by Heather R. Darsie
The amphisbaena is a two-headed beast, “…so called because …[one head is in the right place, the other on its tail. It is unknown how this beast moved about. Basically a two-headed snake, the amphisbaena reportedly moved in a circle. Reportedly the first to awake from hibernation, the amphisbaena is unfazed by the frost and will live in the cold with no problem. What do you think of the amphisbaena?
Amphisbene – Bestiary Harley MS 3244, ff 36r-71v
Sources & Suggested Reading
- Barber, Richard: translation and introduction. Bestiary: Being an English Version of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. M. S. Bodley 764. P. 190. All original miniatures reproduced in facsimile. Woodbridge: 1999.
Maidens and Manuscripts: Taking a fresh look at people and events from 1347 to 1625, with a focus on women and illuminated manuscripts 
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