Chinese dragon, color engraving on wood, Chinese school, 19th Century

The dragon is a mythical creature typically depicted as a large and powerful serpent or other reptile with magical or spiritual qualities. Mythological creatures possessing some or most of the characteristics typically associated with dragons are common throughout the world's cultures.^[1] Download high resolution version (1304x1975, 724 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1304x1975, 724 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Chinese dragon, or Long (also spelled Loong or Lung) in Chinese, is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon in the West. ... Serpent is a word of Latin origin (serpens, serpentis) which is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit term serp, that is normally substituted for snake in a specifically mythic or religious context, in order to distinguish such creatures from the field of biology. ... Subclasses Anapsida Diapsida Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane. ... Look up Magic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The term magic is a Persian loanword into English and may refer to: Magic (paranormal) deals with the manipulation of what the practitioner believes to be genuine paranormal phenomena. ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ...

Etymology

Dragon comes, ultimately, from Greek drakon (genitive; drakontos) which refers to a "serpent, seafish." The lexical root comes from drak, strong aorist stem of derkesthai "to see clearly." The literal meaning of the word drakon, then, is "seeing one".

Overview

Dragons are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing extremely large, typically scaly, bodies; they are sometimes portrayed as having large eyes, a feature that is the origin for the word for dragon in many cultures, and are often (but not always) portrayed with wings and a fiery breath. Some dragons do not have wings at all, but look more like long snakes. Dragons can have a variable number of legs: none, two or four. Modern depictions of dragons are very large in size, but some early European depictions of dragons were only the size of bears, or, in some cases, even smaller, around the size of a butterfly. Look up egg in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Although dragons (or dragon-like creatures) occur commonly in legends around he world, different cultures have perceived them differently. Chinese dragons (Simplified Chinese: 龙; Traditional Chinese: 龍; pinyin: lóng), and Eastern dragons generally, are usually seen as benevolent, whereas European dragons are usually malevolent (there are of course exceptions to these rules). Malevolent dragons also occur in Persian mythology (see Azhi Dahaka) and other cultures. The Chinese dragon, or Long (also spelled Loong or Lung) in Chinese, is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon in the West. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; also Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) refer to one of two standard Chinese character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language, officially simplified by the government of the Peoples Republic of China in an attempt to promote literacy. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... It has been suggested that Pinyin method be merged into this article or section. ... Saint George versus the dragon, Gustave Moreau, c. ... The beliefs and practices of the culturally and linguistically related group of ancient peoples who inhabited the Iranian Plateau and its borderlands, as well as areas of Central Asia from the Black Sea to Khotan (modern Ho-tien, China), form Persian mythology. ... Zahak, Zahhak, Zahak-e Tāzi or (Arab Zahak) also knwon as Bivar-Asp, which means [he who has] 10,000 horses in the Pahlavi (middle Persian) language, and Avestan Āži-Dahāk) is a mythical figure of ancient Persia (Iran). ...

Dragons are often held to have major spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many Eastern and Native American cultures dragons were, and in some cultures still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature and the universe. They are associated with wisdom—often said to be wiser than humans—and longevity. They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernormal power, and are often associated with wells, rain, and rivers. In some cultures, they are said to be capable of human speech. The term Eastern can have multiple meanings depending on its context. ... A Hupa man. ... Galunggung in 1982, showing a combination of natural events. ... Universe is a word derived from the Old French univers, which in turn comes form the Latin roots unus (one) and versus (a form of vertere, to turn). Physicists concept of the Universe is motivated[] by the attempt to describe the whole of space-time, including all matter and energy... Personification of wisdom (Greek Σοφια) in Celsus Library in Ephesos, Turkey Detail from the Allegory of Wisdom and Strength by Paulo Veronese (c. ... The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse Magic and sorcery are the influencing of events, objects, people and physical phenomena by mystical or paranormal means. ...

Dragons are very popular characters in fantasy literature, role-playing games and video games today. Fantasy literature is fantasy in written form. ... This article is about traditional role-playing games. ... This article is about computer and video games. ...

