Found a dragon in China. Historical finds and their application
China has been associated with dragons since ancient times, according to at least, there are plenty of legends about these fire-breathing monsters here. Moreover, the Chinese even believe that they are ancestors extraterrestrial civilization dragons that once visited our planet.
Naturally, for this reason, traces of dragons are periodically found in this territory, and they are even seen flying in the sky. How reliable all this is is very difficult to judge, since scientifically confirmed facts no to that. But sometimes it happens very interesting finds. And one of them is literally fresh, even accompanied by video material (see below).
This video was allegedly recorded in a remote location civilized world Zhangjiakou village, which is located in Northern China. The skeleton of a huge dragon was found here - about twenty meters in length. The skeleton has tiny paws and a huge horned head. And the long spine corresponds to the Chinese ideas about these fire-breathing lizards.
Skeptics believed that this was an assembled skeleton from the head of an antelope and the ribs of some animals, say, domestic cows, goats, and so on. And although it is difficult to imagine that the inhabitants of some remote village would engage in such a hoax, it is possible that this could have been done by television workers, filmmakers, and then enterprising Internet users filmed it all, edited it and posted it on the Internet (the remote village in this case just tied it to the material for greater persuasiveness).
Moreover, in China, if we look at similar finds, almost every fossilized skeleton found is immediately called a dragon, before an analysis is carried out and it turns out in fact that these are simply the remains of one or another representative of dinosaurs. For example, in China in 2006, in Chongqing province, even the new kind these fossil lizards are Mamenchisauridae. However, even then, a rumor about a dragon skeleton immediately began to spread.
At the beginning of this year, another species of dinosaur was found here - Beibeilong sinensis, even named after a dragon, since it was found in a huge fossil egg, had wings and “promised” (in the past, however) to grow into a three-ton oviraptorosaur that flies just like the mythical one fire-breathing lizard.
However, a video about a dragon skeleton found in the village of Zhangjiakou is gaining popularity on the Internet. Most viewers, of course, doubt the authenticity of such a bold statement, but there are those who are sure that dragons really once existed on Earth, and if so, then their remains must certainly be preserved. Now it’s up to the scientists, if they are interested, of course, in this unique find...
Video: The skeleton of a huge dragon was found in China? / Mysterious Dragon Bones Found In China
Chinese villagers awake to find perfectly intact skeleton in a field.
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Dragon on Dja Island
An incredible photograph with the skeleton of a huge animal spread across the Internet in an extremely short time. In the foreground on sandy beach In the Black Sea lies a huge head resembling the head of a dragon. In the background is a lighthouse.
The recognizable silhouette of the old lighthouse on the island of Dzharylgach, built in 1902, has delighted many for a long time (since 1902), but the lighthouse looks even more graceful next to such a find. Is this someone's joke, an archaeological dig, or a random find? We decided to figure it out.
Watch an amazing video about, which has collected thousands of views on YouTube:
This dragon is not as fast in flight as the serpent or longhorn, but nevertheless it is very dangerous.
Newt Scamander's book page
The Ukrainian iron-bellied dragon can crush a house if it suddenly lands on it.
This is what we can see in the photo to the right of the lighthouse - the ruins of the old lighthouse keeper's house.
There is an opinion among local historians that the iron lighthouse of Dzharylgach Island attracts the Iron-Belly with its beauty and the material from which it is made. Agree, the lighthouse is over 100 years old, but it looks like new. Rusty, of course, but... like a new rusty lighthouse.
You can still see it with your own eyes when you go on vacation to the sea on the island of Dzharylgach or combine it with the favorite place of all dragons - the scorched Oleshkovo desert, going to.
Watch a video about tourist locations in Kherson, after which you will want to visit this city:
"His scales gray with a metallic tint, the eyes are dark red, and the claws are very long and sharp. Ukrainian magicians have been constantly monitoring iron-bellied dragons since one of these animals was dragged away on the Black Sea in 1799 sailing ship“Fortunately, there were no deaths.” © Newt Scamander
In the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, a dragon of this species guarded the dungeons and safe of the Gringotts Bank, which contained Penelope Hufflepuff's Cup. If you don't remember the details, watch the movie again.
Ukrainian dragon in the film about Harry Potter
On May 1, 1998, the Golden Trio, with the help of the goblin Griphook, robbed this safe deposit box. But when it was time to leave, they had no choice but to free the dragon from its chains and get out of the bank on its back. Which is what we see in the photo below.
