Dragon

[[Image:Welsh Flag.png|upright|thumb|165px|Welsh flag ahoy!]]
[[File:President Donald Trump and Elon Musk with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (2025).jpg|thumb|right|165px|Here be dragons!]]
{{folklore}}
{{cquote|[Tolkein's] lecture gives us a bit of the [[moral]] theory behind ''The Hobbit'', and of the books to follow. Dragons, explained Tolkien, assemble huge wealth, appreciating only its quantity, but taking no joy in any particular object. They are, however, enraged if any one piece were to go missing, and would burn the world with fury. They are obsessed to the point of [[paranoia]] with thieves. Their great intelligence is thus reduced to the cunning of protecting their hoard.&nbsp;…<BR><BR>
It is the spirit of dragons, concluded Tolkien, that has survived, and it survives in us, or in some of us. A man can become a dragon through sheer [[greed]]. If we want to find a dragon, the place to look is the "vaults of the Bank of England." And if "you want to see a dragon-heath just go out and look" at a landscape tortured by machines, a [[Pollution|sky blackened with smoke]].|||Timothy Snyder, summarizing {{wpl|J. R. R. Tolkien||'s}} 1938 lecture to schoolchildren<ref>[https://snyder.substack.com/p/tolkiens-dragons-and-ours Tolkien’s Dragons and Ours: Oligarchy’s Blasted Heath] by Timothy Snyder (Jan 31, 2026) ''Thinking about…'' (Substack).</ref>{{efn|Extended extracts of Tolkein's lecture can be found in ''J.R.R.Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator''<ref>''J.R.R.Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator'' by Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (1996) HarperCollins. ISBN 0261103229.</ref> and elsewhere.<ref>[https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Dragons_(lecture) Dragons (lecture)' ''Tolkein Gateway''.</ref> The full text can be found in ''The Hobbit Facsimile Gift Edition''.<ref>''The Hobbit Facsimile Gift Edition'' by J.R.R. Tolkien (2018) HarperCollins. ISBN 9780008259549.</ref>}}}}
'''Dragons''' are legendary creatures that resemble over-sized [[reptile|lizards]], snakes, or crocodiles, but with occasional extra limbs,<ref group=note>Normal lizards have four limbs — they are tetrapods. Some dragons, like the one on the Welsh flag to the right, have four limbs plus two wings, making six limbs. Other dragons may have only four (i.e. wyverns have two legs and two wings; Chinese dragons and their variants have no wings and usually four legs) or even fewer than that (i.e. the Greek {{wpl|cetus (mythology)|cetus}} or the {{wpl|Lindworm}}).</ref> and the ability to fly, and are thought to have other special powers such as the ability to breathe fire. In essence, they are a catch-all term rarely used by actual anthropologists anymore, as it describes a variety of entities unrelated aside from having scales; this ranges from the demonic western dragons to the Asian lion-camel-clam-carp-gods (also known as ''lung'') to the various feathered serpents of the Mesoamericans.

Evidence of dragons' existence has never surfaced{{efn|Other than weirdly named lizards and beetles that can spray boiling acid.<ref>https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/bombardier-beetles-and-their-caustic-chemical-cannon.html</ref>}} except in [[mythology]], legend, fantasy novels, [[role-playing game]]s, video games, and the imaginations of some [[cryptozoology|cryptozoologists]], but there exists a subculture that believes in them. There is also a [[Therian#Subculture|subculture that thinks they ''are'' dragons]] or identifies with them in a similar manner to [[furry fandom]] and a rather larger subculture that knows they do not exist but deeply wishes they did.

The seemingly worldwide nature of dragon myths has led some people to engage in truly bizarre speculation about the origins of [[humanity]], or about "species memory" and such. Some animals and plants have been named after the dragon, like the leafy seadragon, dragonfly, komodo dragon, snapdragon, and ''Dracaena''.

