Content
- Did dragons ever exist?
- Where does the myth of dragons come from?
- Flying dinosaur fossils
- Discovery of new species of reptiles
- Types of real dragons
The mythology of different cultures in general includes the presence of fantastic animals that, in some cases, can be a symbol of inspiration and beauty, but in others they can represent strength and fear for their characteristics. An example linked to this last aspect is the dragon, a word that comes from the Latin draco, onis, and this, in turn, from the Greek δράκων (drakn), which means snake.
These animals were represented with large sizes, reptilian-like bodies, huge claws, wings and the peculiarity of breathing fire. In some cultures the symbol of dragons is associated with respect and benevolence, while in others it is related to death and destruction. But every story, no matter how fanciful it may seem, may have an origin linked to the existence of a similar creature that allowed the creation of several stories. You are invited to follow reading this interesting article by PeritoAnimal to solve the doubts if the dragons existed.
Did dragons ever exist?
Dragons did not exist nor do they exist in real life or at least not with the features we mentioned. They were the product of mythological narrations that form part of ancient traditions in different cultures, but, why didn't dragons exist? At first we could say that if an animal with these characteristics had really existed with our species, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for us to develop on Earth. Furthermore, the production of physical processes such as electrical current and luminescence may be present in certain animals, but the production of fire is not among these possibilities.
Dragons have been around for thousands of years, but as part of cultural traditions such as European and Eastern ones. In the former, they are usually associated with allegories of struggle, including, in many European accounts, dragons were devourers of gods. In oriental culture, as in Chinese, these animals relate to beings full of wisdom and respect. For all that, we may need that beyond the cultural imagination of some regions, dragons never existed.
Where does the myth of dragons come from?
The true story of the origin of the myth of dragons, of course, is associated on the one hand with discovery of certain animal fossils that became extinct, which had particular characteristics, especially in terms of size and, on the other hand, the real similarity of certain ancient groups with living species that also drew attention for their enormous sizes associated with great ferocity. Let's look at some examples in each case.
Flying dinosaur fossils
One of the great discoveries in the history of paleontology is that of dinosaur fossils, which undoubtedly represented some of the great developments in the evolutionary science of these and other animals. Most likely due to the little scientific development that initially existed, when bone remains of dinosaurs were found, it was not unreasonable to think that they could belong to an animal that matched the description of dragons.
Remember that these were mainly represented as large reptiles. In particular, dinosaurs of the order of Pterosaurs, which were the first vertebrates to conquer the sky and from which the first fossils were obtained until the late 1800s, fitted very well in the descriptions of dragons, as some of these sauropsids even presented sizes huge.
Discover the types of flying dinosaurs that existed in our other article.
Discovery of new species of reptiles
On the other hand, let us remember that, in the past, when the first explorations began towards unknown areas, in each of these areas a particular diversity of living species was found, as is the case in some countries such as India, Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia, Australia, among others. Here, for example, extreme crocodiles, weighing up to 1500 kilos, with lengths of 7 meters or more.
These discoveries, made at a time of incipient scientific development, could give origin to myths or strengthen existing ones. Furthermore, it is important to bear in mind that the prehistoric crocodiles that identified themselves considerably outnumbered the current ones.
Together with the previous fact, it is important to highlight the role that, for example, the culture of Christianity played in the history of dragons. In particular, we can see that the bible makes reference to these animals in some passages of the text, which undoubtedly contributed to promote the belief of its existence.
Types of real dragons
Although we have said that dragons did not exist as described in legends, tales and stories, what is certain is that, yes, dragons exist, but they are real animals with a totally different look. So, currently there are some species that are commonly known as dragons, let's see which are:
- Komodo dragon: an emblematic species and one which, moreover, may cause to some extent the fear that the mythical dragons are supposed to have caused. The species that is called Varanus komodoensis is a lizard native to Indonesia and considered the largest in the world due to the fact that it reaches 3 meters in length. Its exceptional size and aggressiveness, in addition to its very painful bite, surely gave it the same name as the flying creature that threw fire.
- Flying Dragons: we can also mention the lizard of the order Squamata, which is popularly known as the flying dragon (Draco volans) or draco. This small animal, in addition to its relationship with reptiles, has folds attached to its ribs, which can extend as if they were wings, allowing them to glide from tree to tree, which undoubtedly influenced its unusual name.
- Sea Dragon Leaf: yet another species that is not terrifying is the leafy sea dragon. It is a fish related to seahorses, which has certain extensions that, when moving through the water, resemble the mythological creature.
- Blue Dragon: finally we can mention the species Glaucus atlanticus, known as the blue dragon, which is a gastropod that can look like a species of flying dragon, due to its peculiar extensions. Furthermore, it has the ability to be immune to the poison of other marine animals and is capable of devouring other species, even larger than itself.
Everything exposed above testifies to the fantasy and the mythic aspect inherent to human thought, which, together with the extraordinary animal diversity, undoubtedly stimulated human creativity, generating reports, stories, narrations that, although not completely correct, imply a form of relate and marvel at the great and varied animal world!
Tell us, did you know the real dragons what do we present here?
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