AllAboutCreation.org states: "Dragon history is nearly universal throughout the world's ancient cultures. Where did this global concept originate? How did societies throughout the world describe, record, draw, etch, sew and carve such creatures in such uniformity, if they did not witness these creatures during their lifetimes?"
Herodotus
The Greek historian Herodotus has been called “the Father of History” because he was the first historian we know who collected his materials systematically and then tested them for accuracy. He noted these observations during the 5th century BC (500 BC to 400 BC).
“There is a place in Arabia, situated very near the city of Buto, to which I went, on hearing of some winged serpents; and when I arrived there, I saw bones and spines of serpents, in such quantities as it would be impossible to describe. The form of the serpent is like that of the water-snake; but he has wings without feathers, and as like as possible to the wings of a bat."
Herodotus, in speaking of Egypt, talks about the ibis, a bird held in high esteem there. The reason the ibis is so revered in Egypt is because of its habit of killing snakes - particularly nasty snakes, in fact. And not just regular snakes, but flying snakes. According to Herodotus, these snakes come flying into Egypt every year from the east (i.e., the Arabian peninsula or Sinai wilderness), but the ibises catch them as they fly through a rocky pass, and slaughter the flying snakes there, so that they do not invade Egypt (Herodotus 2.75-76). This is all to the good, as Herodotus reports that these snakes only live in the Middle eastern deserts, perching in trees in large numbers, and happen to be very vicious and poisonous. They also happen to be cannibalistic in reproducing, as the female consumes the male in the style of the praying mantis, and then when the young are born (live, not from eggs), they eat their way out of their mother's belly. (3.107-110)
“There is a place in Arabia, situated very near the city of Buto, to which I went, on hearing of some winged serpents; and when I arrived there, I saw bones and spines of serpents, in such quantities as it would be impossible to describe. The form of the serpent is like that of the water-snake; but he has wings without feathers, and as like as possible to the wings of a bat."
Herodotus, in speaking of Egypt, talks about the ibis, a bird held in high esteem there. The reason the ibis is so revered in Egypt is because of its habit of killing snakes - particularly nasty snakes, in fact. And not just regular snakes, but flying snakes. According to Herodotus, these snakes come flying into Egypt every year from the east (i.e., the Arabian peninsula or Sinai wilderness), but the ibises catch them as they fly through a rocky pass, and slaughter the flying snakes there, so that they do not invade Egypt (Herodotus 2.75-76). This is all to the good, as Herodotus reports that these snakes only live in the Middle eastern deserts, perching in trees in large numbers, and happen to be very vicious and poisonous. They also happen to be cannibalistic in reproducing, as the female consumes the male in the style of the praying mantis, and then when the young are born (live, not from eggs), they eat their way out of their mother's belly. (3.107-110)
Alexander the Great
In 330 BC, after Alexander the Great invaded India, he brought back reports of seeing a great hissing dragon living in a cave, which people were worshiping as gods. One of Alexander the Great's lieutenants named Onesicritus stated that the Indian king Abisarus kept serpents that were 120 and 210 feet long. Subsequent Greek rulers are said to have brought dragons back alive from Ethiopia.
When Alexander threw some parts of India into a commotion and took possession of others he encountered among many other animals a Serpent which lived in a cavern and was regarded as sacred by the Indians who paid it great and superstitious reverence. Accordingly Indians went to all lengths imploring Alexander to permit nobody to attack the Serpent; and he assented to their wish. Now as the army passed by the cavern and caused a noise, the Serpent was aware of it. (It has, you know, the sharpest hearing and the keenest sight of all animals.) And it hissed and snorted so violently that all were terrified and confounded. It was reported to measure 70 cubits although it was not visible in all its length, for it only put its head out. At any rate its eyes are said to have been the size of a large, round Macedonian shield. Aelianus, Claudius, On Animals, Book #XV, Chapter 19-23, c.210-230.
When Alexander threw some parts of India into a commotion and took possession of others he encountered among many other animals a Serpent which lived in a cavern and was regarded as sacred by the Indians who paid it great and superstitious reverence. Accordingly Indians went to all lengths imploring Alexander to permit nobody to attack the Serpent; and he assented to their wish. Now as the army passed by the cavern and caused a noise, the Serpent was aware of it. (It has, you know, the sharpest hearing and the keenest sight of all animals.) And it hissed and snorted so violently that all were terrified and confounded. It was reported to measure 70 cubits although it was not visible in all its length, for it only put its head out. At any rate its eyes are said to have been the size of a large, round Macedonian shield. Aelianus, Claudius, On Animals, Book #XV, Chapter 19-23, c.210-230.
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and scientist born in Stagirus, northern Greece, in 384 BCE. He wrote the following: "The eagle and the dragon are enemies, for the eagle feeds on serpents"; and again, "the Glanis in shallow water is often destroyed by the dragon serpent." It might perhaps be supposed that the crocodile is here referred to, but this is specially spoken of in another passage, as follows: "But there are others which, though they live and feed in the water, do not take in water but air, and produce their young out of the water; many of these animals are furnished with feet, as the otter and crocodile, and others are without feet, as the water-serpent."
Marco Polo
Marco Polo traveled through Asia, Persia, China, and Indonesia from 1271-1291 AD, and recorded his journey in a work titled The Travels of Marco Polo, which was published in 1300 AD. Much of his book detailed the interesting customs of the different ethnic groups he encountered, as well as the varieties of animals and plants associated with them. In chapter 49, Polo describes a dragons found in a province named Karajan, which is relayed in a matter of fact manner without any embellished mythologizing. He also goes on to explain the behavior of the creature and how the people of the area killed them. Marco Polo wrote: "Leaving the city of Yachi, and traveling ten days in a westerly direction, you reach the province of Karazan, which is also the name of the chief city....Here are seen huge serpents, ten paces in length (about 30 feet), and ten spans (about 8 feet) girt of the body. At the fore part, near the head, they have two short legs, having three claws like those of a tiger, with eyes larger than a forepenny loaf (pane da quattro denari) and very glaring.
The jaws are wide enough to swallow a man, the teeth are large and sharp, and their whole appearance is so formidable, that neither man, nor any kind of animal can approach them without terror. Others are met with of a smaller size, being eight, six, or 5 paces long; and the following method is used for taking them. In the day-time, by reason of great heat, they lurk in caverns, from whence, at night, they issue to seek their food, and whatever beast they meet with and can lay hold of, whether tiger, wolf, or any other, they devour;
After which they drag themselves towards some lake, spring of water, or river, in order to drink. By their motion in this way along the shore, and their vast weight, they make a deep impression, as if a heavy beam had been drawn along the sands. Those whose employment is to hunt them observe the track by which they are most frequently accustomed to go, and fix into the ground several pieces of wood, armed with sharp iron spikes, which they cover with sand in such a manner as not to be perceptible.