Dubiously, David E. Jones claimed in his book ''An Instinct for Dragons'' that the mythological origin of dragons is in our [[hominid]] ancestors' ancient fears of predators such as great cats, snakes, and large raptor [[birds]] that became hard-wired in our brains.<ref>{{wpa|An Instinct for Dragons|''An Instinct for Dragons''}}</ref><ref>''An Instinct for Dragons'' by David E. Jones (2000) Routlege. ISBN 0415937299.</ref>

==In Christianity==
Belief in the existence of dragons is a prerequisite for [[Biblical literalists]]. In some cases, but not all, the word dragon was mistranslated in various [[Bible translations]].<ref>[https://goddidntsaythat.com/tag/dragon/ Unicorns, Dragons, and Other Animals You Meet in the Bible] ''God Didn't Say That''.</ref> Dragons appear in both the [[Old Testament]]:
*{{bible|Deuteronomy|32|33}}: "Their [[wine]] is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps."
*{{bible|Nehemiah|2|13}}
*{{bible|Job|30|29}}: "I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls."
*[[Book of Psalms]]: {{bible|Psalm|44|19}}, {{bible|Psalm|74|13}}, {{bible|Psalm|91|13}}, {{bible|Psalm|148|7}}
*[[Book of Jeremiah]]: {{bible|Jeremiah|9|11}}, {{bible|Jeremiah|10|22}}, {{bible|Jeremiah|14|6}}, {{bible|Jeremiah|49|33}}, {{bible|Jeremiah|51|34}}, {{bible|Jeremiah|51|37}}
*[[Book of Isaiah]]: {{bible|Isaiah|13|22}}, {{bible|Isaiah|27|1}}, {{bible|Isaiah|34|13}}, {{bible|Isaiah|35|7}}, {{bible|Isaiah|43|20}}, {{bible|Isaiah|51|9}}
*{{bible|Ezekiel|29|3}}: "… Behold, I am against thee, [[Pharaoh]] king of [[Egypt]], the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers…"
*{{bible|Micah|1|8}}: "Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and [[naked]]: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls."
*{{bible|Malachi|1|3}}: "And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness."
and [[New Testament]]:
*{{bible|Revelation|12|3}}: "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." Dragons also appear in several other passages in Revelation.

Indeed, it would even seem to become difficult for Bible believers who are not strictly literalists to not believe in dragons when dragons are intermixed with alleged historical events or [[prophesies]], such as in {{bible|Jeremiah|51|37}}, "And [[Babylon]] shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant."

===Young Earth creationism===
Some [[Young Earth creationism|young Earth creationists]] (YEC) have claimed that the existence of dragons in various human mythologies is [[evidence]] for [[Human-dinosaur coexistence|humans and dinosaurs co-existing]]. YEC believes that a [[bombardier beetle]] spewing a 100°C gooey liquid is evidence that dragons were real.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/could-a-fire-breathing-dragon-be-a-possibility/ Could a fire-breathing dragon be a possibility?: Exclusive: David Rives examines chemistry, biology of bombadier{{sic}} beetle as evidence] by David Rives (September 16, 2015 at 10:36pm) ''WND''.</ref> Ignore here that the earliest depictions of dragons were snake-like and did not look at all like [[dinosaurs]] or the most popular four legs and two wings (rather than six legs, two wings, and two elytra for beetles). Using the same reasoning, they presumably also believe in [[Fun:Fairies|fairies]] and [[troll]]s. Saner heads, most notably historian {{wpl|Adrienne Mayor||,}} have proposed a more sensible [[hypothesis]] on the dinosaur-dragon connection, namely that dragons and other legendary creatures might have been inspired by the [[fossil]] remains of prehistoric animals.<ref>''The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times'' by Adrienne Mayor (2000) Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691089779.</ref> Misidentification of extant animal remains by ancient peoples is also a likely source of [[cryptid]]s, such as the conflation of elephant skulls with the Cyclops of Greek mythology.<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/02/0205_030205_cyclops.html Cyclops Myth Spurred by 'One-Eyed' Fossils? New fossils fuel speculation that Greek tales may have been inspired by ancient skulls.] by Hillary Mayell (February 5, 2003) ''National Geographic''.</ref>

{{anchor|Saint George and the Dragon}}

===The dragon that would not go away===
Saint George and the Dragon is an extra-Biblical legend that is important to numerous regional sects of [[Christianity]].<ref>{{wpa|Saint George's Day}}</ref> The George in the legend was an actual historical figure (George of Lydda {{lived|?|303 CE}}, a Greek-born [[Roman]] Christian soldier<ref>{{wpl|Saint George}}</ref>), but the legend can be traced to pre-Christian mythologies (Greek: Jason and Medea in {{wpl|Golden Fleece||,}} Greek: {{wpl|Andromeda (mythology)|Perseus and Andromeda|,}} Greco-Egyptian: {{wpl|Typhon||,}} and others).<ref>''Saints' Lives in Middle English Collections'', edited by E. Gordon Whatley et al. (2005) Medieval Institute Publications. ISBN 1580440894. [https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/whatley-saints-lives-in-middle-english-collections-st-george-and-the-dragon St. George and the Dragon: Introduction].</ref>