The term dragoon, for infantry that move around by horse, yet still fight as foot soldiers, is derived from their early firearm, the "dragon", a wide-bore musket that spat flame when it fired, and was thus named for the mythical beast. A light dragoon from the American Revolution French dragoon, 1745. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Symbolism

Dragon waterspout on Ulm Münster

Dobrynya Nikitich slaying Zmey Gorynych, by Ivan Bilibin

In medieval symbolism, dragons were often symbolic of apostasy and treachery, but also of anger and envy, and eventually symbolized great calamity. Several heads were symbolic of decadence and oppression, and also of heresy. They also served as symbols for independence, leadership and strength. Many dragons also represent wisdom; slaying a dragon not only gave access to its treasure hoard, but meant the hero had bested the most cunning of all creatures. In some cultures, especially Chinese, or around the Himalayas, dragons are considered to represent good luck. Image File history File links Germany_Ulm_Dragon. ... Image File history File links Germany_Ulm_Dragon. ... Ulm Münster is a cathedral and the tallest church in the world, its steeple measuring 161. ... Image File history File links Ivan Bilibin. ... Image File history File links Ivan Bilibin. ... Bogatyrs (1898) by Viktor Vasnetsov Alongside Alyosha Popovich and Ilya Muromets, is a bogatyr (i. ... Dobrynya Nikitch rescues Princess Zabava from Zmey Gorynych, by Ivan Bilibin. ... Ivan Ya. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Apostasy (from Greek αποστασία, meaning a defection or revolt , from απο, apo, away, apart, στασις, stasis, standing) is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of ones religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the Catholic or Orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ...

Joseph Campbell in the The Power of Myth viewed the dragon as a symbol of divinity or transcendence because it represents the unity of Heaven and Earth by combining the serpent form (earthbound) with the bat/bird form (airborne). Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 31, 1987) was an American professor, writer, and orator best known for his work in the fields of comparative mythology and comparative religion. ... The Power of Myth was a six part mini-series first broadcast on PBS in 1988 as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth (with Bill Moyers). ...

Dragons embody both male and female traits as in the example from Aboriginal myth that raises baby humans to adulthood training them for survival in the world.^[2] Another contrast in the way dragons are portrayed is their ability to breathe fire but live in the ocean--water and fire together. And like in the quote from Joseph Campbell above, they also include the opposing elements of earth and sky. Dragons represent the joining of the opposing forces of the cosmos. The Ancient and Medieval cosmos as depicted in Peter Apians Cosmographia (Antwerp, 1539). ...

Yet another symbolic view of dragons is the Ouroborus, or the dragon encircling and eating its own tail. When shaped like this the dragon becomes a symbol of eternity, natural cycles, and completion.

In Christianity

The Latin word for a dragon, draco (genitive: draconis), actually means snake or serpent, emphasizing the European association of dragons with snakes, not lizards or dinosaurs as they are commonly associated with today. The Medieval Biblical interpretation of the Devil being associated with the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, thus gave a snake-like dragon connotations of evil. Generally speaking, Biblical literature itself did not portray this association (save for the Book of Revelation, whose treatment of dragons is detailed below). The demonic opponents of God, Christ, or good Christians have commonly been portrayed as reptilian or chimeric. The genitive case is a grammatical case that indicates a relationship, primarily one of possession, between the noun in the genitive case and another noun. ... The Devil is a title given to the supernatural entity, who, in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths, is a powerful evil entity and the tempter of humankind. ... Michelangelos The Creation of Adam, a fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, shows God creating Adam, with Eve in His arm. ... Look up eve in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Christ is the English translation of the Greek word (Christós), which literally means The Anointed One. ...

In the Book of Job Chapter 41, there are references to a sea monster Leviathan, which has some dragon-like characteristics. The Book of Job (איוב) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. ... Destruction of Leviathan. 1865 engraving by Gustave Doré. This article is about the biblical creature. ...

In Revelation 12:3, an enormous red beast with seven heads is described, whose tail sweeps one third of the stars from heaven down to earth (held to be symbolic of the fall of the angels, though not commonly held among biblical scholars). In most translations, the word "dragon" is used to describe the beast, since in the original Greek the word used is drakon (δράκον). Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is a supernatural being found in many religions. ...

