Dragon

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A dragon is a legendary creature , typically with serpentine shape|serpentine or reptile|reptilian traits, that feature in the mythology|myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon , derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the Chinese dragon , with counterparts in Japan, Korea and other East Asian countries.

The two traditions may have evolved separately, but have influenced each to a certain extent, particularly with the cross-cultural contact of recent centuries. The English word Wikt:dragon|"dragon" derives from Greek language|Greek Wikt:d?????|d????? ( drákon ), "dragon, serpent of huge size, water-snake", which probably comes from the verb Wikt:d?a?e??|d?a?e?? ( drakeîn ) "to see clearly"., Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon , at Perseus project

Name

The word dragon entered the English language in the early 13th century from Old French dragon , which in turn comes from Latin draconem (nominative draco ) meaning "huge serpent, dragon," from the Greek word d?????, drakon (genitive drakontos , d?????t??) "serpent, giant seafish", which is believed to have come from an earlier stem drak- , a stem of derkesthai , "to see clearly," from Proto-Indo-European derk- "to see" or "the one with the (deadly) glance." The Greek and Latin term referred to any great serpent, not necessarily mythological, and this usage was also current in English up to the 18th century.

Morphology

A dragon is a mythological representation of a reptile .
In antiquity, dragons were mostly envisaged as serpent (symbolism)|serpent s, but since the Middle Ages, it has become common to depict them with legs, resembling a lizard .

Dragons are usually shown in modern times with a body like a huge lizard, or a snake with two pairs of lizard-type legs, and able to emit fire from their mouths. The European dragon has bat-type wings growing from its back. A dragon-like creature with no front legs is known as a wyvern .

Comparative mythology

The association of the serpent with a monstrous opponent overcome by a heroic deity has its roots in the mythology of the Ancient Near East, including Canaanite mythology|Canaanite ( Jewish mythology|Hebrew , Ugaritic ), Hittite mythology|Hittite and Mesopotamian mythology|Mesopotamian . The Chaoskampf motif entered Greek mythology and ultimately Christian mythology|Christian mythology, although the serpent motif may already be part of prehistoric Indo-European mythology as well, based on comparative evidence of Rigvedic deities|Indic and Norse mythology|Germanic material. It has been speculated that accounts of spitting cobra s may be the origin of the myths of fire-breathing dragons.

Although dragons occur in many legends around the world, different cultures have varying stories about monsters that have been grouped together under the dragon label. Some dragons are said to breathe fire or to be poisonous, such as in the Old English poem Beowulf .The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 1 by MH Abrams (1999), 6th Ed. They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from egg (biology)|eggs and possessing typically scaly or feathered bodies. They are sometimes portrayed as having especially large eyes or watching treasure very diligently, a feature that is the origin of the word dragon (Greek drakeîn meaning "to see clearly"). Some myths portray them with a row of dorsal spines. European dragon s are more often winged, while Chinese dragon s resemble large snakes. Dragons can have a variable number of legs: none, two, four, or more when it comes to early European literature .

Dragons are often held to have major spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many Asia n cultures dragons were, and in some cultures still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature , religion and the universe . They are associated with wisdom & mdash;often said to be wiser than humans& mdash;and longevity. They are commonly said to possess some form of Magic (paranormal)|magic or other supernatural power, and are often associated with wells, rain, and rivers. In some cultures, they are also said to be capable of Speech|human speech . In some traditions dragons are said to have taught humans to talk.

Narratives about dragons often involve them being killed by a hero .
This topos can be traced to the Chaoskampf of the mythology of the Ancient Near East (e.g. Hadad vs. Yam (god)|Yam , Marduk vs. Tiamat , Teshub vs. Illuyanka , etc.; the Biblical Leviathan presumably reflects a corresponding opponent of an early version of Yahweh ). The motive is continued in Greek Apollo , and the early Christian narratives about Archangel Michael and Saint George .
The slaying of Vrtra by Indra in the Rigveda also belongs in this category.
The theme survives into medieval legend and folklore, with dragon slayers such as
Beowulf (hero)|Beowulf , Sigurd , Tristan and Iseult|Tristan , Margaret the Virgin , Heinrich von Winkelried , Dobrynya Nikitich , Smok Wawelski|Skuba Dratewka / Krakus .
In Biblical myth, the archetype is alluded to in the descendants of Adam crushing the head of the Serpent (Bible)|Serpent , and in Christian mythology, this was interpreted as corresponding to Christ as the "New Adam" crushing the Devil .