When therefore the animals make their way towards the places they usually haunt, they are wounded by these instruments, and speedily killed. The crows, as soon as they perceive them to be dead, set up to scream; and this serves as a signal to the hunters, who advance the spot, and proceed to separate the skin from the flesh, taking care immediately to secure the gall, which is most highly esteemed in medicine.
In cases of the bite of a mad dog, a penny weight of it, dissolved in wine, is administered. It is also useful in accelerating parturition, when the labor pains of women have come on. A small quantity of it being applied to carbuncles, pustules, or other eruptions on the body, they are presently dispersed; and it is efficacious in many other complaints.
The flesh also of the animal is sold at a dear rate, being thought to have a higher flavor than other kinds of meat, and by all persons it is esteemed a delicacy." (The Travels of Marco Polo, © 1948,Book 2, Chapter XL, pg. 185-186)
Marco Polo also lived in China for 17 yrs around 1271 A.D. and reported that the emperor raised dragons to pull his chariots in parades. In 1611 the emperor appointed the post of a “Royal Dragon Feeder.” Books even tell of Chinese families raising dragons to use their blood for medicines and highly prizing their eggs.
The jaws are wide enough to swallow a man, the teeth are large and sharp, and their whole appearance is so formidable, that neither man, nor any kind of animal can approach them without terror. Others are met with of a smaller size, being eight, six, or 5 paces long; and the following method is used for taking them. In the day-time, by reason of great heat, they lurk in caverns, from whence, at night, they issue to seek their food, and whatever beast they meet with and can lay hold of, whether tiger, wolf, or any other, they devour;
After which they drag themselves towards some lake, spring of water, or river, in order to drink. By their motion in this way along the shore, and their vast weight, they make a deep impression, as if a heavy beam had been drawn along the sands. Those whose employment is to hunt them observe the track by which they are most frequently accustomed to go, and fix into the ground several pieces of wood, armed with sharp iron spikes, which they cover with sand in such a manner as not to be perceptible.
When therefore the animals make their way towards the places they usually haunt, they are wounded by these instruments, and speedily killed. The crows, as soon as they perceive them to be dead, set up to scream; and this serves as a signal to the hunters, who advance the spot, and proceed to separate the skin from the flesh, taking care immediately to secure the gall, which is most highly esteemed in medicine.
In cases of the bite of a mad dog, a penny weight of it, dissolved in wine, is administered. It is also useful in accelerating parturition, when the labor pains of women have come on. A small quantity of it being applied to carbuncles, pustules, or other eruptions on the body, they are presently dispersed; and it is efficacious in many other complaints.
The flesh also of the animal is sold at a dear rate, being thought to have a higher flavor than other kinds of meat, and by all persons it is esteemed a delicacy." (The Travels of Marco Polo, © 1948,Book 2, Chapter XL, pg. 185-186)
Marco Polo also lived in China for 17 yrs around 1271 A.D. and reported that the emperor raised dragons to pull his chariots in parades. In 1611 the emperor appointed the post of a “Royal Dragon Feeder.” Books even tell of Chinese families raising dragons to use their blood for medicines and highly prizing their eggs.
China's History
Chinese history, the longest continuous secular history of any nation, is full of dragons. Ancient Chinese books even tell of a family that kept "dragons" and raised babies. It is said that in those days, Chinese kings used "dragons" for pulling royal chariots on special occasions, a fact of which famous explorer Marco Polo himself attested to. In 1611 B.C., the Emperor of China appointed the first Royal Dragon Feeder, which remained an honored post for many years afterward. According to Buddhist records, the practice of feeding dragons was common throughout the Orient. There was one dragon chapel on the Indus River where a copper vessel was kept filled with cream to feed the dragons.
As late as the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.), the saliva of the purple dragon was said to be used to inscribe the names of the most honored ministers and their stories on tablets of jade, gold, and crystal. Marco Polo was in China at this time and reported seeing them. To have a ready supply, the purple dragons were raised in the palace compound. It is recorded that the dragon’s favorite food was roasted sparrows. When its saliva was needed, roasted sparrows were waved under its nose, and the dragon would drool.
The Chinese used dragons for medicinal purposes from ancient times until as late as the 16th century A.D., as seen in a prescription narrative by Pan Ts’ai Kang Mu. Many of the medical treatments used bone remains and soft tissue, which required freshly-killed dragon parts, not fossils. Ground spine was used to cure gallstones, infantile fever, paralysis of the legs, and ailments of pregnant women. Teeth were used in the treatment of headaches and madness. Brain and liver were used against dysentery.
After a great flood, Yu surveyed the land of China and divided it into sections. He built channels to drain the water off to the sea and helped make the land livable again. Many snakes and "dragons" were driven from the marshlands when Yu created the new farmlands.
As late as the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.), the saliva of the purple dragon was said to be used to inscribe the names of the most honored ministers and their stories on tablets of jade, gold, and crystal. Marco Polo was in China at this time and reported seeing them. To have a ready supply, the purple dragons were raised in the palace compound. It is recorded that the dragon’s favorite food was roasted sparrows. When its saliva was needed, roasted sparrows were waved under its nose, and the dragon would drool.
The Chinese used dragons for medicinal purposes from ancient times until as late as the 16th century A.D., as seen in a prescription narrative by Pan Ts’ai Kang Mu. Many of the medical treatments used bone remains and soft tissue, which required freshly-killed dragon parts, not fossils. Ground spine was used to cure gallstones, infantile fever, paralysis of the legs, and ailments of pregnant women. Teeth were used in the treatment of headaches and madness. Brain and liver were used against dysentery.
After a great flood, Yu surveyed the land of China and divided it into sections. He built channels to drain the water off to the sea and helped make the land livable again. Many snakes and "dragons" were driven from the marshlands when Yu created the new farmlands.
Morvidus
Morvidus was king of the Britons from 341 to 336 B.C., as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was killed by a dragon or monster that appeared from the Irish Sea and began devouring the inhabitants of the western shores. In an attempt to stop this, Morvidus met the beast in single-combat and used every weapon he could against her, but to no avail. The monster lunged at Morvidus and consumed him. Geoffrey described the animal as a type of dragon called a Belua, which "gulped down the body of Morvidus as a big fish swallows a little one".