In iconography, some Catholic saints are depicted in the act of killing a dragon. This is one of the common aspects of Saint George in Egyptian Coptic iconography ^[3], on the coat of arms of Moscow, and in English and Catalan legend. In Italy, Saint Mercurialis, first bishop of the city of Forlì, is also depicted slaying a dragon.^[4] Saint Julian of Le Mans, Saint Veran, Saint Crescentinus, and Saint Leonard of Noblac were also venerated as dragon-slayers. Iconography usually refers to the design or creation of images and more specifically to the historical study of art which aims at the identification, description and the interpretation of the content of images. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are usually depicted as having halos. ... Saint-George is a municipality with 695 inhabitants (as of 2003) in the district of Aubonne in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. ... A Copt is a native Egyptian Christian (also see Coptic Christianity). ... Modern emblem of Moscow The Coat of Arms of Moscow depicts a horseman with a spear in his hand slaying a dragon. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... This article is about the historic territory. ... Saint Mercurialis was the first bishop of the city of Forlì, in Romagna. ... Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, famed as the birthplace of the great painter Melozzo da Forlì and of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini, at the nearby comune of Predappio. ... Saint Julian of Le Mans ( Saint-Julien du Mans) (3rd century; perhaps 4th century) is honored as the first bishop of Le Mans. ... ... Saint Crescentinus ( San Crescentino, San Crescenziano) (d. ... Leonard of Noblac or Leonard of Limoges ( - 559) was a Frankish noble in the court of Clovis I. He was converted to Christianity along with the king, by Saint Remigius (Saint Rémy), Bishop of Reims. ...

However, some say that dragons were good, before they fell, as humans did from the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve's Original Sin was committed. Also contributing to the good dragon argument in Christianity is the fact that, if they did exist, they were created as were any other creature, as seen in Dragons In Our Midst, a contemporary Christian book series by author Bryan Davis. Dragons In Our Midst is a Christian fantasy series written by Bryan Davis about two teenagers who are anthrozils- fully human, and yet somehow fully dragon at the same time. ... Bryan Allan Davis (born May 2, 1940, Belmont, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad) is a former West Indian cricketer who played in four Tests in 1965. ...

Chinese zodiac

The years 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036, 2048, 2060 are considered the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2012 (MMXII) will be a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2024 (MMXXIV) will be a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2036 (MMXXXVI) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday Gregorian calendar. ... 2048 (MMXLVIII) will be a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2060 (MMLX) will be a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year of the Dragon can refer to: Dragon (zodiac), Chinese Year of the Dragon zodiac sign Year of the Dragon, 1985 Mickey Rourke film This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Chinese astrology (占星術 pinyin: zhan4 xing1 shu4; 星學 pinyin: xing1 xue2; 七政四餘 pinyin: qi1 zheng4 si4 yu2; and 果老星宗 pinyin: guo3 lao3 xing1 zong1) is related to the Chinese calendar, particularly its 12-year cycle of animals (aka Chinese Zodiac), and...

The Chinese zodiac purports that people born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. They are also supposedly honest, sensitive, brave, and inspire confidence and trust. The Chinese zodiac purports that Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They supposedly neither borrow money nor make flowery speeches, but tend to be soft-hearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them. They are purported to be compatible with Rats, Snakes, Monkeys, and Roosters. The Rat ( 子 ) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. ... The Snake ( 巳 ) (also known as the Serpent) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. ... In some parts of China, the Monkey ( 申 ) is worshipped as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. ... The Rooster ( 酉 ) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. ...

In East Asia

Main article: Chinese dragon

Main article: Vietnamese dragon

Dragons are commonly symbols of good luck or health in some parts of Asia, and are also sometimes worshipped. Asian dragons are considered as mythical rulers of weather, specifically rain and water, and are usually depicted as the guardians of pearls. The Chinese dragon, or Long (also spelled Loong or Lung) in Chinese, is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon in the West. ... Vietnamese dragon, Ly dynasty In Vietnam, the dragon (Vietnamese: rồng or long) is the most important and sacred symbol. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Strand of akoya pearls from China A pearl is a hard, rounded object produced by certain animals, primarily mollusks such as oysters. ...