The Blood#Cultural_and_religious_beliefs|blood of a slain dragon is depicted as either beneficient or as poisonous in medieval legend and literary fiction.
In German legend, dragon blood has the power to render invincible skin or armor bathed in it, as is the case with Sigurd|Siegfried 's skin or Ortnit 's armor.
In the Slavic mythology|Slavic myth , the Earth refuses it as it is so vile that Mother Earth (deity)|Mother Earth wishes not to have it within her womb, and it remains above ground for all eternity.
The blood of the dragon in Beowulf has acid ic qualities, allowing it to seep through iron.
Heinrich von Winkelried dies after the blood of the dragon slain by him accidentially drips on him.

Near Eastern and European

Greek mythology

In Ancient Greece the first mention of a "dragon" is derived from the Iliad where Agamemnon is described as having a blue dragon motif on his sword belt and an emblem of a three-headed dragon on his breast plate.Drury, Nevill, The Dictionary of the Esoteric, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2003 ISBN 81-208-1989-6, , , books.google.com However, the Greek word used (d????? drákon , genitive d?????t?? drákontos ) could also mean "snake". ?????? drákon is a form of the aorist participle Grammatical voice|active of Greek d????µa? dérkomai = "I see", derkeîn = "to see", and originally likely meant "that which sees", or "that which flashes or gleams" (perhaps referring to reflective scales). This is the origin of the word "dragon". (See also Hesiod 's Theogony , 322.)

In 217 A.D., Philostratus|Flavius Philostratus ()??????? d??t??. ?????? G?. Retrieved June 5, 2011, from http://hellinon.net/NeesSelides/Limnos.htm discussed dragons (d?????, drákon) in India in The Life of Apollonius of Tyana (II,17 and III,6–8). The Loeb Classical Library translation (by F.C. Conybeare) mentions (III,7) that “In most respects the tusks resemble the largest swine’s, but they are slighter in build and twisted, and have a point as unabraded as sharks’ teeth.”

According to a collection of books by Claudius Aelianus () ? f?s?????µ?a e??? ?a?? ?eµe????. ????? ??a t?? ????. Retrieved June 5, 2011, from http://www.etwinning.gr/projects/elia/muthoi.htm called On Animals , Ethiopia was inhabited by a species of dragon that hunted elephants. It could grow to a length of 180 feet and had a lifespan rivaling that of the most enduring of animals.

European

European dragons exist in folklore and mythology among the overlapping Culture of Europe|cultures of Europe . Dragons are generally depicted as living in rivers or having an underground lair or cave. They are commonly described as having hard or armoured hide, and are rarely described as flying, despite often depicted with wings.

European dragons are usually depicted as malevolent though there are exceptions (such as Y Ddraig Goch , the Red Dragon of Wales).

Slavic dragon

In Slavic mythology , the words “zmey” , "zmiy" or "zmaj" are used to describe dragons. These words are masculine forms of the Slavic word for "snake", which are normally feminine (like Russian zmeya ). In Romania , there is a similar figure, derived from the Slavic dragon and named zmeu . Exclusively in Polish and Belarusian folklore, as well as in the other Slavic folklores, a dragon is also called smok (????, ????, smok). In South Slavic folklores, the same thing is also called lamya (?????, ???j?, lamja). Although quite similar to other European dragon s, Slavic dragons have their peculiarities.

Russia n dragons usually have heads in multiples of three. Some have heads that grow back if every single head isn't cut off. In Ukraine and Russia , a particular dragon-like creature, Zmey Gorynych , has Multi-headed animal|three heads and spits fire. According to one bylina , Zmey Gorynych was killed by bogatyr Dobrynya Nikitich .

Other Russian dragons (such as Tugarin Zmeyevich ) have Turkic languages|Turkic names, probably symbolizing the Mongols and other nomadic steppe peoples. Accordingly, St George (symbolizing Christianity ) killing the Dragon (symbolizing Satan ) is represented on the coat of arms of Moscow . Some prehistoric structures, notably the Serpent's Wall near Kiev , have been associated with dragons.