The Wawel Dragon
The Wawel dragon is a famous dragon in Polish folklore, also known as the Dragon of Kraków. The oldest known account of the story comes from 12th century (1101 to 1200 a.d.), in the work by Wincenty Kadłubek. According to the legend it lived in a cave under Wawel Hill in the early 8th century. The cave (which is today a popular tourist attraction) is on the banks of the Vistula river in Kraków, Poland. The dragon is said to have eaten nearby cattle and after many attempts to kill it, the beast was ultimately poisoned with sulfur by a man named Krakus who later became the monarch and namesake for the city.
Saint George
Another famous account of a dragon slaying is the story of Saint George and the Dragon, which was included in Jacobus de Voragine's Legenda Aurea (or Golden Legend), a collection of Saints' lives compiled around the year 1260 and translated into English and published by William Caxton in 1483. Cathedrals have been built in recognition of and named after St. George in Ontario, Canada (1828), Perth, Australia (1888), and London, England (1848). There are also several in the United States. These cathedrals all proudly display a painting or relic somewhere depicting the slaying of the dragon by St. George. A modern version of the legend
says: At the town of Silene, in Libya, there was a dragon, who was appeased by being fed two sheep a day; when these failed, the townsfolk offered by lot one of their young people. One day the lot fell on the King's daughter, who was led out to the sacrifice, dressed in her wedding gown. George appeared and transfixed the dragon with his spear and then using the Princess's girdle led the bemused dragon into the town, where it was beheaded. — Catholic Encyclopaedia. This occurred under the rule of the Roman Diocletian, in the 4th century A.D.
St. George was reported to have slain his first dragon in Africa. Later, in 1098 A.D., he was said to have slain dragons at Mansfeld in the center of Germany. He was also reported to have killed a dragon in Berkshire, England, and the specific location was later named “Dragon Hill.” Dragon Hill is, apparently, an artificial mound with a flat-top, not unlike Silbury Hill), to which clings the legend that it was on its summit that St. George slew the dragon. A bare patch of chalk upon which no grass will grow, is purported to be where the dragon's blood spilled.
St. George was reported to have slain his first dragon in Africa. Later, in 1098 A.D., he was said to have slain dragons at Mansfeld in the center of Germany. He was also reported to have killed a dragon in Berkshire, England, and the specific location was later named “Dragon Hill.” Dragon Hill is, apparently, an artificial mound with a flat-top, not unlike Silbury Hill), to which clings the legend that it was on its summit that St. George slew the dragon. A bare patch of chalk upon which no grass will grow, is purported to be where the dragon's blood spilled.
Pliny
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23 – August 25, AD 79), better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the following:
“Africa produces elephants, but it is India that produces the largest, as well as the dragon, who is perpetually at war with the elephant, and is itself of so enormous a size, as easily to envelop the elephants with its folds, and encircle them in its coils. The contest is equally fatal to both; the elephant, vanquished, falls to the earth, and by its weight crushes the dragon which is entwined around it.
The sagacity which every animal exhibits in its own behalf is wonderful, but in these it is remarkably so. The dragon has much difficulty in climbing up to so great a height, and therefore, watching the road, which bears marks of their footsteps, when going to feed, it darts down upon them from a lofty tree. The elephant knows that it is quite unable to struggle against the folds of the serpent, and so seeks for trees or rocks against which to rub itself.
The dragon is on its guard against this, and tries to prevent it, by first of all confining the legs of the elephant with the folds of its tail; while the elephant, on the other hand, tries to disengage itself with its trunk. The dragon, however, thrusts its head into its nostrils, and thus, at the same moment, stops the breath, and wounds the most tender parts. When it is met unexpectedly, the dragon raises itself up, faces its opponent, and flies more especially at the eyes; this is the reason why elephants are so often found blind, and worn to a skeleton with hunger and misery."
There is another story, too, told in relation to these combats. "The blood of the elephant, it is said, is remarkably cold; for which reason, in the parching heats of summer, it is sought by the dragon with remarkable avidity. It lies, therefore, coiled up and concealed in the river, in wait for the elephants when they come to drink; upon which it darts out, fastens itself around the trunk, and then fixes its teeth behind the ear, that being the only place which the elephant cannot protect with the trunk. The dragons, it is said, are of such vast size that they can swallow the whole of the blood; consequently the elephant, being drained of its blood, falls to the earth exhausted; while the dragon, intoxicated with the draught, is crushed beneath it, and so shares its fate."
Pliny was also author of the thirty-seven volume Natural History. It tells of a dragon killed on Vatican Hill during the reign of Emperor Claudius who died in 54 AD. The body of a child was found in the beast. Pliny the Elder also recorded uses for dragons’ teeth and the fat of dragons’ heart. He describes ointments made from dried dragons’ eyes and honey, and other such remedies.
“Africa produces elephants, but it is India that produces the largest, as well as the dragon, who is perpetually at war with the elephant, and is itself of so enormous a size, as easily to envelop the elephants with its folds, and encircle them in its coils. The contest is equally fatal to both; the elephant, vanquished, falls to the earth, and by its weight crushes the dragon which is entwined around it.
The sagacity which every animal exhibits in its own behalf is wonderful, but in these it is remarkably so. The dragon has much difficulty in climbing up to so great a height, and therefore, watching the road, which bears marks of their footsteps, when going to feed, it darts down upon them from a lofty tree. The elephant knows that it is quite unable to struggle against the folds of the serpent, and so seeks for trees or rocks against which to rub itself.
The dragon is on its guard against this, and tries to prevent it, by first of all confining the legs of the elephant with the folds of its tail; while the elephant, on the other hand, tries to disengage itself with its trunk. The dragon, however, thrusts its head into its nostrils, and thus, at the same moment, stops the breath, and wounds the most tender parts. When it is met unexpectedly, the dragon raises itself up, faces its opponent, and flies more especially at the eyes; this is the reason why elephants are so often found blind, and worn to a skeleton with hunger and misery."
There is another story, too, told in relation to these combats. "The blood of the elephant, it is said, is remarkably cold; for which reason, in the parching heats of summer, it is sought by the dragon with remarkable avidity. It lies, therefore, coiled up and concealed in the river, in wait for the elephants when they come to drink; upon which it darts out, fastens itself around the trunk, and then fixes its teeth behind the ear, that being the only place which the elephant cannot protect with the trunk. The dragons, it is said, are of such vast size that they can swallow the whole of the blood; consequently the elephant, being drained of its blood, falls to the earth exhausted; while the dragon, intoxicated with the draught, is crushed beneath it, and so shares its fate."
