Studia Mythologica Slavica (May 2015)

From the Tauriscan Gold Mine to the Goldenhorn and the Unusual Alpine Animal<br>Od zlata pri Tavriskih do Zlatoroga in nenavadne alpske živali</br>

  • Marjeta Šašel Kos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3986/sms.v1i0.1872
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1
pp. 169 – 182

Abstract

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Three themes are analysed in the article, which are related under certain aspects to each other. These are the discovery of a rich gold deposit in the land of the Taurisci, mentioned by the Greek historian, Polybius, and the geographer and historian, Strabo; the folk-tale of the Goldenhorn/Zlatorog, in which the search for gold and treasure is reflected; and the third, the peculiar Alpine animal mentioned by the same Greek writers. It could be interpreted as a mythic animal, although in view of the accurate description, the animal was probably an elk.