The (true) symbols of America
Most people think that the Statue of Liberty is the true symbol of AMerica
The mythological charachter Columbia and the Eagle are also regarded as the primary US symbols
However, one important thing is missing… it isthe American Incognitum!
In 1801, the first complete mastodon skeleton was excavated in the Hudson River Valley, marking the climax of a century-long debate in America and Europe over the identity of a mysterious creature known as the American Incognitum. Long before the dinosaurs were discovered and the notion of geological time acquired currency, many citizens of the new republic believed this mythical beast to be a ferocious carnivore, capable of crushing deer and elk in its «monstrous grinders.» During the American Revolution, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson avidly collected its bones; for the founding fathers, its massive jawssymbolized the violence of the natural world and the emerging nation's own dreams of conquest - a new symbol of American nationhood.
Painting of the reconstructed American Incognitum (mastodon) — note the down-turned tusks which were later turned the right way up.
It also introduced the monster fashion in American culture which resulted in such famous works as Behemoth
as well as the symbol of the Republican Party
You may want to visit the friendly restaurant Mammonth in Ternopil, Western Ukraine
to learn more about the symbols of the US and other interesting things — it is a great place to visit!