Pliny was also author of the thirty-seven volume Natural History. It tells of a dragon killed on Vatican Hill during the reign of Emperor Claudius who died in 54 AD. The body of a child was found in the beast. Pliny the Elder also recorded uses for dragons’ teeth and the fat of dragons’ heart. He describes ointments made from dried dragons’ eyes and honey, and other such remedies.
St Leonard's Forest
In 1614, a booklet was published describing encounters with a large reptile in St Leonard's Forest in Sussex, near the village known as Dragon's Green. This booklet contains speculation about their reproduction and supernatural abilities, along with lucid descriptions of a dragon slain in the neighboring Sussex county and numerous references to even more ancient historical sources.
"This serpent (or dragon as some call it) is reputed to be nine feete, or rather more, in length, and shaped almost in the form of an axletree of a cart: a quantitie of thickness in the middest, and somewhat smaller at both endes. The former part, which he shootes forth as a necke, is supposed to be an elle [3 ft 9 ins or 1 l4 cms] long; with a white ring, as it were, of scales about it. The scales along his back seem to be blackish, and so much as is discovered under his belie, appeareth to be red... it is likewise discovered to have large feete, but the eye may there be deceived, for some suppose that serpents have no feete ... [The dragon] rids away (as we call it) as fast as a man can run. His food [rabbits] is thought to be; for the most part, in a conie-warren, which he much frequents ...There are likewise upon either side of him discovered two great bunches so big as a large foote-ball, and (as some thinke) will in time grow to wings, but God, I hope, will (to defend the poor people in the neighbourhood) that he shall be destroyed before he grows to fledge."
"This serpent (or dragon as some call it) is reputed to be nine feete, or rather more, in length, and shaped almost in the form of an axletree of a cart: a quantitie of thickness in the middest, and somewhat smaller at both endes. The former part, which he shootes forth as a necke, is supposed to be an elle [3 ft 9 ins or 1 l4 cms] long; with a white ring, as it were, of scales about it. The scales along his back seem to be blackish, and so much as is discovered under his belie, appeareth to be red... it is likewise discovered to have large feete, but the eye may there be deceived, for some suppose that serpents have no feete ... [The dragon] rids away (as we call it) as fast as a man can run. His food [rabbits] is thought to be; for the most part, in a conie-warren, which he much frequents ...There are likewise upon either side of him discovered two great bunches so big as a large foote-ball, and (as some thinke) will in time grow to wings, but God, I hope, will (to defend the poor people in the neighbourhood) that he shall be destroyed before he grows to fledge."
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus, in his work Gesta Danorum, relates the plight of the Danish King Frotho and his fight with a giant reptile. A local man had firsthand knowledge of the beast and wanted to help the king get rid of the monster. He described the serpent to the king as:
“wreathed in coils, doubled in many a fold, and with a tail drawn out in whorls, shaking his manifold spirals and shedding venom . . . his slaver (salvia) burns up what it bespatters . . . remember to keep the dauntless temper of the mind; nor let the point of the jagged tooth trouble thee, nor the starkness of the beast, nor the venom . . . there is a place under his lowest belly whither thou mayst plunge the blade . . "
Using the knowledge of this animal’s weakness, the Volsungassaga tells of the slaying of Fafnir by Sigurd. Because of the creature’s armor-like hide, Sigurd dug a pit and waited in it until the monster walked over him on its way to get water. Sigurd was then able to attack the creature’s soft underbelly and overcome the beast. From this account, we can assume that this creature walked on all fours with its belly close to the ground.
“wreathed in coils, doubled in many a fold, and with a tail drawn out in whorls, shaking his manifold spirals and shedding venom . . . his slaver (salvia) burns up what it bespatters . . . remember to keep the dauntless temper of the mind; nor let the point of the jagged tooth trouble thee, nor the starkness of the beast, nor the venom . . . there is a place under his lowest belly whither thou mayst plunge the blade . . "
Using the knowledge of this animal’s weakness, the Volsungassaga tells of the slaying of Fafnir by Sigurd. Because of the creature’s armor-like hide, Sigurd dug a pit and waited in it until the monster walked over him on its way to get water. Sigurd was then able to attack the creature’s soft underbelly and overcome the beast. From this account, we can assume that this creature walked on all fours with its belly close to the ground.
Henham Dragon
The Henham dragon is the popular name for a large serpent-like creature (dragon) sighted near Henham, Essex, England in 1669. Henham or Henham-on-the-Hill is a small village with a current population of about 1250. It is located in the north-west part of Essex about seven miles south of the historical town of Saffron Walden where a flying reptile called a cocatrice was killed around the same time. The pamphlet at the left was circulated in 1669, in Essex England regarding the recent sightings of a large reptile. Although seen by numerous people, attempts by local villagers to shoot the beast were unsuccessful.
Ulysses Aldrovandrus
Ulysses Aldrovandrus was an Italian doctor and naturalist who wrote a scientific book titled Historia Animalium (History of Animals). In this book, Aldrovandrus describes many animals that he had observed in the wilds. In one account, he also wrote about an encounter that a peasant named Baptista had with a small dragon near Bologna, Italy on May 13, 1572. The dragon evidently hissed at the peasant's oxen while walking down the road, so Baptista hit it over the head with his walking stick, killing the creature. This dragon’s description matches that of a Tanystropheus dinosaur. Aldrovandi is particularly compelling because he wrote a detailed encyclopedia of animals in which he provides two wood engravings of the bipedal Ethiopian winged dragon, and even professing to have received a specimen in the year 1551. Androvandi thoroughly described the Ethiopian dragon as having two feet armed with claws, and two ears, with five prominent and conspicuous tubercles on the back. The whole was ornamented with green and dusky scales. Above, it bore wings fit for flight, and had a long, flexible tail, colored with yellowish scales, such as shone on the belly and throat. The mouth was provided with sharp teeth, the inferior part of the head, towards the ears, was even, the pupil of the eye black, with a tawny surrounding, and the nostrils were two in number, and open.