Ancient India

In the Historical Vedic religion|early Vedic religion , Vritra ( Sanskrit : ????? ( Devanagari ) or ( IAST )) "the enveloper", was an Asura and also a " naga (mythology)|naga " (serpent) ()naga ?? ???? ????? ???. Retrieved June 5, 2011, from http://dict.hinkhoj.com/shabdkosh.php? word=naga or possibly dragon-like creature, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra . Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi ("snake") (),??? ?? ???? ???????? ???. Retrieved June 5, 2011, from http://dict.hinkhoj.com/meaning-of-%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF-in-english.html and he is said to have had three heads.

The Life of Apollonius of Tyana by Flavius Philostratus :Flavius Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana , translated by F. C. Conybeare, volume I, book III. chapters VI, VII, VIII, 1921, pp. 243–247. contains a long detailed description of India heavily infested with dragons, but this does not correspond with modern Indian belief, and likely not with Indian belief as it was in his time, whether Apollonius invented this story, or whether he believed someone else who told him it.

Persian

Aži Dahaka is the source of the Persian language|modern Persian word azhdaha or ezhdeha ???? ?? (Middle Persian azdahag) meaning "dragon", often used of a dragon depicted upon a banner of war. The Persians believed that the baby of a dragon will be the same color as the mother's eyes. In Middle Persian he is called Dahag or Bevar-Asp, the latter meaning " 10,000 horses."
Several other dragons and dragon-like creatures, all of them malevolent, are mentioned in Zoroastrian scripture. (See Zahhak ).

Jewish

In Jewish religious texts, the first mention of a dragon-like creature is in the Tanakh|Biblical works of Book of Job|Job (26:13), and Book of Isaiah|Isaiah (27:1) where it is called ''Nachash Bare'ach , or a " Geographical pole|Pole Serpent".p. 233, Kaplan This is identified in the Midrash Rabba to Genesis 1:21 as Leviathan from the word Taninim (??????) "and God created the great sea-monsters."Freedman, Rabbi Dr. H. (translation), Simon M., editor, Midrash Rabbah: Genesis, Volume one, The Soncino Press, London, 1983, p. 51. In Hebrew language|modern Hebrew the word Taninim is used for Crocodile s but this is a 20th century usage unconnected with the original Biblical meaning.

In later Biblical texts, the Book of Isaiah , the Book of Job , and Psalm 89 refer to a sea-demon called Rahab (demon)|Rahab (not to be confused with Rahab , the woman of Jericho mentioned in the Book of Joshua ). equates this Rahab with a dragon or monster. "Rahab" is the English transliteration of ??? ( reb ) with the several meanings: pride, a mythical sea-monster, or Egypt (as an emblematic name). In the Douay-Rheims version, translated via Medieval Latin from the Vulgate , the word reb is rendered "the proud one" in and and "the power of the sea" in (Psalm 88 is equivalent to Psalm 89 in other versions due to different verse numbering in the Vulgate). The connection between the sea-monster and "Leviathan the serpent" is made in .

In Jewish astronomy this is also identified with the North Pole , the star Thuban which, around 4,500 years ago, was the star in the Draco (constellation)|Draco constellation's "tail". However this can also have been either the celestial pole or the ecliptic pole . The ancient observers noted that Draco was at the top of the celestial pole, giving the appearance that stars were "hanging" from it, and in Hebrew it is referred to as Teli , from talah (???) – to hang.p. 1670, Jastrow ref to Genesis 38:14, Y.Sot.I 16d (bot.) Hebrew writers from Arabic-speaking locations identified the Teli as ''Al Jaz'har'', which is a Persian word for a "knot" or a "node" because of the intersection of the inclination of the orbit of a planet from the elliptic that forms two such nodes. In modern astronomy these are called the ascending node and the descending node , but in History of astronomy#Western European Astronomy in the Middle Ages|medieval astronomy they were referred to as "dragon's head" and "dragon's tail".p. 235, Kaplan

The Merthyr Synagogue features a dragon on the front gable.Kadish, Sharman (2006) Jewish Heritage in England: an architectural guide . Swindon: English Heritage ISBN 1-905624-28-X; p. 203