In China, as well as in Japan and Korea, the Azure Dragon is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellation, representing spring, the element of Wood and the east. Chinese dragons are often shown with large pearls in their grasp, though some say that it is really the dragon's egg. The Chinese believed that the dragons lived underwater most of the time, and would sometimes offer rice as a gift to the dragons. The dragons were not shown with wings like the European dragons because it was believed they could fly using magic. Korea (Korean: 한국 or 조선, see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Four Symbols (Chinese: ; pinyin: Sì Xiàng) are four guardian beasts from Chinese mythology, also known as the Shishin (四神) or Shijin in the Japanese tradition of onmyodo. ... Chinese constellations are different from the western constellations, due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. ... Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones, the transition from winter into summer. ... Trunks A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood is a solid material derived from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ... The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST, internally called HT-7U) is a project being undertaken to construct an experimental superconducting tokamak magnetic fusion energy reactor in Hefei, the capital city of Anhui Province, in eastern China. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species of grass (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and in Africa. ...

A Yellow dragon (Huang long) with five claws on each foot, on the other hand, represents the change of seasons, the element of Earth (the Chinese 'fifth element') and the center. Furthermore, it symbolizes imperial authority in China, and indirectly the Chinese people as well. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity. The dragon is also the symbol of royalty in Bhutan (whose sovereign is known as Druk Gyalpo, or Dragon King). Chinese Wood (木) | Fire (火) Earth (土) | Metal (金) | Water (水) Hinduism and Buddhism Vayu / Pavan (Air / Wind) Agni / Tejas (Fire) Akasha (Aether) Prithvi / Bhumi (Earth) Ap / Jala (Water) Earth is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. ... Languages Primarily Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Confucianism, Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, Athiesm. ... Languages Primarily Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Confucianism, Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, Athiesm. ... Druk Gyalpo meaning Dragon King is the title for the King of Bhutan. ...

A naga guarding the Temple of Wat Sisaket in Viang Chan, Laos

In Vietnam, the dragon (Vietnamese: rồng) is the most important and sacred symbol. According to the ancient creation myth of the Kinh people, all Vietnamese people are descended from dragons through Lạc Long Quân, who married Âu Cơ, a fairy. The eldest of their 100 sons founded the first dynasty of Hùng Vương Emperors. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x1600, 402 KB) Summary Photo by User:Adam Carr, January 2006 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x1600, 402 KB) Summary Photo by User:Adam Carr, January 2006 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The nagas ( snake) are an ancient race of snake-humanoid beings first depicted in ancient Vedic Hindu mythology and oral folklore from at least 5000 B.C.E. Stories involving the Nagas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu (India, Nepal, and the island... Wat Si Saket is a Buddhist wat in Vientiane, Laos. ... Pha That Luang temple. ... Creation beliefs and stories describe how the universe, the Earth, life, and/or humanity came into being. ... Categories: Vietnamese people | Ethnicity stubs ... The traditional creation myth of the Vietnamese Kinh people (ethnic Vietnamese) claims Lac Long Quan as the father of the Vietnamese people. ... In Vietnamese mythology, Au Co was an immortal fairy who married a dragon, their hundred children being the ancestors of the Vietnam people. ... Hùng VÆ°Æ¡ng was the first emperor of Văn Lang or Lạc Việt (as Vietnam was known at the time). ...

The Nāga - a minor deity taking the form of a serpent - is common within both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Technically, the naga is not a dragon, though it is often taken as such; the term is ambiguous, and refers both to a tribe of people known as 'Nāgas', as well as to elephants and ordinary snakes. Within a mythological context, it refers to a deity assuming the form of a serpent with either one or many heads. The nagas ( snake) are an ancient race of snake-humanoid beings first depicted in ancient Vedic Hindu mythology and oral folklore from at least 5000 B.C.E. Stories involving the Nagas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu (India, Nepal, and the island... Look up deity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... http://www. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... This article is about a system of myths. ...