He criticizes those who are skeptical of winged dragons, and states, in further justification of his censure, that he had heard, from men worthy of confidence, that in that portion of Pistorian territory called Cotone, a great dragon was seen whose wings were interwoven with sinews a cubit in length, and were of considerable width; this beast also possessed two short feet provided with claws like those of an eagle. The whole animal was covered with scales. The gaping mouth was furnished with big teeth, it and ears, and was a big as a hairy bear. Aldrovandus sustains his argument by quotations from the classics and reference to more recent authors. He quotes Isidorus as stating that the winged Arabian serpents were called Sirens, while their venom was so effective that their bite was attended by death rather than pain; this confirms the account of Solinus.
In 1543, said that he understood that a kind of dragon appeared near Styria, within the confines of Germany, which had feet like lizards, and wings after the fashion of a bat, with an incurable bite, and says these statements are confirmed by Froschonerus in his work on Styria (Idque Froschonerus ex Bibliophila Stirio Narrabat). He refers to a description by Scaliger (Scaliber, lib. III. Miscell. cap. i, See ante, p. 182, “Winged Serpents.”) of a species of serpent four feet long, and as thick as a man’s arm, with cartilaginous wings pendent from the sides. He also mentions Brodeus, of a winged dragon which was brought to Francis, the invincible King of the Gauls, by a countryman who had killed it with a mattock near Sanctones, and which was stated to have been seen by many men of approved reputation, who though it had migrated from transmarine regions by the assistance of the wind.
He criticizes those who are skeptical of winged dragons, and states, in further justification of his censure, that he had heard, from men worthy of confidence, that in that portion of Pistorian territory called Cotone, a great dragon was seen whose wings were interwoven with sinews a cubit in length, and were of considerable width; this beast also possessed two short feet provided with claws like those of an eagle. The whole animal was covered with scales. The gaping mouth was furnished with big teeth, it and ears, and was a big as a hairy bear. Aldrovandus sustains his argument by quotations from the classics and reference to more recent authors. He quotes Isidorus as stating that the winged Arabian serpents were called Sirens, while their venom was so effective that their bite was attended by death rather than pain; this confirms the account of Solinus.
In 1543, said that he understood that a kind of dragon appeared near Styria, within the confines of Germany, which had feet like lizards, and wings after the fashion of a bat, with an incurable bite, and says these statements are confirmed by Froschonerus in his work on Styria (Idque Froschonerus ex Bibliophila Stirio Narrabat). He refers to a description by Scaliger (Scaliber, lib. III. Miscell. cap. i, See ante, p. 182, “Winged Serpents.”) of a species of serpent four feet long, and as thick as a man’s arm, with cartilaginous wings pendent from the sides. He also mentions Brodeus, of a winged dragon which was brought to Francis, the invincible King of the Gauls, by a countryman who had killed it with a mattock near Sanctones, and which was stated to have been seen by many men of approved reputation, who though it had migrated from transmarine regions by the assistance of the wind.
Glamorgan
As recent as the early 1900s elderly folk in Glamorgan (a historical county of Wales) would tell of a colony of winged serpents that lived in the woods around Penllin Castle. A credible example is the compelling account of bright flying serpents described by Marie Trevelyan: The woods around Penllin Castle, Glamorgan, had the reputation of being frequented by winged serpents, and these were the terror of old and young alike. An aged inhabitant of Penllyne, who died a few years ago, said that in his boyhood the winged serpents were described as very beautiful. They were coiled when in repose, and "looked as if they were covered with jewels of all sorts. Some of them had crests sparkling with all the colours of the rainbow". When disturbed they glided swiftly, "sparkling all over," to their hiding places. When angry, they "flew over people's heads, with outspread wings, bright, and sometimes with eyes too, like the feathers in a peacock's tail". He said it was "no old story invented to frighten children", but a real fact. His father and uncle had killed some of them, for they were as bad as foxes for poultry. The old man attributed the extinction of the winged serpents to the fact that they were "terrors in the farmyards and coverts". An old woman, whose parents in her early childhood took her to visit Penmark Place, Glamorgan, said she often heard the people talking about the ravages of the winged serpents in that neighbourhood.
The creature was seen in a three to four mile radius, and some of the witnesses were listed in the pamphlet, including John Steele, Christopher Holder, and a certain “widow dwelling near Faygate.” One local reportedly had his mastiffs attack the dragon, which promptly killed his dogs, but the person managed to escape with his life. Not everyone was so fortunate. The creature had already reportedly killed a man and a woman by spitting its poisonous venom on them.
The creature was seen in a three to four mile radius, and some of the witnesses were listed in the pamphlet, including John Steele, Christopher Holder, and a certain “widow dwelling near Faygate.” One local reportedly had his mastiffs attack the dragon, which promptly killed his dogs, but the person managed to escape with his life. Not everyone was so fortunate. The creature had already reportedly killed a man and a woman by spitting its poisonous venom on them.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
A Sumerian story dating back to 3,000 B.C. or more tells of a hero named Gilgamesh, who, when he went into a remote forest to cut down cedar trees, and encountered a huge vicious dragon which he slew, cutting off its head as a trophy.
Beowulf
Beowulf was a legendary heroic dragon slayer of the Geats who lived from 495–583 AD. His exploits include killing several sea reptiles and a terrestrial dragon called a grendel. Beowulf ultimately lost his life at the age of 88 from wounds he received while fighting a flying reptile that may have been a giant pterosaur. The flying reptile is documented to live on a promontory overlooking the sea at Hronesness on the southern coast of Sweden. Interestingly, the Saxons also described this creature as a ligdraca, or fire-dragon. The story of Beowulf is preserved in an epic poem of the same name that is often considered to be one of the most important pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature.
Silius Italica
Titus Catius Silius Italicus (AD 25 or 26 - 101), was a Roman consul, orator, and Latin epic poet. His only surviving work is the 17-book Punica, an epic poem about the Second Punic War and the longest surviving poem in Latin at over 12,000 lines. He wrote the following lines in a poem:
"a serpent, glittering with rough spots of gold, was seen to glide athwart the sky between the clouds, tracing a furrow of fire in the heavens.”
"a serpent, glittering with rough spots of gold, was seen to glide athwart the sky between the clouds, tracing a furrow of fire in the heavens.”
Samuel Bochart
Samuel Bochart (17th century writer) produced one of the most outstanding studies of biblical reptiles ever accomplished and maintained the existence of flying reptiles. Bochart describes an ancient Hebrew work Porta Coeli mentioning how "the flying saraph sets fire to the air, corrupting [or poisoning] all that is near it." Many other accounts from the Middle Ages testify to the existence of glowing, flying reptilian creatures.