East and Southeast Asian

Chinese dragon

In China, depiction of the dragon ( Traditional Chinese characters|traditional :?; Simplified Chinese characters|simplified :?) can be found in artifacts from the Shang and Zhou dynasties with examples dating back to the 16th century BC. Archaeologist Zhou Chong-Fa believes that the Chinese word for dragon is an onomatopoeia of the sound thunder makes.People's Daily On-line (2001), Chinese Dragon Originates From Primitive Agriculture: Archaeologist. Retrieved June 5, 2011. The Chinese name for dragon is pronounced "lóng" in Mandarin Chinese or "lùhng" in the Cantonese .Caihua Guan. English-Cantonese Dictionary: Cantonese in Yale Romanization. Sometime after the 9th century AD, Japan adopted the Chinese dragon through the spread of Buddhism. Although the indigenous name for a dragon in Japanese is , a few of the Japanese words for dragon stem from the Chinese word for dragon, namely, or ( kyujitai|traditional :?; shinjitai|simplified :?).. Retrieved June 5, 2011 The Vietnamese dragon|Vietnamese word for dragon is "r?ng" ( hán t? :?) and the Korean dragon|Korean word for dragon is "ryong" ( hangul :?) ( hanja :?).

The Chinese dragon () is the highest-ranking animal in the Chinese animal hierarchy, strongly associated at one time with the emperor and hence power and majesty (the mythical bird fenghuang was the symbol of the Chinese empress), still recognized and revered. Its origins are vague, but its "ancestors can be found on Neolithic pottery as well as Bronze Age ritual vessels."Welch, Patricia Bjaaland. Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery , Tuttle Publishing, 2008, p. 121 Tradition has it composed of nine different animals, with nine sons, each with its own imagery and affiliations. It is the only mythological animal of the 12 animals that represent the Chinese calendar . 2012 is the Chinese year of the Water Dragon.

Japanese

Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and India. Like these other Asian dragons, most Japanese ones are Water deity|water deities associated with rainfall and Body of water|bodies of water , and are typically depicted as large, wingless, serpentine creatures with clawed feet. Gould writes (1896:248),Gould, Charles. 1896. . W. H. Allen & Co. the Japanese dragon is "invariably figured as possessing three claws".

Vietnam

Vietnamese dragons (Vietnamese: r?ng or long ?) are symbolic creatures in the folklore and mythology of Vietnam. According to an ancient creation myth, the Vietnamese people are descended from a dragon and a fairy.
To Vietnamese people, the dragon brings rain, essential for agriculture. It represents the emperor, the prosperity and power of the nation. Like the Chinese dragon, the Vietnamese dragon is the symbol of yang, representing the universe, life, existence, and growth.
Extant references to the Vietnamese Dragon are rare now, due to the fierce changes in history that accompanied the sinicization of the Nguy?n Dynasty.

Java

: For the description in Indonesian see :id:Naga Jawa .
:''
The Javan ese Dragon ( Naga Jawa in Javanese) is a creature of mythology, the world serpent of traditional Javanese mythology. It is a derivative from the Hindu Shiva with Javanese animism . In a wayang theater story a snake ( Naga ) god named Sanghyang Anantaboga or Antaboga is supposedly as a guardian deity in the bowels of the earth. The Javanese dragon is described as a figure of a giant magic snake without, and wearing a crown on his head. Sometimes the Javanese Dragon is depicted wearing earrings and a necklace of gold jewelry. Unlike the Chinese Dragon and European Dragon, the Javanese Dragon Java looks very unique and special because it wears a crown like a king and had no legs. Compare with the Chinese dragon which has four legs and horns on its head, and the European dragon which is like a giant long-necked lizard with wide wings.Susanne Rodemeier: Lego-lego Platz und naga-Darstellung. Jenseitige Kräfte im Zentrum einer Quellenstudie über die ostindonesische Insel Alor . (Magisterarbeit 1993) Universität Passau 2007Heinrich Zimmer: Indische Mythen und Symbole . Diederichs, Düsseldorf 1981, ISBN 3-424-00693-9

Modern depictions

In the early 20th century sculpture of the Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland , inspired by Medieval art , dragons are a frequent theme—as symbols of sin but also as a nature force, fighting against man.

