Dragons – European
Dragons are prevalent in many different early cultures. The legend of dragons have risen across continents in distinct varieties. In Europe, the dragon is unique from the Asian version though they share a couple of traits. The European dragon is usually portrayed in European legend as a winged creature, that stand on legs. This differs slightly from the more snakelike portrayal of dragons in Asian cultures.
 Ljubljana Dragon |
The origins of the dragon legend is debatable. Some suggest that dragons are easily explained by real world creatures that existed in far off lands… The legends grew from stories explaining large crocodiles of the Nile delta or other large lizards that did not exist in Europe. Others think that the legend may have been completely mythical – a part of the imagination of the story teller. Another explanation claims that fossils, that could not be explained by comparison to any living creature at the time, may have been attributed to dragons.
Nearly every culture in Europe originated its own dragon legends. One of the earliest mention of dragons in classical literature presents itself in the Greek epic, The Illiad. The dragon appears throughout medieval mythology. Often in European legend, a hero defeats a dragon with his sword. Of course, St. George and the Dragon is a well known story.
For more information regarding dragons in European legends, please consult these sources:
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5pc Dragon Blood Agate GEM Bead FIT European/925 silver US $9.99 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Friday Sep-03-2010 22:49:52 PDT | Watch this Item |
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