Prosper Alpin
European reports of flying serpents living in Egypt persist through the 1600’s. The Italian naturalist Prosper Alpin wrote a fascinating natural history of Egypt in the 1580’s. He describes their crest, a small piece of skin on the head, their tail being "thick as a finger," their length being "as long as a palm branch," and their leaf-shaped tail. All is precisely like modern fossil reconstructions.
Shan-hai-king
The Shan-hai-king, a Chinese work of extreme antiquity. The Chinese say that the record was compiled by the great Yu, at the time when he was minister under the Emperor Shun, prior to the time when he himself was Emperor. Geographers and historians alike acknowledge the Shan Hai King to be the world's oldest geography. The following text is : "The Pa snake swallows elephants, after three years it ejects the bones; well-to-do people, eating it, are cured of consumption."
Athanasius Kircher
The prolific 17th century writer Athanasius Kircher's record tells how the noble man, Christopher Schorerum, prefect of the entire territory, “wrote a true history summarizing there all, for by that way, he was able to confirm the truth of the things experienced, and indeed the things truly seen by the eye, written in his own words: On a warm night in 1619, while contemplating the serenity of the heavens, I saw a shining dragon of great size in front of Mt. Pilatus, coming from the opposite side of the lake [or 'hollow'], a cave that is named Flue [Hogarth-near Lucerne] moving rapidly in an agitated way, seen flying across; It was of a large size, with a long tail, a long neck, a reptile's head, and ferocious gaping jaws. As it flew it was like iron struck in a forge when pressed together that scatters sparks. At first I thought it was a meteor from what I saw. But after I diligently observed it alone, I understood it was indeed a dragon from the motion of the limbs of the entire body. From the writings of a respected clergyman, in fact a dragon truly exists in nature it is amply established.”
Ingegniero Cornelio Meyer
A dragon was supposed to have lived near Rome in December, 1691. According to the story, the animal inhabited a cave and terrorized the local population. After its demise, a sketch of the skeleton survived in the possession of an Ingegniero Cornelio Meyer. It seems to be a credible pterosaur specimen. There is a clear indication of a head crest. Five digits are visible for each foot. The upper arm bone can be seen at the front of the wing as well as the hint of the prototagium (in front of the lighter colored upper arm of the near wing). The membraned wings are shown in front of the legs, on the vertebrae, matching the fossils. The femur is properly shown as a single bone. The tibia and fibula, the twin lower leg bones, are visible too. Some have suggested that it could be a fossil or faked composite, but it is much too accurate to be considered a fabrication. The survival of the skin suggests that it is not a fossil since it includes accurate wing features, a head crest, and reptilian ears.
Livy
Titus Livius Patavinus (64 or 59 BC – AD 17)—known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people.
The African wilderness has always been a good place for large animals to flourish. One African reptile attacked the Roman army of General Regulus. According to the Roman historian Livy, “After many soldiers had been seized in its [the dragon’s] mouth, and many more crushed by the folds of its tail, its hide being too thick for javelins and darts, the dragon was at last attacked by military engines and crushed by repeated blows from heavy stones.”
The African wilderness has always been a good place for large animals to flourish. One African reptile attacked the Roman army of General Regulus. According to the Roman historian Livy, “After many soldiers had been seized in its [the dragon’s] mouth, and many more crushed by the folds of its tail, its hide being too thick for javelins and darts, the dragon was at last attacked by military engines and crushed by repeated blows from heavy stones.”
Philostratus
Philostratus was a Greek scholar that lived from AD 170-245. He wrote a book called The Life of Apollonius of Tyana. In the book he mentions dragon quite a bit. In one section, he wrote, "The whole of India is girt with dragons of enormous size; for not only the marshes are full of them, but the mountains as well, and there is not a single ridge without one. Now the marsh kind are sluggish in their habits and are thirty cubits long, and they have no crest standing up on their heads, but in this respect resemble the she-dragons. Their backs however are very black, with fewer scales on them than the other kinds".
He also wrote, "And the dragons along the foothills and the mountain crests make their way into the plains after their quarry, and get the better all round of those in the marshes; for indeed they reach a greater length, and move faster than the swiftest rivers, so that nothing escapes them. These actually have a crest, of moderate extent and height when they are young; but as they reach their full size, it grows with them and extends to a considerable height, at which time also they turn red and get serrated backs. This kind also have beards, and lift their necks on high, while their scales glitter like silver; and the pupils of their eyes consist of a fiery stone".
Later he wrote, "The dragons of the mountains have scales of a golden color, and in length excel those of the plain, and they have bushy beards, which also are of a golden hue; and their eye is sunk deep under the eyebrow, and emits a terrible and ruthless glance."
In another place, he wrote, "But often the Indian, in spite of his axe and his cunning, is caught by the dragon, who carries him off into his burrow, and almost shakes the mountains as he disappears. These are also said to inhabit the mountains in the neighborhood of the Red Sea, and they say that they heard them hissing terribly and that they saw them go down to the shore and swim far out into the sea. It was impossible however to ascertain the number of years that this creature lives, nor would my statements be believed. This is all I know about dragons."
He also wrote, "And the dragons along the foothills and the mountain crests make their way into the plains after their quarry, and get the better all round of those in the marshes; for indeed they reach a greater length, and move faster than the swiftest rivers, so that nothing escapes them. These actually have a crest, of moderate extent and height when they are young; but as they reach their full size, it grows with them and extends to a considerable height, at which time also they turn red and get serrated backs. This kind also have beards, and lift their necks on high, while their scales glitter like silver; and the pupils of their eyes consist of a fiery stone".
Later he wrote, "The dragons of the mountains have scales of a golden color, and in length excel those of the plain, and they have bushy beards, which also are of a golden hue; and their eye is sunk deep under the eyebrow, and emits a terrible and ruthless glance."
In another place, he wrote, "But often the Indian, in spite of his axe and his cunning, is caught by the dragon, who carries him off into his burrow, and almost shakes the mountains as he disappears. These are also said to inhabit the mountains in the neighborhood of the Red Sea, and they say that they heard them hissing terribly and that they saw them go down to the shore and swim far out into the sea. It was impossible however to ascertain the number of years that this creature lives, nor would my statements be believed. This is all I know about dragons."
