The dragon is one of the most widely recognized creatures on Earth, yet there is no real evidence that they existed. They are known in just about every culture around the world and have been detailed in carvings and paintings for thousands of years. They have even been seen in the Heavens as the constellation of Draco.
Humans have been pulling gigantic bones out of the Earth for thousands of years but it wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that they were determined to be ancient mega fauna. There is an on-going theory that the bones of creatures such as Woolly Rhino and Mastodons were what people thought of as being their mythological beasts and great heroes.
Some of the earliest depictions of dragons appeared more like snakes than winged beasts. The Assyrians worshiped a snake-like deity called Tiamat, while the Babylonians worshiped a figure called Marduk which can still be seen on the ancient Gate of Nineveh. There are even references to these creatures in the Judeo-Christian bible. In the book of Genesis Adam and Eve are confronted by the serpent of the garden, while the book of Job describes a fire-breathing beast called the Leviathan.
To the people of China, dragons are both real and a sign of good luck. There are four different varieties of Chinese dragons and each protects a different region of existence, such as the underworld and the realm of the gods. They are more serpentine than most other versions and are rarely portrayed with wings. They are said to be created from nine different animals, including the camel and the carp.
Many European countries know the story of St. George and the Dragon. They say that a knight named George travels to a town where all the maidens are being sacrificed to a fierce beast. St. George rides in and slays the animal and saves the town from certain doom. Though there are a few variations from region to region, they are all basically the same. Many of these regions believed in these tales so much so that their coat of arms depict these animals.
In recent years, the dragon has found a resurgence in popularity. From board and video games to epic movies and television shows, these majestic animals have found a way to survive. Whether real or not, the fascination for these creatures lives on in a whole generation and will more than likely carry on for many more to come.
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