What was a unicorn?

Unicorn

Old Greek and Roman myths tell of a strange beast with the head and body of a horse, the tail of a lion, and the beard of a goat.  It was called a “unicorn.”  A unicorn had a single long, twisted horn sticking out of its forehead.  Those who drank from a cup made of a unicorn’s horn were said to be protected from poison.

The idea of unicorns may have started with the tales told by early travelers—tales which probably described the rhinoceros or the oryx, a long-horned antelope. The tales grew more marvelous each time they were told.  – Dick Rogers

What are deer antlers made of?

Deer Antler

Deer are the only animals with antlers.  Antlers are solid bone growing from the foreheads of male deer and both male and female reindeer.  The male deer (“buck”) uses his antlers in mating season to fight other bucks, and sheds his antlers seasonally.

When new, antlers are soft and tender, and covered with furry skin called velvet.  The antlers quickly turn bony and hard and the velvet rubs off.  A young male’s first antlers look like straight spikes.  Older males have antlers with many braches, called points. – Dick Rogers