We have drawings of them in cities built by the Aztecs, and we have hundreds of stories about them in medieval Europe. Granted, most stories are usually a damsel in distress saved by a warrior, so the stories most obviously point to being false. Why is it, though, that we find dragons all around the world?
2006-11-14 22:51:56 · 10 answers · asked by Alucard 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
I don't think dinosaurs got anything to do with it.
The earliest mention of a "dragon" is actually Assyrian, Tiamat the old earth goddess in her emanation as a sea monster being slain by Marduk the sky god.
The theory of a common Asian origin is much more likely to my mind, only that European dragons were not able to fly, they were also called "wyrms", which implies a crawling creature.
European dragons seem to have been creatures of fire and earth and unfriendly to humans, where Asian ones are associated with wind and water, and are considered bringers of fame and fortune,
in China the dragon was the symbol of the emperor whereas the phoenix was the symbol of the empress.
My own theory is that a common idea of a giant magical creature got spread west with the Indo-European language groups from Central Asia where there must have been contacts with Asian cultures, but got mixed with contents from the mythology of the original inhabitants of the Mediterranean region, and transformed into something different, then with the renewed cultural contact in the 17.th century got changed again, so now dragons can fly in Europe as well.
2006-11-15 01:35:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The idea of finding dinosaur bones and coming up with the idea of dragons is unlikely since the first dinosaur bones we knew of were discovered in 1800's. However, it could be the idea of dinosaurs stored within the collective consciousness somehow.
Also, most of the people in the world came from similar origins. Since most modern western languages basically developed from Sanskrit and other ancient Asian languages it makes sense that as these languages were developed the stories would be passed on. For example, the Aztecs and all other Indigenous groups in the Americas are thought to have descended from Asians who crossed the Bering Strait. The Middle Ages, when dragon stories became popular in Europe was also around the same time Europeans began trading with Eastern Asia.
The idea of a dragon would have been pretty popular--a huge animal that can fly and breath fire. Nothing that big can usually fly (even ostriches are too heavy too fly). No animal directly needs fire either. Perhaps, the dragon myth came out of an explantion for the origins of fire.
If the story is in the collective consciousness, people will dream about dragons no matter where they are too.
However, having spent a lot of time in mountains of china in the last few months there defintely could be dragons hiding there. Its like the idea of the Sasquatch/Yeti/Bigfoot/etc.---there very well could be such creatures hiding somewhere but they certainly aren't going to come looking for humans because we'd probably kill them and dissect them or make them into a trophy on the wall. Scientists are still discovering new species in some areas, especially remote heavily (rain)forested areas.
2006-11-15 00:26:40 · answer #2 · answered by AJ F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think about it. All around the world, in the ancient times, were probably finding dinosaur remains. They find a head, maybe, a few bones together, or god forbid a full skeleton in the dirt. It's natural that they would assume it of a mythical creature, like a dragon (which bears striking semblance to a dinosaur, don't you think?)
It only takes one person these days to spread something like that, and I'm sure something so unbelievable and amazing would really affect a person from ancient times. Then they just make more details (like fire and wings) and there you have it, a dragon.
Pretty simple if you think about it.
2006-11-14 22:58:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Documented well in books and traditions of history are the Western Dragons and Eastern Dragons.
Eastern dragons are still celebrated today, Good, honoured for what gifts they bring, Protection, Honour, Strength just to name a few. Dragon boat races are held yearly .. there are so many traditions on the Eastern side.
Yet you will find Western Dragons were always thought of as evil , killers not only of maidens but knights went out to fight this beast. Spawns of Satan etc. blah blah blah.
Yes this is history but it also makes you think, what also was shunned besides the Western dragon.. Christianity. was against these beasts sent out there sainted knights to defeat it.
As they felt this unknown beast was evil.
I personally feel.. Dragon do still exist today.. But of cause away from our physical plan / dimension.
Like Ghosts exist on another dimension and veil so do dragons.
Not on the same dimension but similar.
Blessings
2006-11-14 23:08:53 · answer #4 · answered by A Lady Dragon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually there is such a thing as dragons. There is the Komodo dragon. It might be what they were actually talking about, however you know how many stories get blown out of proportion. Just like a fish tale, the fish gets bigger with every telling of the tale.
The Komodo dragon doesn't spit fire, but it does have blood red saliva and it does produce venom. It also has 12 strains of virulent bacteria in it's saliva. And I imagine if you got bit by one it would burn and feel like fire, especially with the saliva being red you could see how it could get translated from red saliva that makes the skin feel like it's burning to actual fire.
2006-11-14 23:01:14 · answer #5 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the description of "leviathan" in the Book of Job (the Bible, Old Testament) also bears an uncanny resemblance to other ancient descriptions of dragons. for instance, the Biblical leviathan was a tremendous aquatic/semi-aquatic creature with scales that could fend off even the strongest weapons AND apparently could breathe fire...see the Book of Job, chapter 41. given the amount of time this account has been around in addition to the degree to which the Bible has been distributed accross the globe could (in conjunction with other ancient sources sighted above) could help explain the prevalence of dragon images worldwide.
2006-11-15 07:20:57 · answer #6 · answered by just an inkling 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
some sorts of animals were regarded because the source for mythological dragons as an example - the komodo dragons. And as somebody else pronounced the Kraken were reported to be the enormous squid which we now recognize exist.
2016-11-29 04:00:15 · answer #7 · answered by mrotek 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dinosaur bones were discovered and since the discoverers were not as scientific then as now the legends of the dragons came to be. this would make sense as dinosaurs were all over the world so different cultures would develop different legends to explain their existence.
2006-11-15 00:46:12 · answer #8 · answered by Marvin R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dinosaurs mabey??? well anyway my husband claims hes a 3800 year old dragon in human form...lol i know hes only kidding but hes been saying it ever since he was a little boy.
2006-11-14 23:02:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read 'Caverns, cauldrons, and concealed creatures' by Wm. Mott.
2006-11-14 22:58:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