Legends of dragons around the world

Dragons appear in many forms all over the world. Sometimes they are terrible monsters, other times they are friends of mankind .

Legends of dragons around the world

Chinese Dragon

Chinese dragons are national symbols. While European dragons are often evil, greedy creatures, Chinese dragons are always kind, generous, and associated with water.

The rain they bring helps crops grow and sustains the human population, so they have been considered symbols of power and prosperity in China for thousands of years.

The Chinese dragon is depicted as a composite beast, with the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the ears of a cow, the body of a snake, the scales of a fish, the feet of an eagle, and the claws of a tiger.

Other depictions may list different animals, but dragons are depicted with general consistency throughout Chinese art history. They are creatures with great powers, including the ability to change size, bring rain, and cause great floods.

Similar dragons play an important role in the mythology of other East and Southeast Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Bhutan, Philippines, etc. The dragons of these countries are quite similar to the Chinese dragon, including its nature as a bringer of water and life.

Dragon on a Chinese plate from 1430.

Greek Dragon

The modern English word 'dragon' comes from the Latin 'draco' and the Ancient Greek 'drakon'. 'Draco' can mean either snake or dragon. As their name suggests, the dragons of the Greco-Roman world were often sea serpents or large snakes with poisonous breath.

For example, the Colchian Dragon never slept, and was responsible for guarding the golden sheep of the war god Ares in Colchis. Two men, Jason and the Argonaut, came to steal the golden fleece, and killed it by luring it into sleep.

Dragons in ancient Mesopotamia

Another myth of dragons originated in the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia. They were based on serpents and lions in mythology and religion. For example, Tiamat was the goddess of sea chaos and creation. She was sometimes depicted as a sea serpent.

Her consort, Abzu, was a benevolent freshwater serpent. Together, they gave birth to a generation of younger gods. Then came Mushushshu, a creature that combined the features of a serpent, lion, eagle, and scorpion and was a servant of the god Marduk. The dragon Mushushshu can be seen above the famous Ishtar Gate.

Dragons in Australia

The dragon that features prominently in the beliefs and myths of many Australian Aboriginal cultures is said to be the Rainbow Serpent. There are many stories of dreaming about Rainbow Serpens and not all agree on their nature or characteristics.

But common depictions show these entities as creator deities associated with water and air. They move between watering holes and paths marked by rainbows.

Dream stories about rainbow snakes take place in the past, present, and future all at once, making these entities a permanent presence in the lives of Aboriginal people who practice traditional beliefs.

American Dragon

Snake entities also appear in the myths and beliefs of thousands of North and South American cultures. For example, stories of horned snakes have been told throughout much of what is now the eastern United States, with varying characteristics, but they are typically described as large sea serpents with antlers, flamboyant scales, and a large gem or crystal attached to their foreheads.

Horned snakes are not said to directly harm humans, but those who see them are at risk of going mad or having bad luck. While they may not technically be considered dragons, the feathered snakes of Central America bear a striking resemblance to these mythical creatures.

European Dragon

1200 mural of a dragon in a monastery in Spain.

Perhaps the dragons most familiar to Westerners today are the scaly, fire-breathing creatures of medieval European legend. These creatures are typically depicted as large, four-legged reptiles with bat-like wings and long necks and tails.

They may be descendants of Mesopotamian dragons, Greco-Roman dragons , which were seen as demonic creatures, sitting on treasures of gold and terrorizing surrounding kingdoms.

It takes a brave and virtuous warrior to defeat them and claim their treasure. Famous dragons in Europe include Beowulf and Fafnir of the Norse Sagas. King Arthur and Merlin frequently dealt with dragons, which became popular symbols throughout Europe.

The origin of dragons is perhaps most widely accepted to be based on the presence of dinosaur bones. The ancients had no way of knowing that these bones belonged to ancient reptiles that lived more than 65 million years ago. Therefore, they may have inspired most of the stories about dragons.