Dragons: Have they ever existed?

Now, I'm not talking about Kimodo Dragons or anything like that. I'm talking about Dragons, in the mythical sense. I don't mean that they need to shoot fire from their mouths, but something similar to the mythical imagery of dragons.

I was wondering this, and I don't pretend to know the history behind it, but dragons were common in both European history and China's history. How did both of these nations, at a time when communication was so limited if even existent, both come up with a mythical type dragon of similar appearance if they did not exist? Might it be that Dinosaurs still existed long after we believed them to?

Absolutely!

I have proof. I saw one on Shrek and I have a cross between a mule and a dragon in my den!

Also, there's vampires too!

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Yes, dragons are common in myths. Their shapes change based on the culture, and their abilities also change based on the culture.
The common idea of a dragon, with wings, four legs, and a fire, is a mostly European idea.

Maybe? The similarities in dragon accounts between far flung civilizations would seem to point to yes. The lack of anything in the fossil record would seem to point to no.

Dragons are based on legends of giant lizards, which did exist. ever heard of the dinosaurs?
I'm sure someone on every continent found evidence of them. They then tried to decide what it was and BAM! you get dragons.

I'm pretty sure all legends of dragons are based on dinosaurs. Did people actually live alongside dinosaurs? Some would say yes, but either way, I'm sure someone found bones and fossils before the 1800's.

According to the Bible, dragons do exist.

Revelation 20:2
“He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”

chinese dragon is an absolutely fictional one in today's opinion. in ancient china, people admired dragon just because legends told them dragons lived in sea and controled sea so they could pour water for irritation in drought years. therefore, people must pay tribute to them by sending sacrifice in dragon king's temples.

while, people also believed that there was a Heaven Emperor living in heaven,who was the real governor of the world and dragons was his ministers in charge of precipitation of rainfall. Since nobody had ever witnessed any dragon, the civil emperors portraied themselve as the incarnation of dragons as to consolidate there dominant position.

the pattern of dragon has a process of evolvement the way it is, which is a complicated issue seemingly ralated to snake or somesuch.

Originally posted by liquidsmoke206
I'm sure someone on every continent found evidence of them. They then tried to decide what it was and BAM! you get dragons.

Yeah, in China they still use "dragon bones" for medicine.

BEIJING - 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.

Until last year, the fossils were being sold in Henan province as “dragon bones” at about 25 cents a pound, scientist Dong Zhiming said Wednesday.
www.msnbc.msn.com...

perhaps we found no record of them because they are from the sea. What were those giant reptiles who lived in the sea called again? They do resemble dragons!

Nevermind its called the Plesiosaur

Here is a pic!


[edit on 29-11-2008 by Ryanp5555]

I think Dragons may have been pterodactyls or some type of big ass eagle, vulture or some other bird of prey.

I could imagine someone seeing a large bird like the size of an Ostrich and thinking it is a dragon especally if it could fly. Imagine an Eagle the size of an Ostrich that would be some scary a** s**t

Animal Planet did a show "Dragons, a Fantasy Made Real" a while back. Even though it was all fake it was pretty interesting to see the theories on how animals like dragons could have lived. It's on Google video and youtube if you search the title.

[edit on 1-12-2008 by dedalive]

reply to post by Ryanp5555


sure I think we can all assume you are asking if mythological dragons are real, but what are you asking? Do you even know what you're asking?

Are we talking the mythology where dragons have personality or where dragons are just firebreathing preditors?

reply to post by Ryanp5555


Pterodactyl like creatures and winged humans are not that uncommon. The mothman is a recent manifestation of such things beyond our earthly realm. Although, the source is most probably from early unearthed dinosaur bones.

I've always had an interest in this subject. You can claim that dragons were inspired by giant lizards or even dinosaurs. However, I find it interesting that if all these ancient civilizations created the image of a dragon from lizards, why do they all tend to point to the same sort of image.

Of course each civilization's dragons vary much like types of lizards, but most of them are connected to fire/water, or fly, and are very long in length. I think it's a pretty big jump to look at a lizard and think of a massive flying fire breathing dragon. It's also hard to believe these cultures would be lucky enough to be just digging around and find dinosaur bones to inspire from- even then, it's hard to believe everyone would be "inspired" in the same way.

Did dragons ever exist in the past? I have no idea, but I do know that it is fairly unlikely. The civilizations all telling stories of them points to yes, but the lack of evidence otherwise points to no.

[edit on 2-12-2008 by XSilencedxdream]

I've always felt dargons were real but could be nice, like Puff.
The other night on Coast 2 Coast, I think one of the guests mentioned some frozen (I was half asleep) dragons someone found? Hearing that woke me up but I had missed most of the info. I did hear them say how the dragons were able to breath out fire and all.
Anyone else hear that show?

This is something I've always wondered!

As a child I was always intrigued why my country's flag (Wales) pictured a dragon - an apparently mythical creature - and yet these imaginary creatures were also a prominent myth of a far flung country such as China.

And of course, there's St George - Patron Saint of England - who, in tradition, slew a dragon.

My personal thought is that some "dinosaurs" lasted a bit longer that we thought they did



[edit on 11/12/08 by lizziejayne]

This is something that has always interested me as well. I am also intrigued by the similarities in the words Draco, Dragon, Dracula. I think that Draco is Itallian for dragon but it is also the name given to the winged reptilian ETs that some people claim to have encountered. Dracula can fly and likes to drink blood, which is what the Draco ETs are supposed to do..I can't help thinking there is a link there somewhere.

Dragons are dinasours and there were many gods before the one true god of the bible. It has always been the same people who have tried to make you think these are myths. They have played us like fools to keep us under control and we are so stupid we look right at the proof and most of us say Duhhh I dont know!!!

I think it is possible. There has been much speculation on this. But there is nothing to disprove it.