Occasionally the Buddha is depicted as sitting upon the coils of a serpent, with a fan of several serpent heads extending over his body. This is in reference to Mucalinda, a Nāga that protected Śākyamuni Buddha from the elements during the time of his enlightenment. Separated from the contextualising effect of the Buddha story, people may see only the head and thus infer that Mucalinda is a dragon, rather than a deity in serpentine form. Stairway railings on Buddhist temples will occasionally be worked to resemble the body of a Nāga with the head at the base of the railing. In Thailand, the head of Nāga, in a more impressionistic form, can be seen at the corners of temple roofs, with Nāga’s body forming the ornamentation on roofline eves up to the gables. Media:Example. ... Mucalinda or Mucilinda is the name of a naga (a snake-like being), who protected the Buddha from the elements before his enlightenment. ... Standing Buddha sculpture, ancient region of Gandhara, northern Pakistan, 1st century CE, Musée Guimet. ... The House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts, showing four gables in this view. ...

Speculation on the origins of dragons

This section does not cite its references or sources. Please help improve this article by introducing appropriate citations. (help, get involved!) This article has been tagged since June 2006.

Where the original concept of a dragon came from is unknown, as there is no accepted scientific theory nor any evidence to support the past or present existence of dragons. While the concept of dragons may be true or false, the fact that dragons are a myth in so many places that had no contact with each other suggests that dragons are possibly extrapolations based upon some ordinary forms of creature coupled with common psychological tendencies amongst disparate groups of humanity. Image File history File links Information_icon. ...

Some believe that the dragon may have had a real-life counterpart from which the various legends arose — typically dinosaurs or other archosaurs are mentioned as a possibility — but there is no physical evidence to support this claim, only alleged sightings collected by cryptozoologists. In a common variation of this hypothesis, giant lizards such as Megalania are substituted for the living dinosaurs. All of these hypotheses are widely considered to be pseudoscience or myth. Orders Saurischia    Sauropodomorpha    Theropoda Ornithischia Dinosaurs are giant reptiles that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for most of their 165-million year existence. ... Groups Pterosauria Crocodylia (crocodiles) Dinosauria    Aves (birds) Archosaurs (Greek for ruling reptiles) are a group of diapsid reptiles that first appeared during the late Permian (roughly 250 million years ago). ... Pen and wash drawing by malacologist Pierre Denys de Montfort, 1801, from the descriptions of French sailors reportedly attacked by a Kraken off the coast of Angola. ... Families Many, see text. ... Binomial name Megalania prisca (Richard Owen, 1859) Megalania is an extinct giant monitor lizard. ... In cryptozoology, living dinosaurs are non bird dinosaurs that supposedly survived the mass extinction that live in the present & that are first seen by natives of the areas. ... Phrenology is regarded today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ...

Dinosaur fossils were once thought of as "dragon bones" — a discovery in 300 BC in Wucheng, Sichuan, China, was labeled as such by Chang Qu.^[5] It is unlikely, however, that these finds alone prompted the legends of flying monsters, but may have served to reinforce them. A town located in Jiangxi, China, where the Xiushui River enters Lake Poyang. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: SzÅ­4-chuan1; Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in the central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... Chang Qu (c. ...

Herodotus, often called the "father of history", visited Judea c.450 BC and wrote that he had heard of caged dragons in nearby Arabia, near Petra, Jordan. Curious, he travelled to the area and found many skeletal remains of serpents and mentioned reports of flying serpents flying from Arabia into Egypt but being fought off by Ibises Histories. Histories (Greek). Retrieved on 2006-06-14.. Bust of Herodotus Herodotus of Halicarnassus (in Greek, , Herodotos Halikarnasseus) was a Dorian Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484 BC–ca. ... Map of the southern Levant, c. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a mainly desert peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia and an important part of the greater Middle East. ... This article is about the Jordanian site of Petra. ... Genera Threskiornis Pseudibis Thaumatibis Geronticus Nipponia Bostrychia Theristicus Cercibis Mesembrinibis Phimosus Eudocimus Plegadis Lophotibis Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ...

