in her lap. This association with virginity and purity led to the unicorn becoming a symbol of Christ in the Middle Ages.
5. Anatomical Tableaux
Deformed or “monstrous” creatures have long been part of cabinets of curiosities. Their peculiarities showcased the diversity of the natural world, and their rarity added to the collection’s allure and value.
Frederik Ruysch (1638–1731), the owner of an extensive collection of curiosities, blended scientific inquiry with spectacle and awe in his work. A botanist by trade, Ruysch developed a technique for preserving specimens that he sold to Peter the Great, the Russian tsar. This method allowed Ruysch to inject various colors into the specimens’ veins, highlighting the flow of blood through arteries and veins.
Ruysch became renowned for his dioramas, which were highly popular in 18th-century cabinets. These intricate displays featured human fetal skeletons arranged in dramatic poses within reconstructed natural settings.
However, the so-called natural environment was actually composed of body parts: gallstones and kidney stones were used as rocks, veins and arteries as trees, and lung tissue served as bushes and grass. These tableaux often had an allegorical theme, reflecting on the fleeting nature of life.
4. The Stuffed Crocodile
The preserved crocodile was a quintessential item in cabinets of curiosities. It appeared on the covers of two renowned catalogues of collections (those of Ferrante Imperato and Ole Worm). Its frequent inclusion is likely due to its exotic and monstrous nature, and its amphibious existence, which sparked questions about the natural world.
In his Of Monsters and Marvels, Ambroise Pare explored the paradox of the crocodile, which is half fish and half terrestrial creature:
It has such an impedite [rudimentary] tongue that it seems not to have one at all, which is the reason why it lives partly on land, partly in the water; as, being terrestrial, it takes the place of a tongue for him, and as, being aquatic, he is without a tongue. For fish, either they have no tongue at all, or they have one that is very tied and impedite.
Of course, according to Pare, the crocodile was also thought to possess medicinal properties. From it, a remedy could be created to treat facial blemishes. Its gall was believed to help with cataracts, and its blood was said to sharpen one’s vision.
3. Decorated Nautilus Shells
These striking nautilus shells were a common feature in cabinets of curiosities. In some cases, the shell itself was painted, as seen in the specimens catalogued by Albertus Seba. In other instances, the shell was mounted on a beautifully adorned pedestal. Occasionally, these items served a functional role and could even be used as cups.
The practice of decorating nautilus shells reflected a popular belief associated with cabinets of curiosities—that nature could be enhanced through human craftsmanship. Like the entire cabinet, these embellished shells symbolized the interaction between the artificial and the natural world, showcasing the marvels both realms could produce.
2. Herbaria And Mandrakes
Much like bestiaries, herbaria were catalogs that listed and described natural specimens, often focusing on their medicinal uses. Just as with bestiaries, the boundary between science, imagination, and wonder was frequently unclear.
One of the most fascinating plants often featured in such works is the mandrake, or Mandragora. Due to their human-like appearance, mandrakes were often depicted as little men or women in Renaissance herbaria.
It was believed that when mandrakes were uprooted from the ground, they would emit a loud, fatal scream. Many illustrations show the method of pulling them from the earth by tying their heads to dogs, while their owners stand safely at a distance.
Naturalist William Turner (1509–1568), author of the Niewe Herball, detailed the medicinal uses of mandrakes in his writings, stating:
Of the apples of mandrake, if a man smells them, they will cause sleep, and even if consumed, they will do the same. However, those who smell them too much may become mute. This herb, when taken in excess, can be dangerous and may prove fatal if eaten or drunk in excess without a remedy. [ . . . ] If Mandragora is taken beyond measure, sleep immediately follows, along with a great loss of strength and forgetfulness.
1. Bestiaries
Renaissance bestiaries, early encyclopedias of animals, cataloged both familiar and exotic species, including fantastic creatures drawn from the accounts of travelers to the New World. Each entry often featured an illustration of the creature alongside descriptions of its habits and its purported uses, with many animals believed to possess medicinal qualities. While the degree of belief in the existence of these creatures may have varied, the fact that they were depicted and documented in bestiaries gave them a sense of credibility.
The long-standing tradition of bestiaries, which were already popular in medieval times, is closely linked to the history of cabinets of curiosities. One key reason for this connection was their role in classification. Over time, owners of cabinets began compiling their own catalogs and natural histories—small encyclopedias that detailed the features of the objects within their collections.
Albertus Seba, a Dutch zoologist and collector, serves as a prime example of this trend. He commissioned stunningly precise illustrations of his specimens, which he then published in a vibrant four-volume catalog, showcasing them in full color.
