A Legend Explored: Portugal Pavement Art

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Wildlife, Nature, Biodiversity, Culture, Society, Art & Environment

Ed Hessler 

It is not known whether "The Surprising Story of a 16th Century Rhino Called Ganda" told in a BBC's Reel (7 m 54 s) under the heading of Myths and Legends is fact or fiction.

Records of that legend are found "beneath the feet of everyone who visits the city of Lisbon, Portugal" where "lie hidden gems - floor mosaics made with limestone." According to legend, "in the 1500s, a rhino sent from India, and the first ever seen in Europe," led to the "Portugal pavement art tradition." Its truth or fiction seems much less important today for "this art form may be close to disappearing."

You may be interested in taking another look at Albrecht Durer's 1515 woodcut, "The Rhinocerous," based only on a description and sketch. He had never seen one. Ganda (in Gujarati it is genda) is included in a Wiki discussion of Durer's The Rhinocerous.