According to Marco Polo's journals, Polo was walking through Anatolia into Persia and came upon real live flying dragons that attacked his party caravan in the desert and he reported that they were very frightening beasts that almost killed him in an attack.^{[citation needed]} Polo did not write his journals down — they were dictated to his cellmate in prison, and there is much dispute over whether this writer may have invented the dragon to embellish the tale.^{[citation needed]} Polo was also the first western man to describe Chinese "dragon bones" with early writing on them. These bones were presumably either fossils (as described by Chang Qu) or the bones of other animals.^{[citation needed]} Reference: Il Milione Marco Polo (September 15, 1254 – January 8, 1324) was a Venetian trader and explorer who, together with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China (which was then called Cathay) and visited the Great Khan of the Mongol... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... A page of The Travels of Marco Polo The Travels of Marco Polo is the usual English title of Marco Polos travel book, Il Millione (The Million). ...

It has also been suggested by proponents of catastrophism that comets or meteor showers gave rise to legends about fiery serpents in the sky.^{[citation needed]} In Old English, comets were sometimes called fyrene dracan or fiery dragons. Volcanic eruptions may have also been responsible for reinforcing the belief in dragons, although instances in Europe and Asian countries were rare. Catastrophism is the theory that Earth has been affected by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope. ... Comet Hale-Bopp Comet McNaught as seen from Swifts Creek, Victoria, Australia on 23 January 2007 A comet is a small body in the solar system that orbits the Sun and (at least occasionally) exhibits a coma (or atmosphere) and/or a tail â€” both primarily from the effects of... Photo of a burst of meteors with extended exposure time A meteor is the visible path of a meteoroid that enters the Earths (or another bodys) atmosphere, commonly called a shooting star or falling star. ...

In Hindu mythology, Manasa and Vasuki are serpent like creatures associated with the dragon. [1] Indra, is the Hindu storm god who slays Vritra, a large serpent like creature on a mountain. Hindu mythology is a term used by modern scholarship for a large body of Indian literature that details the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... In Hinduism, Manasa is a naga and goddess of fertility. ... Vasuki is a naga, or one of the serpents of Hindu mythology. ... herro For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Vritra (Sanskrit वृत्र Vṛtra, the enveloper) was a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra. ...

The Vietnamese dragon is the combined image of crocodile, snake, lizard and bird. Historically, Vietnamese people lived near rivers, so they venerated crocodiles as "Giao Long", the first kind of Vietnamese dragon. Then, many kinds of dragon were developed in architecture, painting, literature and Vietnamese consciousness. Genera Mecistops Crocodylus Osteolaemus See full taxonomy. ... Aves redirects here. ... The Parthenon on top of the Acropolis, Athens, Greece Architecture (from Latin, architectura and ultimately from Greek, αρχιτεκτων, a master builder, from αρχι- chief, leader and τεκτων, builder, carpenter) is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... Painter redirects here. ... Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ...

In Greek mythology there are many snake or dragon legends, usually in which a serpent or dragon guards some treasure. The first Pelasgian kings of Athens were said to be half human, half snake. The dragon Ladon guarded the Golden Apples of the Sun of the Hesperides. Another serpentine dragon guarded the Golden Fleece, protecting it from theft by Jason and the Argonauts. Similarly, Pythia and Python, a pair of serpents, guarded the temple of Gaia and the Oracular priestess, before the Delphic Oracle was seized by Apollo and the two serpents were draped around his winged caduceus, which he then gave to Hermes. The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and their own cult and ritual practices. ... Ancient Greek writers used the name Pelasgian to refer to groups of people who preceded the Greeks and dwelt in several locations in mainland Greece, Crete, and other regions of the Aegean as neighbors of the Hellenes. ... Nickname: City of Athena or Cradle of Democracy Location of the city of Athens (red dot) within the Prefecture of Athens and Periphery of Attica Coordinates: Country Greece Peripheries Attica Prefecture Athens Founded circa 2000 BC Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis Area    - City 38. ... Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man) is the scientific name for the human species. ... Ladon is the hundred-headed dragon that guarded the garden of the Hesperides in Greek mythology. ... For the ancient Greek city Hesperides see Benghazi. ... Jason returns with the golden Fleece on an Apulian red-figure calyx krater, ca. ... Jason (Greek: Ιάσων, Etruscan: Easun) is a hero of Greek mythology who led the Argonauts in the search of the Golden Fleece. ... The Argo, by Lorenzo Costa In Greek mythology, the Argonauts (Ancient Greek: ) were a band of heroes who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest for the Golden Fleece. ... Aegeus, a mythical king of Athens, consults the Pythia, who sits on a tripod. ... In Greek mythology, Python was the oracular serpent of Delphi. ... Gaia (pronounced // or //) (land or earth, from the Greek ; variant spelling Gaea—see also Ge from ) is a Greek goddess personifying the Earth. ... The word Sibyl comes (via Latin) from the ancient Greek word sibylla, meaning prophetess. ... Lycian Apollo, early Imperial Roman copy of a fourth century Greek original (Louvre Museum) In Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo (Ancient Greek , Apóllōn; or , Apellōn), the ideal of the kouros, was the archer-god of medicine and healing, light, truth, archery and also a bringer of death... The Caduceus Two caduceuses without wings as decoration of door portal in Ztracená street in Olomouc (Czech Republic). ... Hermes bearing the infant Dionysus, by Praxiteles Hermes (IPA: , Greek IPA: ), in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics, of weights and measures and invention and commerce in...