Antonio Pigafetta
The 16th century Italian explorer Pigafetta, in a report of the kingdom of Congo, described the province of Bemba, which he defines as “on the sea coast from the river Ambrize, until the river Coanza towards the south,” and says of serpents, “There are also certain other creatures which, being as big as rams, have wings like dragons, with long tails, and long chaps, and divers rows of teeth, and feed upon raw flesh. Their colour is blue and green, their skin painted like scales, and they have two feet but no more. The Pagan negroes used to worship them as gods, and to this day you may see divers of them that are kept for a marvel. And because they are very rare, the chief lords there curiously preserve them, and suffer the people to worship them, which tendeth greatly to their profits by reason of the gifts and oblations which the people offer unto them.” (Pigafetta, Filippo, The Harleian Collections of Travels, vol. ii, 1745, p. 457.)
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, a book written around 1000 A.D. The following text was documented from the year 793 A.D. "This year came dreadful fore-warnings over the land of the Northumbrians, terrifying the people most woefully: these were immense sheets of light rushing through the air, and whirlwinds, and fiery, dragons flying across the firmament. These tremendous tokens were soon followed by a great famine:"
Legend of La Gargouille
A French legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus ("Romain") (AD 631–641), the former chancellor of the Merovingian king Clotaire II who was made bishop of Rouen, relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille or Goji. La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with bat-like wings, a long neck, and the ability to breathe fire from its mouth. The gargouille (known as Garguiem), was allegedly a dragon with 4 legs and wings. This water-spouting dragon (more like a serpent dragon, because of its long snake like body) appeared in the Seine River in France. It was said to terrorize boats and flood the land. There are multiple versions of the story, either that St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix, or he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each, the monster is lead back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not, due to being tempered by its own fire breath. The head was then mounted on the walls of the newly built church to scare off evil spirits, and used for protection. The creature was then said to have been carved onto buildings to be used as a water drainage, therefore creating the modern gargoyle.
History of the Kings of Britain
The book, History of the Kings of Britain (c. 1136 A.D.) chronicles much historical information about the ancient region of Britain. It was written by Welsh cleric, Goeffrey of Monmouth, who lived from approximately 1100-1155 A.D. If you proceed to chapter 15, you will find the following quote: "Morvidus, a most cruel tyrant, after the conquest of the king of Morini, is devoured by a monster. For he commanded them to be brought to him one after another, that he might satisfy his cruelty in seeing them killed; and when he grew tired of this, he gave orders that they should be flayed alive and burned.
In his time a certain king of the Morini arrived with a great force in Northumberland, and began to destroy the country. But Morvidus, with all the strength of the kingdom, marched out against him, and fought him. In this battle he alone did more than the greatest part of this army, and after the victory, suffered none of the enemy to escape alive.
During these and other monstrous acts of cruelty, and accident happened which put a period to his wickedness. There came from the coasts of the Irish sea, a most cruel monster, that was continually devouring the people upon the sea-coasts. As soon as he heard of it, he ventured to go and encounter it alone; when he had in vain spent all his darts upon it, the monster rushed upon him, and with open jaws swallowed him up like a small fish."
In his time a certain king of the Morini arrived with a great force in Northumberland, and began to destroy the country. But Morvidus, with all the strength of the kingdom, marched out against him, and fought him. In this battle he alone did more than the greatest part of this army, and after the victory, suffered none of the enemy to escape alive.
During these and other monstrous acts of cruelty, and accident happened which put a period to his wickedness. There came from the coasts of the Irish sea, a most cruel monster, that was continually devouring the people upon the sea-coasts. As soon as he heard of it, he ventured to go and encounter it alone; when he had in vain spent all his darts upon it, the monster rushed upon him, and with open jaws swallowed him up like a small fish."
Lei Xiao
Lei Xiao was a Chinese medical scholar that lived from AD 420-477. He documented the following:
"For using dragon's bones, first cook odorous plants; bathe the bones twice in hot water, pound them to powder and put this in bags of gauze. Take a couple of young swallows and, after taking out their intestines and stomach, put the bags in the swallows and hang them over a well. After one night take the bags out of the swallows, rub the powder and mix it into medicines for strengthening the kidneys. The efficacy of such a medicine is as it were divine!"
El Edrisi
El Edrisi (1099–1165 or 1166) was a Muslim geographer, cartographer, Egyptologist and traveler who lived in Sicily. He says that it is a large island on the confines of China towards India, and that among other remarkable features is a mountain called Nacan (Kini Balu?), on which are serpents of such magnitude as to be able to swallow oxen, buffaloes, and even elephants. Masudi includes Zanig, Kalah, and Taprobana among the islands constituting the territory of the Mahraj.—P. Amédée Jaubert, Géographie d’Edrisi, vol. i. p. 104; Paris, 1836.
Tombstone Epitaph
On April 26, 1890 the Tombstone Epitaph (a local Arizona newspaper) reported that two cowboys had discovered and shot down a creature – described as a “winged dragon” – which resembled a pterodactyl, only MUCH larger. The cowboys said its wingspan was 160 feet, and that its body was more than four feet wide and 92 feet long. The cowboys supposedly cut off the end of the wing to prove the existence of the creature. The paper’s description of the animal fits the Quetzelcoatlus, whose fossils were found in Texas. (Gish, Dinosaurs by Design, 1992, p. 16.) Could this be thunderbird or Wakinyan, the jagged-winged, fierce-toothed flying creature of Sioux American Indian legend? This thunderbird supposedly lived in a cave on the top of the Olympic Mountains and feasted on seafood. Different from the eagle (Wanbli) or hawk (Cetan) the Wakinyan was said to be huge, carrying off children, and was named because of its association with thunder and lightning–supposedly being struck by lightning and seen to fall to the ground during a storm. (Geis, Darlene, Dinosaurs & Other Prehistoric Animals, 1959, p. 9.) It was further distinguished by its piercing cry and thunderous beating wings (Lame Deer’s 1969 interview).
Noah Webster
The famous American Christian educator Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828, thirteen years before the word “dinosaur” was first used. This work defines the noun “dragon” under two separate headings. The second gives reference to dragons in Scripture as a “large marine fish or serpent” called Leviathan, a “venomous land serpent,” as in Psalm 91, and “the devil who is called the old serpent” in the New Testament. Webster’s next heading for “dragon” has a single definition: “a genus of animals, the Draco. They have four legs, a cylindrical tail, and membranceous wings, radiated like the fins of a flying fish."
