Wednesday, July 12, 2006 . 7/12/2006

I was watching this show on Dragons on the History Channel: Quest for Dragons. It got me thinking. First, I'm going to type down some theories that were stated in the show, and then state the ones I agree with.

First, as most of us know, dragons have been seen in almost every culture around the world. Why this is could be based a variety of reasons, and they are:

- Dragons really were real

- Fossils were discovered and they were thought to be dragons

- The environment

- The idea of Dragons is embedded in our brains

Let's focus on the first one listed: Dragons really were real. This could be completely possible in my mind. Looking at fossils of dinosaurs and comparing them to dragons is nearly uncanny save for the wings. Even a small reptilian animal with batlike wings to exist would be possible, and I personally find it to be odd that we have not yet found any record of such a creature. The explanation for why we find no dragon fossils? Perhaps their fiery nature takes over after they die, and the skeleton disintegrates. Or, we aren't looking in the right places, or they are buried deeper than most paleontologists care to dig.

The second, fossils were discovered and thought to be dragons, is even moreso possible than the above. As I mentioned already, dinosaurs and dragons have an uncanny resemblence despite the lack of wings on the dinosaurs' part. Early people could have found these, thought the animal was still existant.. since, to early people ancient times and times past was quite unimaginable. So they thought the creature still lived. Furthermore, the footprints of such creatures could have fueled their imagination. Over time, sand becomes sandstone, and it's possible early people didn't know this, thought the footprints were recent, and wondered what kind of animal could be so strong to be able to leave footprints in solid stone. They probably also could have recontstructed the skeletons the wrong way, leaving extra bones as wings. Pteridacyls ( pardon the spelling ) could have also played a part in dragons' existance to us humans. But, this prehistoric creature has no 'fingers' on its wings, save for one, whereas many people have described dragons, unlike the prehistoric creature, having "fingered" wings.

The environment: A mountain or hill in the distance could be mistaken for a sleeping dragon. In bogs, chemical reactions would cause fire to rise, the explanation unknown to early peoples. Volcanos could have been thought to be dragon's lairs, and the smoke coming from it would be thought to be the dragon breathing. Whirlpools were a strange phenomenon, and serpent-like sea monsters would be an explantion of how they are caused.

As to the last one, that the idea of dragons is embedded in our brains, would come very early man's fear of natural predators, the prime ones being the large cat, large birds, and snakes. These animals eventually merged themseleves together in early man's minds: The teeth of a large cat, the talons of a bird, and the body or neck of a snake forms a dragon.

Which do I personally believe? The environment factor is a very good explanation, and then again it's possible dragons really were flesh and blood. Maybe it's a combination of both. The idea that dragons are embedded in our brains I don't really agree with. When you think about it.. all these cultures with absolutely no contact with eachother can come up with such a similar creature, you'd think there has to be an actual creature of some sort. It's a mystery. 0 Comments - Post/view comments