Dragons And Dragon Kings In Ancient Mythology

A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – We encounter dragons in nearly each historic world tradition. Dragons performed an important position within the beliefs of our ancestors and have been depicted in varied methods.

Four Seas Dragon King. Credits: Unknown (Qing Dynasty) – Public Domain

Dragons will be positioned in East and West teams, thought to be both good or very fearsome and evil creatures.

Dragons in Ancient Chinese Mythology

In historic China, the dragon was a extremely vital creature that turned an emblem of the Emperor, and his throne was generally referred to as the Dragon Throne.  Ancient Chinese believed dragons have been answerable for the climate and water. These creatures have been stated to have the ability to manipulate oceans, floods, tornadoes, and storms.

There are 9 distinctive Chinese dragons; some are serpent-like creatures with massive our bodies and lengthy heads. The dragon in China is a benign creature that’s stated to convey knowledge, energy, and luck. They are well-known for his or her goodness, averting evil, defending the harmless, and guaranteeing security.

Tradition and celebration of New Year in China will be traced to a dragon named Nien (or “yr”).

The Traditional Rounded Chinese Dragon is often seen on imperial buildings, official uniforms, and cash. The design dated again to Tang Dynasty (Seventh-Eighth century). Please additionally be aware this isn’t the logo of the Qing dynasty. Image credit score: Sodacan – CC BY-SA 4.0

Nien was a legendary wild beast that attacked folks on the finish of the outdated yr. Villagers would use loud noises and shiny lights to scare the creature away, a apply that slowly morphed into the Chinese New Year festivities. Today the dragon has its yr on the Chinese calendar.

Dragons In British And Scandinavian Mythology

Dragons have been usually depicted as wingless creatures within the British Isles and Scandinavia. In this a part of the world, depictions of the dragon tended to point out a malevolent creature that was very tough to kill.

The West dragon was wingless, lived in darkish locations or wells, and guarded hoard treasures. Approaching the dragon was nearly unimaginable due to its toxic fireplace breath.

Dragons in British and Scandinavian mythology usually seem in tales when a prince tries to save lots of a younger maiden from being kidnapped by a fearsome animal. If he can slay the dragon, he can turn into the brand new King and win the woman as his bride.

Dragon Kings In Chinese Mythology

In historic Chinese mythology, we encounter 5 monumental dragon kings who have been rainmakers and rulers of the waters.

Four of them have been stationed on the cardinal factors and dominated the seas. Their chief had his abode within the center. The 5 dragon kings have been named Lung Wang.

The dragon kings of China lived in crystal palaces underneath the ocean. Their underwater dwellings have been a part of the mysterious Underworld that would solely be reached via underground mountain caves and particular secret entrances. When the Water Dragons rose to the floor, they triggered typhoons, and after they flew via the air triggered heavy rain and hurricanes. The Dragon Kings are among the many deified forces of nature of the Taoist faith.

Dragon’s Head As A Viking Symbol

A dragon’s head was one of the vital well-known symbols of the Vikings. The Viking dragon was, in some ways, a illustration of the Midgard Serpent, a legendary sea creature who fought with the Norse god Thor.

Many ships have been geared up with carved dragon heads on prime of the stem, whereas the strict usually was formed like a dragon’s tail.

Vikings constructed ships with big dragonheads as a result of they needed to seem as scary as doable from an extended distance.

Prows of viking ships and medieval boats moored to the pier within the harbour of the small metropolis of Tønsberg, Norway: “Saga Oseberg”, a 2012 constructed full scale reproduction of the “Oseberg Ship”, a Viking ship from about AD 820 found in a burial mound close to Tønsberg, with the prow ending in a spiral formed serpent’s head “Saga Farmann”, a 2018 constructed reconstrucion of the “Klåstadskipet” ship from about AD 820 “Sæheimr”, constructed 2016, impressed by the “Fjørtoftbåten” boat from about AD 860, adorned with a dragon’s head on the fore stem.  Image credit score: Wolfmann  – CC BY-SA 4.0 – The {photograph} was taken in August 2019.  – extra.

Vikings referred to as their longships “Drakkar” or dragon ships, and the dragon was a strong and fearsome image of warfare.

The Pendragons Of Wales

Many have seen the Welsh flag encompasses a crimson dragon and that the Prince of Wales makes use of rampant dragons on his banner.

Flag of Wales. Image credit score: Unknown – Public Domain

The outdated British phrase “draig” means dragon (and warrior or ‘leader,’  whereas the “pen” meant head. The two phrases mixed kind Pendragon or Pen Draig, a noble surname in early Britain as early because the fifth century. The dragon image continued for use by the final native Welsh princes of Wales, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd and Owain Glyndwr, throughout their struggles in opposition to English occupation within the 14th and fifteenth centuries.

The Pendragon title in Welsh literature consists of Uther Pendragon, father of the legendary King Arthur.

Ancient And Modern Superstitions About Dragons

In historic occasions, there have been additionally many superstitions in regards to the dragon; surprisingly, some persist even at present.

It was, for instance, believed that the blood of the dragon held distinctive properties that would give an individual the ability to see into the longer term. On the opposite hand, it was additionally stated that if a knight dipped the tip of his sword into the dragon’s blood and stabbed you with it, the wound would by no means heal.

Dragon tooth have been thought to convey good luck to those that possessed them.

The dragon has survived as a strong image in lots of components of the world.

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer

Updated on March 6, 2023

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