Like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, and UFOs, dragons seem to occupy a special place in the minds of human beings. There are tales of dragons linked with human conquest. The recent Game of Thrones series only serves to reinforce these ideas. Besides Game of Thrones, dragons are present in The Hobbit and Harry Potter. However, one must wonder, did stories of dragons originate from dinosaur bones?
Stories of Dragons
Dragon tales have popped up all over the world, across different cultures and religions. For example, Christians believe that the dragon (like the snake) is an analogy of Satan. There are also many variants of dragons, such as the many-headed Hydra in Greek mythology and the stone gargoyles that can be seen in recent vampire movies.
How Did Tales of Dragons Originate?
A more interesting question is how these tales started. The word dragon comes from the Greek word “draconta,” meaning “to watch.” There is the myth that a dragon watches or guards treasure, such as the mountains of gold in The Hobbit.
It seems like dragons have been with us in the metaphorical sense for centuries, and nobody can pinpoint where the stories first originated. They were possibly popularized in the West in medieval times, with Christian scholars describing dragons as Satanic, with mouths that served as the fiery gateway to hell. Also, stories might have begun when indigenous societies found themselves discovering the bones of dinosaurs. They might have invented stories. It would not be surprising, as humans have been passing down stories from generation to generation for centuries.
Were Dragons Real?
Back in those days, dinosaurs might have existed, and a few descendants might have reared their heads while our ancestors lived in tribes. Today, Komodo dragons exist; they can measure up to 10 feet, but they do not breathe fire or lie on heaps of gold. Any fire-breathing dragons are just too fantastical and large to hide these days unless they live underground. The myths of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster might capture the minds of the public, but dragons might not exist anymore (besides Komodo dragons).