True and Wonderfull
This booklet from 1614 contains some interesting accounts of dragons, written in the old English. The cover says: “True and Wonderfull. A Difcourfe relating a ftrange and monftrous Serpent (or Dragon) lately difcouered, and yet liuing, to the great annoyance and diuers flaughters both of Men and Cattell, by his ftrong and violent poyfon, In Suffex two miles from Horfam, in a woode called St. Leonards Forreft, and thirtie miles from London, this prefent month of Auguft. 1614. With the true Generation of Serpents. Printed at London by Iohn Trundle."
Inside the booklet, a writer named Cardan states that whilst he resided in Paris he saw five winged dragons in the William Museum; these were biped, and possessed of wings so slender that it was hardly possible that they could fly with them. Cardan doubted their having been fabricated, since they had been sent in vessels at different times, and yet all presented the same remarkable form. Bellonius states that he had seen whole carcases of winged dragons, carefully prepared, which he considered to be of the same kind as those which fly out of Arabia into Egypt; they were thick about the belly, had two feet, and two wings, whole like those of a bat, and a snake’s tail.
Inside the booklet, a writer named Cardan states that whilst he resided in Paris he saw five winged dragons in the William Museum; these were biped, and possessed of wings so slender that it was hardly possible that they could fly with them. Cardan doubted their having been fabricated, since they had been sent in vessels at different times, and yet all presented the same remarkable form. Bellonius states that he had seen whole carcases of winged dragons, carefully prepared, which he considered to be of the same kind as those which fly out of Arabia into Egypt; they were thick about the belly, had two feet, and two wings, whole like those of a bat, and a snake’s tail.
Strabo
The first century Greek historian Strabo, who traveled and researched extensively throughout the Mediterranean and Near East, wrote a treatise on geography. He explained that in India “there are reptiles two cubits long with membranous wings like bats, and that they too fly by night, discharging drops of urine, or also of sweat, which putrefy the skin of anyone who is not on his guard;”
(Strabo, Geography: Book XV: “On India,” Chap. 1, No. 37, AD 17, pp. 97-98.)
Strabos account may have been based in part on the earlier work of Megasthenes (ca 350 – 290 BC) who traveled to India and states that there are “snakes (ophies) with wings, and that their visitations occur not during the daytime but by night, and that they emit urine which at once produces a festering wound on any body on which it may happen to drop.”
(Aelianus, Greek Natural History:On Animals, 3rd century AD, 16.41.)
(Strabo, Geography: Book XV: “On India,” Chap. 1, No. 37, AD 17, pp. 97-98.)
Strabos account may have been based in part on the earlier work of Megasthenes (ca 350 – 290 BC) who traveled to India and states that there are “snakes (ophies) with wings, and that their visitations occur not during the daytime but by night, and that they emit urine which at once produces a festering wound on any body on which it may happen to drop.”
(Aelianus, Greek Natural History:On Animals, 3rd century AD, 16.41.)
Esarhaddon
The Assyrian monarch Esarhaddon recounts how he marched south into the desert “where serpents and scorpions cover the plain like ants” and he recorded seeing yellow serpents that could fly as he marched to fight against Tirhaka, king of Egypt and Nubia.
Scientific Description 1658
Edward Topsell was an English clergyman who wrote a zoological work called Historie of Foure-Footed Beasts in 1658. He wrote the following about Dragons: "There be some dragons which have wings and no feet, some again have both feet and wings, and some neither feet nor wings, but are only distinguished from the common sort of Serpents by the comb growing upon their heads, and the beard under their cheeks. Gyllius, Pierius, and Gervinus . . . do affirm that a Dragon is of a black colour, the belly somewhat green, and very beautiful to behold, having a treble row of teeth in their mouths upon every jaw, and with most bright and clear-seeing eyes, which caused the Poets to say in their writings that these dragons are the watchful keepers of treasures. They have also two dewlaps growing under their chin, and hanging down like a beard, which are of a red colour: their bodies are set all over with very sharp scales, and over their eyes stand certain flexible eyelids. When they gape wide with their mouth, and thrust forth their tongue, their teeth seem very much to resemble the teeth of wild Swine: And their necks have many times gross thick hair growing upon them, much like unto the bristles of a wild Boar. Their mouth, (especially of the most tamable Dragons) is but little, not much bigger than a pipe, through which they draw in their breath, for they wound not with their mouth, but with their tails, only beating with them when they are angry. But the Indian, Ethiopian, and Phrygian dragons have very wide mouths, through which they often swallow in whole fowls and beasts. Their tongue is cloven as it were double, and the Investigators of nature do say that they have fifteen teeth of a side. The males have combs on their heads, but the females have none, and they are likewise distinguished by their beards."
The Giant squid was thought to be mythological. As time went on, a fisherman found the remains of one. Now they have been spotted in about every ocean. Not only that, but multiple species have even been discovered.
AllAboutCreation.org states: "Almost all our early ancestors believed the earth was inhabited, especially in unknown regions, by dragons. Where did they get such an idea? Did it stem from a universal human imagination? An inherited need or instinct? An inherited subconscious memory of dinosaurs? All these suggestions have been made, and taken seriously by groups of people. Could dragons be the reflection, sometimes embellished through retelling but mostly historical, of actual physical encounters of human beings with dinosaurs? In literature, dragons are certainly a virtually universal ancient motif. Dragons are found in the early literature of the English, Irish, Danish, Norse, Scandinavians, Germans, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians. Among the American Indians, legends of dragons flourished among the Crees, Algonquins, Onondagas, Ojibways, Hurons, Chinooks, Shoshones, and Alaskan Eskimos."
Continue to the next section to find out additional information, like the names for Dinosaur-like creatures around the world, additional website links, and the final conclusion of this research project.
AllAboutCreation.org states: "Almost all our early ancestors believed the earth was inhabited, especially in unknown regions, by dragons. Where did they get such an idea? Did it stem from a universal human imagination? An inherited need or instinct? An inherited subconscious memory of dinosaurs? All these suggestions have been made, and taken seriously by groups of people. Could dragons be the reflection, sometimes embellished through retelling but mostly historical, of actual physical encounters of human beings with dinosaurs? In literature, dragons are certainly a virtually universal ancient motif. Dragons are found in the early literature of the English, Irish, Danish, Norse, Scandinavians, Germans, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians. Among the American Indians, legends of dragons flourished among the Crees, Algonquins, Onondagas, Ojibways, Hurons, Chinooks, Shoshones, and Alaskan Eskimos."
Continue to the next section to find out additional information, like the names for Dinosaur-like creatures around the world, additional website links, and the final conclusion of this research project.
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