The Greek myths of Hercules and Ladon and others are believed to be based upon an earlier Canaanite myth in which Hadad overcame Lotan, and the Israelite god Yahweh overcame Leviathan. These stories too go back still further in history to the Hittite or Hurrian hero Kumarbi who had to overcome the dragon Illuyankas of the Sea. Hercules and the Nemean Lion (detail), silver plate, 6th century BC (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris). ... Ladon is the hundred-headed dragon that guarded the garden of the Hesperides in Greek mythology. ... Canaan (Canaanite: כנען, Hebrew: , Greek: Χαναάν whence Latin: Canaan; and from Hebrew, Aramaic: whence Arabic: ‎). Canaan is an ancient term for a region approximating present-day Israel(94%.) and West Bank and Gaza plus adjoining coastal lands and parts of Lebanon and Syria. ... Haddad - בעל הדד - حداد (in Ugaritic Haddu) was a very important northwest Semitic storm god and rain god, cognate in name and origin with the Akkadian god Adad. ... This page is about the biblical creature; for other uses, see Leviathan (disambiguation). ... Anthem: Hatikvah (The Hope) Capital Jerusalem[1] Largest city Jerusalem Official languages Hebrew, Arabic Government Parliamentary Democracy  - President Moshe Katsav (temporary reliquishment of power)  - Acting President Dalia Itzik  - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Independence from the United Kingdom   - Declaration 14 May 1948 (05 Iyar 5708)  Area  - Total 22,1451 km² (151th... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Tetragrammaton. ... Destruction of Leviathan. 1865 engraving by Gustave Doré. This article is about the biblical creature. ... Hittite can refer to either: The ancient Anatolian people called the Hittites; or The Hittite language, an ancient Indo-European language they spoke. ... The word Hurrian may refer to: An ancient people of the Near East, the Hurrians. ... The Hurrian father of the gods. ... In Hittite Mythology, Illuyankas was a dragon slain by Teshub. ...

In Australian Aboriginal mythology, the Rainbow Serpent was a culture hero in many parts of the country. Known by different names in different places, from the Waugal of the South Western Nyungar, to the Ganba of the North Central Deserts or the Wanambee of South Australia, the rainbow serpent, associated with the creation of waterholes and river courses, was to be feared and respected. The Rainbow Serpent/Snake is a major mythological being for Aboriginal people across Australia, although the creation stories associated with it are best known from northern Australia. ... The Wagyl or Rainbow Serpent The Wagyl (alternative spelling Waugal or Waagal) is, according to Noongar culture, a snakelike Dreamtime creature responsible for the creation of the Swan and Canning Rivers and other waterways and landforms around present day Perth and the south-west of Western Australia A superior being... Australian aboriginal flag The Noongar (alternate spellings: Nyungar /Nyoongar)[1], are an Australian Aboriginal people who live in the south west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast. ...