Dragons and dragon motifs are featured in many works of modern literature, particularly within the fantasy and science fiction genres. Prominent works depicting dragons include J.R.R. Tolkien ’s The Hobbit , J. K. Rowling ’s Harry Potter novels, and Anne McCaffrey ’s Dragonriders of Pern .

The popular role playing game system Dungeons & Dragons (D& D) makes heavy use of Dragons (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragons , and has served as inspiration for many other games' dragons. Though dragons usually serve as adversaries, they can be either good or evil, with their Alignment (role-playing games)|alignment being determined by their color (species). For example, a Red Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|red dragon is evil and breathes fire.

Some modern pseudo-biological accounts of dragons give them the name of a biological genus|generic name Draco , although the generic name Draco (genus)| Draco is used in real-world biology for a genus of small gliding agamid lizard. An infectious disease called Dracunculiasis , caused by infection with the Guinea worm which grows up to long before emerging from its host, also derives its name from dragons (literally "infestation with little dragons"), based on the burning pain experienced by sufferers.

Some Creationist perspectives on dinosaurs#Paleontology and dinosaurs|creationists believe that dragons of mythology were actually dinosaur s, and that they died out with other creatures around the end of the ice age . Unlocking the secrets of creation by Dennis R. Peterson The Genesis Flood by John C. Whitcomb Jr.

Animals that may have inspired dragons

Nile crocodile s, today very restricted in range, were in ancient times occasionally found in Southern Europe, having swum across the Mediterranean . Such wayward crocodiles may have inspired dragon myths. Skeletons of whales, as well as dinosaur and mammalian fossils may have been occasionally mistaken for the bones of dragons and other mythological creatures; for example, a discovery in 300 BC in Wucheng , Sichuan , China , was labeled as such by Chang Qu . Adrienne Mayor has written on the subject of fossils as the inspiration for myths in her book The First Fossil Hunters , and in an entry in the Encyclopedia of Geology she wrote: "Fossil remains generated a variety of geomythology|geomyths speculating on the creatures' identity and cause of their destruction. Many ancient cultures, from China and India to Greece, America, and Australia, told tales of dragons, monsters, and giant heroes.."Adrienne Mayor in Encyclopedia of Geology , ed. Richard Selley, Robin Cocks, and Ian Palmer. Elsevier:2004 In Australia, stories of such creatures may have referred to the land crocodiles, Quinkana sp., a terrestrial crocodile which grew to 5 to possibly 7 metres long, or the 4 tonne monitor lizard Varanus priscus (formerly Megalania prisca ) a giant carnivorous goanna that might have grown to 7 metres, and weighed up to 1,940 kilograms, or rainbow serpents (possibly Wonambi naracoortensis ) that were part of the extinct megafauna of Australia.Mackness, B.S. 2009. Reconstructing Palorchestes (Marsupialia: Palorchestidae) — from Giant Kangaroo to Marsupial ‘Tapir’. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 130: 21–36. Today the Komodo monitor lizard Varanus komodoensis is known in English as the Komodo dragon .

In the book An Instinct for Dragons anthropologist David E. Jones suggests a hypothesis that humans just like monkeys have inherited instinctive reactions to snakes, large cats and birds of prey. Dragons have features that are combinations of these three. An instinctive fear for these three would explain why dragons with similar features occur in stories from independent cultures on all continents. Other authors have suggested that especially under the influence of drugs or in dreams, this instinct may give rise to fantasies about dragons, snakes, spiders, etc., which would explain why these symbols are popular in drug culture.

Another explanation to the folklore dragons does however not rely on human instinct, but on the assumption that fossil remains of dinosaurs gave rise to similar speculations all over the world.

Cartography

There is a widespread belief that earlier cartographer s used the Latin phrase hic sunt dracones , i.e., "the dragons are here", or "here be dragons", to denote dangerous or unexplored territories, in imitation of the infrequent medieval practice of putting sea serpent s and other mythological creatures in blank areas of maps. However the only known use of this exact phrase is in the Latin form "HC SVNT DRACONES" on the Lenox Globe (ca. 1503–07).

Here_be_dragons#Other_creatures_on_maps|Another map that contains dragons is the one of Bishop Olaus Magnus's. The Carta Marina|Carta Marina map of Scandinavia (1539) has many monsters in the northern sea, as well as a winged, bipedal, predatory land animal resembling a dragon in northern Lapland.

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