==In Chinese medicine==
Villagers in modern-day Henan Province in [[China]] have been grinding "dragon" [[fossils]] for use in [[traditional Chinese medicine]]. The fossils have been described as coming from dinosaurs<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19606626 Chinese villagers ate dinosaur 'dragon bones': Villagers in central China spent decades digging up bones they believed belonged to flying dragons and using them in traditional medicines. Turns out the bones belonged to dinosaurs, and now scientists are doing the digging.] (July 4, 2007, 11:33 PM PDT) ''AP'' via ''NBC News''.</ref> or from various [[mammals]].<ref>[https://archive.md/JZaDI Dragon Bones (Long Gu)] (Last Updated on Tue, 04 May 2021) ''Chinese Herbs Healing'' (archived from 22 Dec 2021 18:37:22 UTC).</ref> Evidentially, [[Human–dinosaur coexistence|dinosaurs (other than birds) have never co-existed with humans]].

The 'bones' have been ground up into [[tea]] for decades, a practice recorded to have occurred with ancient peoples across the world. When asked why so many Chinese still believe in dragons, China's premier dinosaur hunter Xu Xing responded: [[Whataboutism|How many Americans still don't believe in evolution?]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070716191823/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070713-china-dinos.html Dinosaur Fossils Part of Longtime Chinese Tonic] by Kevin Holden Platt (July 13, 2007) ''National Geographic'', Page 1 of 2 (archived from July 16, 2007).</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070716173411/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070713-china-dinos_2.html Part of Longtime Chinese Tonic] by Kevin Holden Platt (July 13, 2007) ''National Geographic'', Page 2 of 2 (archived from July 16, 2007).</ref>

==Depictions==
<gallery>
File:Alwan Codex 28 Ethiopian Biblical Manuscript.jpg|[[Ethiopia]]n Coptic depiction of Saint George slaying the dragon (Alwan Codex)
File:Ethiopian imperial standard of Haile Selassie I (reverse).svg|Standard of Haile Selassie I
File:Flag of Botsaris.svg|Standard of [[Greek]] general Markos Botsaris
File:Kondakov 1890. St George icon from Likhauri.jpg|George and the dragon from [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], 12<sup>th</sup> century
File:S.George (Novgorod, mid. 14 c, GTG).jpg|[[Russian]] depiction Saint George slaying the dragon from the 14<sup>th</sup> century CE
File:ZeusTyphoeus.jpg|[[Zeus]] fighting Typhon, Greece
File:Dragon, Tibet, Field Museum.jpg|[[Tibet]]an dragon
File:Hokusai Dragon.jpg|[[Japanese]] dragon
File:Korea-Seoul-Namdaemun-Sungnyemun-07.jpg|[[Korea]]n dragon
File:Nine-Dragon Screen-2.JPG|[[Chinese]] dragons
File:DnD_Dragon.png|As seen in [[Dungeons and Dragons]]. Keep your +4 dragon bane vorpal bastard sword handy.
File:Dialga-Palkia-Giratina.png|The Legendary [[Pokémon]] [https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Dialga_(Pokémon) Dialga], [https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Palkia_(Pokémon) Palkia], and [[Satan|Giratina]], which had a hand in that fictional universe's [[creation myth]]. 
</gallery>

==See also==
{{fun}}
*[[Leviathan]]
*[[Richard Kent]]
*''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]''
*[[Otherkin|People who think they are dragons]]

{{otherlang
|fr=Dragon (français)
|zh=龙}}

==External links==
*[https://www.livescience.com/25559-dragons.html Dragons: A brief history of the mythical, fire-breathing beasts]
*{{wpl|World Economic Forum}} — the annual gathering of dragons at Davos, [[Switzerland]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Chinese medicine]]
[[Category:Cryptozoology]]
[[Category:Folklore]]

Categories: Bible, Chinese medicine, Cryptozoology, Folklore