Recently, the Discovery Channel ran a programme entitled Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real. The program explored several plausible scientific explanations to portray dragons as if they had actually existed.[2] Discovery Channel is a property of Discovery Communications primarily packaged as a network entertainment brand distributed in virtually every pay-television market in the world. ...

Dragons in world mythology

The ancient Mesopotamian god Marduk and his dragon, from a Babylonian cylinder seal Download high resolution version (692x1220, 251 KB)the god Marduk with his dragon, from a Babylonian cylinder seal. ... Mesopotamia refers to the region now occupied by modern Iraq, eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and Southwest Iran. ... Marduk (Sumerian spelling in Akkadian: AMAR.UTU solar calf; Biblical: Merodach) was the Babylonian name of a late generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon permanently became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi (18th century... Babylonia, named for its capital city, Babylon, an ancient state in the south part of Mesopotamia (in modern Iraq), combining the territories of Sumer and Akkad. ...

Dragon carving on Hopperstad stave church, Norway Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1680x760, 215 KB) Summary Dragon at the Hopperstad stave church Photo Nina Aldin Thune Processing — John Erling Blad (jeb) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Dragon Hopperstad stave church ... This article is actively undergoing a major edit. ...

Saint George slaying the dragon, as depicted by Paolo Uccello, c. 1470 Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1498, 417 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Dragon Saint George ... Saint-George is a municipality with 695 inhabitants (as of 2003) in the district of Aubonne in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. ... Paolo Uccello. ...

The red dragon of Wales, Y Ddraig Goch, on the Flag of Wales Image File history File links Flag_of_Wales_2. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales forever) Anthem: (Welsh for Land of My Fathers) Capital Cardiff (Caerdydd) Largest city Cardiff (Caerdydd) Official language(s) Welsh, English Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056... Y Ddraig Goch on the Flag of Wales Y Ddraig Goch (Welsh for the red dragon) appears on the national Flag of Wales, and is the most famous dragon in Britain. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The Welsh Dragon on the tailfin of an Air Wales ATR 42 aircraft. ...

The Chinese dragon, or Long (also spelled Loong or Lung) in Chinese, is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental (or Eastern) dragon in the West. ... Impact of a drop of water. ... A Japanese dragon, also known as ryū or tatsu (竜 or 龍, dragon) is a legendary creature from Japan. ... Vietnamese dragon, Ly dynasty In Vietnam, the dragon (Vietnamese: rồng or long) is the most important and sacred symbol. ... In mathematics, the trigonometric functions are functions of an angle, important when studying triangles and modeling periodic phenomena. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it more accessible to a general audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Loch Ness Monster (Painting) by Heikenwaelder Hugo Sea serpents are a kind of sea monster either wholly or partly serpentine. ... Yilbegän ([jilbe`gæn];Йилбегән; Yelbegän, Kazan Tatar language: Cilbegän/Җилбегән) is a multi-headed wigned anthropophag monster in the mythology of Turkic peoples of Siberia, as well as Siberian Tatars. ... Saint George versus the dragon, Gustave Moreau, c. ... Lindwurm Brunnen in the center of Klagenfurt A lindworm (called lindorm in Scandinavia and Lindwurm in Germany; the name consists of two Germanic roots meaning roughly ensnaring serpent) is a large serpent-like dragon from European mythology and folklore. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Fáfnir guards the gold hoard in this illustration by Arthur Rackham to Richard Wagners Siegfried. ... Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr, German: Siegfried) was a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. ... The first page of Beowulf This article is about the epic poem. ... Y Ddraig Goch on the Flag of Wales Y Ddraig Goch (Welsh for the red dragon) appears on the national Flag of Wales, and is the most famous dragon in Britain. ... This article is about the pig genus. ... Species See text. ... Dobrynya Nikitich slaying Zmey Gorynych, by Ivan Bilibin Dobrynya Nikitch rescues Princess Zabava from Zmey Gorynych, by Ivan Bilibin In Slavic mythology, European dragons have their peculiarities. ... The Turkic languages constitute a language family of some thirty languages, spoken across a vast area from Eastern Europe to Siberia and West