Slashdot Mirror
North Korea Claims Archaeologists Have Found 'Unicorn Lair' In Pyongyang
eldavojohn writes "NPR pointed out a press release claiming that North Korean archaeologists have found a 'unicorn lair' in Pyongyang. The members of the History Institute of the DPRK Academy of Social Sciences have "reconfirmed" that this site was used for King Tongmyong's unicorn where the unicorn would concoct his unicorn schemes and do his unicorn things if anyone ventured too closely. The last line is, perhaps, the most important line of the article, 'The discovery of the unicorn lair, associated with legend about King Tongmyong, proves that Pyongyang was a capital city of Ancient Korea as well as Koguryo Kingdom.' Fear not that North Korea is surpassing the world in cryptozoology, Dr. Melba S. Ketchum of Nacogdoches, TX has claimed to have recently sequenced Bigfoot's DNA and he's part human."
What the hell? Also, how in the heck does something THIS RETARDED land on the front page?
It's Idle. Remove the section from your preferences instead of bitching, please.
Well, China did have its own mythical unicorn called the qilin and when a series of Chinese fleets sailed to Africa in the 1400s and brought back giraffes and the Chinese had their qilin unicorns.
I said - don't look Ethel!..., but it was too late..., she'd already looked.
I don't know. It's not that idiotic, though not necessarily slashdot oriented. Nothing says they found unicorns. They found a site referenced in older manuscripts that gives credence to a certain king having lived in Pyongyang. The cave has a carving over its entrance indicating that it's a "unicorn lair" (ir they translate right). So the press release isn't claiming anything about unicorns, but it is pushing some propaganda about Pyongyang having been an ancient capitol of Korea.
Of course no one carves this on a real unicorn lair, if the carvings exist they were probably put there after the legend started to grow.
It's sort of like if they found some ancient carving above a cave in England claiming to be where George slew his dragon. Clearly not evidence of a dragon but if authenticated it could be evidence of where the legend started or the site of an early pilgrimage or tourist site.
I'm starting a "retarded /. stories" list because shit like this is ruining /. and has got to stop.
- 'Unicorn Lair' In Pyongyang (stupid)
- 'Kidney For iPad' (tabloid fodder)
- Plastic Found on Mars (pwned)
- Earthshaking Discovery On Mars (fake)
Anyone have any other stories to add? At this rate I won't be surprised to read a story about My Little Pony on here soon.
Sent from my ENIAC
IO9's article about what the story's really about. First of all, a Kirin isn't really that much like a unicorn, though it is a mythical beast. But it's really about finding a site related to Tongmyng, ruler of an ancient kingdom in northern Korea, who was symbolized by the Kirin, kind of like calling somebody "The Dragon King" or whatever. There's some question about whether their announcement is more like "we found some cities from Troy / another Mayan pyramid / etc." type of history or more like "We found King Arthur's castle Camelot" sort of national mythology, which would certainly be the kind of thing you'd do when you've got a new Fearless Leader.
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks