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The word for dragon in Germanic mythology and its descendants is worm (Old English: wyrm, Old High German: wurm, Old Norse: ormr), meaning snake or serpent. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age In Old English wyrm means "serpent", draca means "dragon". Finnish lohikäärme means directly "salmon-snake", but the word lohi- was originally louhi- meaning crags or rocks, a "mountain snake". Though a winged creature, the dragon is generally to be found in its underground lair, a cave that identifies it as an ancient creature of earth. A lair is a underground or other enclosed place that Animals use to hide themselves while at Sleep, Hibernation or when they take part in Reproduction Likely, the dragons of European and Mid Eastern mythology stem from the cult of snakes found in religions throughout the world. [1]

The dragon of the modern period is typically depicted as a huge fire-breathing, scaly and horned dinosaur-like creature, with leathery wings, with four legs and a long muscular tail. It is sometimes shown with feathered wings, crests, fiery manes, and various exotic colorations.

Many modern stories represent dragons as extremely intelligent creatures who can talk, associated with (and sometimes in control of) powerful magic. Intelligence (also called intellect) is an Umbrella term used to describe a property of the Mind that encompasses many related abilities such as the capacities Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and In stories a dragon's blood often has magical properties: for example in the opera Siegfried it let Siegfried / Sigurd understand the language of the Forest Bird. Siegfried is the third of the four Operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) by Richard Wagner Sigurd ( Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. The typical dragon protects a cavern or castle filled with gold and treasure and is often associated with a great hero who tries to slay it, but dragons can be written into a story in as many ways as a human character. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Treasure (from Greek θησαυρος Thesaurus, meaning "a treasure of the chest" is a Cognate) is a concentration of riches often one This includes the monster being used as a wise being whom heroes could approach for help and advice, so much so that they resembled Asian dragons rather than European dragons of myth. For example, when German author Michael Ende created a "Luckdragon" in his fantasy novel The Neverending Story and a movie was made based on it, many western audiences were confused as to why a "Luckdragon" had no wings and looked like a giant flying dog. Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende ( November 12, 1929 - August 28, 1995) was a German writer of fantasy and Children's This article lists character information from the book The Neverending Story and the movie adaptations of the same name. The Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979. The NeverEnding Story (Die unendliche Geschichte is a 1984 Fantasy film based on the German novel of the same name by Michael Ende This article lists character information from the book The Neverending Story and the movie adaptations of the same name.

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Roman dragons

Roman dragons evolved from serpentine Greek ones, combined with the dragons of the Near East, in the mix that characterized the hybrid Greek/Eastern Hellenistic culture. B Syria - Belka Woman from Damascus Arab from Baghdadjpg|thumb|Inhabitants of the Near East late nineteenth century This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. From Babylon, the musrussu was a classic representation of a Near Eastern dragon. The sirrush (or mushhushshu) is a creature depicted on the reconstructed Ishtar Gate of the city of Babylon, originally dating to the 6th century B John's Book of Revelation — Greek literature, not Roman — describes Satan as "a great dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns". The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου Much of John's literary inspiration is late Hebrew and Greek, but John's dragon, like his Satan, are both more likely to have come originally through the Near East. Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally Perhaps the distinctions between dragons of western origin and Chinese dragons (q. v. ) are arbitrary. A later Roman dragon was certainly of Iranian origin: in the Roman Empire, where each military cohort had a particular identifying signum, (military standard), after the Dacian Wars and Parthian War of Trajan in the east, the Draco military standard entered the Legion with the Cohors Sarmatarum and Cohors Dacorum (Sarmatian and Dacian cohort) — a large dragon fixed to the end of a lance, with large gaping jaws of silver and with the rest of the body formed of colored silk. The Sarmatians, Sarmatae or Sauromatae ( Old Iranian Sarumatah 'archer' Σαρμάτες The Dacian language was spoken by the ancient inhabitants of Dacia. With the jaws facing into the wind, the silken body inflated and rippled, resembling a windsock. A windsock or wind cone is a conical Textile Tube designed to indicate Wind direction and relative Wind speed. This signum is described in Vegetius Epitoma Rei Militaris, 379 CE (book ii, ch XIII. 'De centuriis atque vexillis peditum'):

Primum signum totius legionis est aquila, quam aquilifer portat. Dracones etiam per singulas cohortes a draconariis feruntur ad proelium
(The first sign of the entire legion is the eagle, which the eagle-bearer carries. In addition, dragons are carried into battle by each cohort, by the 'dragoneers')

and in Ammianus Marcellinus, xvi. Amiricanus Gambilinus (325/330-after 391 was a fourth-century Roman historian. 10, 7 (Harry Thurston Peck, Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, 1898: 'Signum'). It is hard to resist giving this Romanized Parthian dragon a distant Chinese origin.

Dragons in Slavic mythology

Zmey Gorynych, by Victor Vasnetsov
Zmey Gorynych, by Victor Vasnetsov
Main article: Slavic dragon

Dragons of Slavic mythology hold mixed temperaments towards humans. In Slavic mythology, the word zmey or Змей and its cognates zmiy, zmaj, zmej and żmij are used to describe a Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov (Виктор Михайлович Васнецов ( Lop'jal, May 15 ( N In Slavic mythology, the word zmey or Змей and its cognates zmiy, zmaj, zmej and żmij are used to describe a Slavic mythology is the Mythological aspect of the Religion that was practised by the ancient Slavs. For example, dragons (дракон, змей, ламя) in Bulgarian mythology are either male or female, each gender having a different view of mankind. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language Male (♂ refers to the sex of an organism or part of an organism which produces small mobile Gametes called spermatozoa. Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells The female dragon and male dragon, often seen as brother and sister, represent different forces of agriculture. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The female dragon represents harsh weather and is the destroyer of crops, the hater of mankind, and is locked in a never ending battle with her brother. The male dragon protects the humans' crops from destruction and is generally loving to humanity. Fire and water play major roles in Bulgarian dragon lore; the female has water characteristics, whilst the male is usually a fiery creature. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Bulgarian legend, dragons are three headed, winged beings with snake's bodies. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales.

In Bulgarian, Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian lore, a dragon, or "змей" (Bulgarian), zmey (Russian), smok (Belarusian) zmiy (Ukrainian), is generally an evil, four-legged beast with few if any redeeming qualities. The Bulgarians (българи balgari) are a South Slavic people generally associated with the Republic of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens In Slavic mythology, the word zmey or Змей and its cognates zmiy, zmaj, zmej and żmij are used to describe a Zmeys are intelligent, but not very highly so; they often place tribute on villages or small towns, demanding maidens for food, or gold. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Their number of heads ranges from one to seven or sometimes even more, with three- and seven-headed dragons being most common. The heads also regrow if cut off, unless the neck is "treated" with fire (similar to the hydra in Greek mythology). Dragon blood is so poisonous that Earth itself will refuse to absorb it. Dragon's blood serves a purpose in many different mythologies. It's interesting fact that in the Bulgarian mythology these dragons are sometimes good, apposing to the evil Lamya /ламя/, a beast that shares a common likeness with the zmey.

The most famous Polish dragon is the Wawel Dragon or smok wawelski. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Smok Wawelski, also known as The Dragon of Wawel Hill or simply The Wawel Dragon, is a famous Dragon in Polish folklore. It supposedly terrorized ancient Kraków and lived in caves on the Vistula river bank below the Wawel castle. Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland Wawel is an architectural complex erected over many centuries atop a limestone Outcrop on the left bank of the Vistula River in Kraków, According to lore based on the Book of Daniel, it was killed by a boy who offered it a sheepskin filled with sulphur and tar. The Book of Daniel (דניאל, originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, is a Book in both the Hebrew Bible ( Tanakh) and the Christian Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambskin or lambswool. After devouring it, the dragon became so thirsty that it finally exploded after drinking too much water. A metal sculpture of the Wawel Dragon is a well-known tourist sight in Kraków. It is very stylised but, to the amusement of children, noisily breathes fire every few minutes. The Wawel dragon also features on many items of Kraków tourist merchandise.

Other dragon-like creatures in Polish folklore include the basilisk, living in cellars of Warsaw, and the Snake King from folk legends. In European bestiaries and Legends a basilisk ('bæzɪlɪsk from the Greek βασιλίσκος basilískos, "little king" Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland.

Dragons in Germanic mythology

The most famous dragons in Norse mythology and Germanic mythology, are:

which surrounds the Miðgarð the world of mortal men;

Many European stories of dragons have them guarding a treasure hoard. Both Fafnir and Beowulf's dragon guarded earthen mounds full of ancient treasure. The treasure was cursed and brought ill to those who later possessed it.

Dragons in the emblem books popular from late medieval times through the 17th century often represent the dragon as an emblem of greed. (Some quotes are needed) The prevalence of dragons in European heraldry demonstrates that there is more to the dragon than greed. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms.

Though the Latin is draco, draconis, it has been supposed by some scholars, including John Tanke of the University of Michigan, that the word dragon comes from the Old Norse draugr, which literally means a spirit who guards the burial mound of a king. The University of Michigan Ann Arbor ( U of M, U-M, UM or simply Michigan) is a top-ranked Coeducational public research Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age A draugr or draug (original Old Norse plural draugar, as used here not draugrs) or draugen ( nor. How this image of a vengeful guardian spirit is related to a fire-breathing serpent is unclear. Many others assume the word dragon comes from the ancient Greek verb derkesthai, meaning "to see", referring to the dragon's legendarily keen eyesight. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly In any case, the image of a dragon as a serpent-like creature was already standard at least by the 8th century when Beowulf was written down. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Although today we associate dragons almost universally with fire, in medieval legend the creatures were often associated with water, guarding springs or living near or under water.

Other European legends about dragons include "Saint George and the Dragon", in which a brave knight defeats a dragon holding a princess captive. The episode of Saint George and the Dragon appended to the Hagiography of Saint George was Eastern in origin brought back with the Crusaders and retold Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. Prince, from the Latin root Princeps, is a general term for a Monarch, for a member of a monarch's or former monarch's family and is a This legend may be a Christianized version of the myth of Perseus, or of the mounted Phrygian god Sabazios vanquishing the chthonic serpent, but its origins are obscure. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas ( Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας) the Legendary founder Sabazios is the nomadic horseman and sky father god of the Phrygians and Thracians. Chthonic (from Greek χθόνιος khthonios "of the earth" from khthōn "earth" pertaining to the Earth; earthy subterranean

The tale of George and the Dragon has been modified for modern works, with Saint George portrayed in one Welsh nationalist rendering as an effete wally who faints at the sight of the dragon [1] and a poem by U. A. Fanthorpe based on Paolo Uccello's painting, which hangs in the British National Gallery. Ursula Askham Fanthorpe (born 1929 in Kent) is a significant English Poet. Paolo Uccello (born Paolo di Dono, 1397 &ndash December 10 1475) was an Italian painter who was notable for his pioneering work on visual In the poem, Saint George is a thug, the Maiden considers the relative sexual merits of the dragon and saint, and the Dragon is the only sane character. Certainly, Uccello's fifteenth-century painting, in which the Maiden has the dragon on a leash, is itself not the most conventional representation of the story.

It is possible that the dragon legends of northwestern Europe are at least partly inspired by earlier stories from the Roman Empire, or from the Sarmatians and related cultures north of the Black Sea. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Sarmatians, Sarmatae or Sauromatae ( Old Iranian Sarumatah 'archer' Σαρμάτες The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey There has also been speculation that dragon mythology might have originated from stories of large land lizards which inhabited Eurasia, or that the sight of giant fossil bones eroding from the earth may have inspired dragon myths (compare Griffin). Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The griffin is a Legendary creature with the body of a Lion and the head and often wings of an Eagle.

The Germanic tribe, the Anglo Saxons, under the warriors Hengest and Horsa brought the symbol of the White Dragon to England in the United Kingdom. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south Horsa, according to tradition was a fifth century warrior and brother of Hengest who took part in the invasion and conquest of Britain from its native The White Dragon is reputedly a symbol of Anglo-Saxon England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Today, the White Dragon is representative of England.

Dragons in Celtic mythology

The Welsh flag, showing a red dragon passant
The Welsh flag, showing a red dragon passant

In Britain, the dragon is now more commonly associated with Wales due to the national flag having a red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) as its emblem and their national rugby union and rugby league teams are known as the dragons. The National flag of Wales is Y Ddraig Goch ( The Red Dragon) consisting of a Red dragon passant on a Green In Heraldry and Vexillology, a charge is an image occupying the field on an escutcheon (or shield Rugby union is the National sport of Wales and is considered a large part of national culture Rugby league is a sport played in Wales. The governing body of the game in Wales is the Wales Rugby League. This may originate in Arthurian Legend where Merlin, employed by Vortigern, had a vision of the red dragon (representing the Britons) and the white dragon (representing the invading Saxons) fighting beneath Dinas Emrys. The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the Legends that concern the Celtic and legendary History of Great Britain, especially those The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network ( MERLIN) is an Interferometer array of Radio telescopes spread across England and the Vortigern (ˈvɔrtɨɡɝːn also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen and in Welsh Gwrtheyrn was a 5th century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. Dinas Emrys ( Welsh for "fortress of Ambrosius" is a rocky and wooded hillock near Beddgelert in North Wales. The red dragon was linked with the Britons who are today represented by the Welsh, and it is believed that the white dragon refers to the Saxons who invaded Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands This particular legend also features in the Mabinogion in the story of Llud and Llevelys.

It has also been speculated that the red dragon of Wales may have originated in the Sarmatian-influenced Draco standards carried by Late Roman cavalry, who would have been the primary defence against the Saxons. A draco was a Roman cavalry military standard borne by a Draconarius. In Welsh language the word "Pennaith" means also a chieftain, apparently due to the Roman draco standards. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic

The Welsh flag is parti per fess Argent and Vert; a dragon Gules passant.

Dragons in Asturian mythology

See Cuélebre. Cuélebre, or Culebre, is a giant winged serpent (a Dragon) of the Asturian and Cantabrian mythology that lives in a cave guards treasures

Dragons in Basque mythology

Herensuge is the name given to the dragon in Basque mythology, meaning apparently the "third" or "last serpent". Herensuge is the name for Dragon in Basque language. In Basque mythology, dragons appear sparingly sometimes with seven heads The Mythology of the ancient Basques largely did not survive the albeit late arrival of Christianity in the Basque Country between the 4th and 12th The best known legend has St. Michael descending from Heaven to kill it but only once God accepted to accompany him in person. Michael (מִיכָאֵל Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Μιχαήλ Mikhaíl; Michael or Míchaël; ميخائيل Mikhā'īl) is an Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity.

Sugaar, the Basque male god, is often associated with the serpent or dragon but able to take other forms as well. In Basque mythology, Sugaar (other names Sugar, Sugoi, Maju) is the male half of a pre- Christian Basque Deity His name can be read as "male serpent".

A. Xaho, a romantic myth creator of the 19th century, fused these myths in his own creation of Leherensuge, the first and last serpent, that in his newly coined legend would arise again some time in the future bringing the rebirth of the Basque nation. Augustin Chaho in French or Agosti Xaho in Basque was the most important Romantic Basque writers The Basques (Euskaldunak are a people who inhabit a region spanning over parts of north-central Spain and southwestern France.

Dragons in Catalan mythology

Vibria in a parade in Reus (Catalonia)
Vibria in a parade in Reus (Catalonia)

Dragons are well-known in Catalan myths and legends, in no small part because St. George (Catalan Sant Jordi) is the patron saint of Catalonia. Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain The Principality of Catalonia ˈkætəˌloʊ̯nɪə (Principat de Catalunya Aranese: Principautat de Catalonha; Spanish: Principado de Cataluña Catalan myths and legends are the traditional myths and Legends of the Catalan -speaking world especially Catalonia itself passed down for generations In Christian hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox The Principality of Catalonia ˈkætəˌloʊ̯nɪə (Principat de Catalunya Aranese: Principautat de Catalonha; Spanish: Principado de Cataluña Like most dragons, the Catalan dragon (Catalan drac) is basically an enormous serpent with two legs, or, rarely, four, and sometimes a pair of wings. As in many other parts of the world, the dragon's face may be like that of some other animal, such as a lion or bull. The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family As is common elsewhere, Catalan dragons are fire-breathers, and the dragon-fire is all-consuming. Catalan dragons also can emit a fetid odor, which can rot away anything it touches.

The Catalans also distinguish a víbria or vibra (cognate with English viper and wyvern), a female dragon with two prominent breasts, two claws and an eagle's beak. The Viperidae are a family of Venomous snakes commonly referred to as vipers, although the term viperids is more specific and distinguishes them from A wyvern or wivern (derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for serpent and ˈwɪvən is a legendary winged reptilian creature often found in Mediaeval Eagles are large birds of prey which are members of the Bird order Falconiformes and family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera

Dragons in Italian mythology

The legend of Saint George and the dragon is well-known in Italy. In Christian hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest But other Saints are depicted fighting a dragon. For instance, the first bishop of the city of Forlì, named Saint Mercurialis, was said to have killed a dragon and saved Forlì. Forlì ( Latin: Forum Livii) is a Comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy famed as the birthplace of the great painter Melozzo da Forlì Mercurialis ( Mercuriale) was the Bishop of Forlì, in Romagna. Forlì ( Latin: Forum Livii) is a Comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy famed as the birthplace of the great painter Melozzo da Forlì So he often is depicted in the act of killing a dragon. Likewise, the first patron saint of Venice, Saint Theodore of Tyro, was a dragon-slayer, and a statue representing his slaying of the dragon still tops one of the two columns in St. Mark's square. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Saint Theodore of Amasea (d 306 Amasenus, now Amasya Turkey) is one of the Greek Military saints of the 4th century the earlier Patron saint St. Micheal, the patron saint of paratroopers. is also frequently depicted slaying a dragon. Many dragons of the European Middle Ages were thought to be demonic, or resembling evil status.

Notes

  1. ^ See serpent (mythology). Serpent is a word of Latin origin (from serpens serpentis "something that creeps snake" that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or

See also

External links

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