I have been thinking about this subject for a while, and when you think about it, almost -every- civilization in history has had some type of dragon folklore. Is it possible that dragons ever existed? I doubt it but it is interesting every one had some type of dragon, Mayans, Chinese, Europeans, North American Indians all developed types of dragons. Could even their mythical fire breathing ability be logically explained?
Dragons?
- Thread starter Kipler
- Start date
There was a show on the History Channel about this. They more or less ended with the hypothesis that dragons were thought up out of the imagination of ancient civilizations when they had uncovered dinosaur bones/skeletons. Since dinosaurs were pretty much all over the earth, most every civilization would have uncovered one type or another.
The archaeologists/historians also speculated that the fire breathing capability came from overactive imaginations of the people in those times.
I'll try to dig up some more information about this. I was also curious before I watched that episode on why most every civilization had dragons, even though they had never communicated.
Personally, I've always wondered if humans and dinos coexisted for periods of time even though the fossil record seems to indicate otherwise. If so, stories (plus a normal amount of imagination would always be involved) could have easily been passed down.
Fire? No way. The most logical reason behind that myth is that great beasts were seen with 'smoke' (condensed vapor) coming from the mouths when they bellowed strongly on cold days/mornings. Of course people were seen doing the same thing but not the tremendous cloud a large animal would exhale.
I'm the type of person who is probably more open minded than is good for him. Even I, think it's just an explanation for large dino bones found.
Dinosaurs mostly died off around 65 million years ago. Modern humans weren't even around half a million years ago...
Komodo Dragon
welsh dragon:
also i have a tattoo like this one:
welsh dragon:
also i have a tattoo like this one:
Bearded Dragon:
dragons are beautiful, and welsh people adore them!!
it came from exaggeration of real life creatures, like mentioned above the komodo dragon, the crocodile, large lizards and various other types of big reptle like animals.
people from ancient europe times went on journeys and discovered the likes of these animals from other parts of the world. i cant remember exactly but there was a certain duke of england who went to a country wich housed the cocodile species. he fought it and died. the legends of him state that a dragon killed him, and that other knights slayed the dragon. when it was obviously not a real dragon.
the fire breathing myth does not co-exist with every dragon folk lore. neither does dragons being evil and destructive. like the asian dragons, they are seen as lucky and good natured. the chinese dragons are also different in appearence, they are more slender and long. unlike the bulky thick muscular winged dragons of europe.
usualy all myths have its roots based in minor facts or exxagerated truths. dragons do exist in the animal kingdom, but they are not the size of a house and dont breathe fire. they are crocodiles, sea creatures, komodo dragons and large lizards.
also i believe the chinese dragon is based on a certain river creature. i dont know its name, but it is very long and eel like. but much more thick and muscular. that could have set the standard for asian dragon myths, as it bears a big resemblance.
peace.
people from ancient europe times went on journeys and discovered the likes of these animals from other parts of the world. i cant remember exactly but there was a certain duke of england who went to a country wich housed the cocodile species. he fought it and died. the legends of him state that a dragon killed him, and that other knights slayed the dragon. when it was obviously not a real dragon.
the fire breathing myth does not co-exist with every dragon folk lore. neither does dragons being evil and destructive. like the asian dragons, they are seen as lucky and good natured. the chinese dragons are also different in appearence, they are more slender and long. unlike the bulky thick muscular winged dragons of europe.
usualy all myths have its roots based in minor facts or exxagerated truths. dragons do exist in the animal kingdom, but they are not the size of a house and dont breathe fire. they are crocodiles, sea creatures, komodo dragons and large lizards.
also i believe the chinese dragon is based on a certain river creature. i dont know its name, but it is very long and eel like. but much more thick and muscular. that could have set the standard for asian dragon myths, as it bears a big resemblance.
peace.
this was caught in the mekong river in thailand. by US troops.
this was also caught int he mekong river.
many species like these exist in asian waters, they could have brought about the slender long asian dragon myth?.
its my best theory anyway.
peace.
this was also caught int he mekong river.
many species like these exist in asian waters, they could have brought about the slender long asian dragon myth?.
its my best theory anyway.
peace.
Is that an oarfish? I can't see its head too well, but if it has spangles on it, I think it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fr8QIpcTsI&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fr8QIpcTsI&mode=related&search=
What the hell is that first thing?
its the asian dragon
. 
i seriously think thats where the legend comes from, just look how simular they are.
peace.
i seriously think thats where the legend comes from, just look how simular they are..
wow, they do look a heck of a lot alike, don't they.
I wonder why Europe's are mean and Asia's are nice.
Now that I think about it, the fire thing may have come from large reptiles usually having acidic breath. And we have all heard of Pyterodactyls. Perhaps the dragon is the evolutionary link between large reptiles today and them and the "fire" being an orange gas of acid or orange saliva. Komodo saliva is known to feel like your on fire when it comes in contact with you. Perhaps were dealing with some kind of more potent acid from a larger reptile? It could of perhaps spat acid, like how some of today's reptile spit venom.
yeah i seriously think that is the link between fact and legend with the asian dragon. also i was told a story once by a chinese guy, and cutting a long story short. there was a huge dragon, it could fly but didnt have wings, and it smashed through solid rock in the earths surface, and as it was winding a snake like pattern in the soil, it created a huge river base, that base filled with water and is what we call today the yangtze river.
ofcourse it is just a myth, but it also adds to the theory i am getting at, that it is based on a real water creature. i dont know why asian dragons are seen as good opposed to western evil dragons though.
but i have studied a little feng shui in the past, and the dragon is seen as a protector in the 5 animal system, let me remember some things and see if i got this right. the snake represents you in the middle, the tortoise is the solid defence to your back, the pheonix is your spirit energy beaming out infront of you, the tiger is the low gaurd to your right, and the dragon is the protector looking out for you up on yur left. i might have got the dragon and the tiger mixed up, and the dragon might be on your right.
anyway its to position things, like building a house or even sitting in a room. sit with your back to a wall, with a wide open space infront of you, with a low solid object to your lower right, and a tall high object to your upper left. this will give you a position of power. same applies to your house position. but increase the size of things. like a mountain to your back of the house, a open space tot he front, tall trees to your left, and a solid mound or boulder to your right.
ok i wills top writting now thats enough.
peace.