The main characters fly on the back of the Ukrainian dragon
Beautiful architecture of Kherson
It is interesting to note that this type of dragon is “frozen in stone” on the wall of a famous house in Kherson - Scarlato’s house.
Stucco molding and Scarlato's house in Kherson
Scarlato's house was built at the beginning of the 20th century in an eclectic style with pronounced Baroque features. The house occupies an entire block between Vorontsovskaya, Teatralnaya, Torgovy Lane and Philip Orlik (Gannibalovskaya) streets.
This house is considered the largest apartment building old Kherson. Belonged to the merchant M.S. Scarlato, a descendant of a Moldavian boyar family.
local historian Sergei Makarov suggests that the photo shows Mikhail Savvich Scarlato
The favorable location of the building near the main market of Kherson - Privoz, was the reason for the placement of shops, hotels, and small businesses in it. During the Second World War, the building was badly damaged and was partially destroyed.
The building was heavily damaged during the German occupation in Kherson, but was later restored
After the war it was restored by German prisoners of war. The destroyed part, on the side of Philip Orlik Street, was rebuilt.
The house is also known as temporary housing famous director and actor Vsevolod Meyerhold.
What is the reason for the appearance of the Ukrainian dragon in the stucco of the building, how Scarlato is connected with it and whether Meyerhold knew about it remains a mystery to this day. Perhaps the dragon is an old symbol of the Moldavian family? I am sure that people in Moldova have been familiar with dragons for a long time.
Legends are legends, but everyone should visit the island of Dja. Clean beaches, the turquoise sea and the dolphins that can very often be found playing near the shore will win your heart.
Do you want to get to know the island better and explore each of it? amazing corner? We created it for you! This is a vacation you won't forget!
What else to see in Kherson and why to go there will tell you this promotional video, filmed with voluntary contributions from citizens #HryvniaforKherson:
Thanks for the information V.B. Pivorovich, S.A. Dyachenko, D. Rowling. It's nice to restore the true story bit by bit.
It is quite difficult to draw a dragon anatomically correctly, since it is a mythical creature. However, in this lesson we will consider this possibility based on basic knowledge on the anatomy of other animals. This lesson will look at the skeleton and muscles of a dragon in motion. If you want your dragon to look real, then this tutorial is for you.
The end result will look like this:
Lesson details:
- Complexity: Average
- Estimated completion time: 2 hours
1. Skeleton
We all know that dragons are like dinosaurs and have six limbs. They can also fly and breathe fire. They lay eggs and are covered with scales. In addition, they are predators sharp claws and teeth. This common features, with which everyone agrees. Other questions about dragons remain open. Are they warm- or cold-blooded? Do they have fur or feathers? How many toes are on their paws? How long is their tail? In this lesson we will look at the most universal characteristics dragon, everything else depends on your imagination.
Step 1
It's best to start with the skeleton. The placement of the joints and bones will allow the dragon to look quite realistic no matter what you plan to do with it later. We use a mixture of dog (T-Rex) and bat skeletons.
Step 2
If you think the dragon doesn't look entirely believable, you can change it. Let's make the legs shorter, the neck shorter and the chest larger.
Step 3
You can change a lot about the skeleton to make the shape as good as possible in your opinion. However, there are some things to keep in mind:
- The elbow should be placed at the same level as the knee;
- There should be space between the chest and hips - the more, the wider the range of their movement;
- The wings must be at least the size of the body. The bigger, the better;
- The neck should start from the back of the skull, not from the bottom;
- Joints must have a limited range of motion - consider the next step to obtain additional information about this question.
Step 4
Even the most anatomically correct body will not save you from the unnatural appearance of an animal if you use your joints without any restrictions. They are crucial for correct and natural posture.
Step 5
Of course, it is not necessary to draw its skeleton every time you draw a dragon. This is just a visual example for you. Here's what you need to see when you look at a pile of bones:
Step 6
Our sketch is ready:
2. Muscles
Step 1
Correctly drawing the muscles of a dragon can be problematic, since in nature there is not a single animal with a pair of wings and a pair of front legs. At this step you need to use your sense of intuition. In this case, muscles were examined using the example of a dog and a horse.
Step 2
It is quite difficult to remember the location of each muscle. So that you don't have to look at an example every time you want to draw a dragon, let's use a special tactic to remember the placement of muscles.
Let's start with the front paws. Do you see a heart on legs and another creature behind it with arms like tentacles? Make a sketch like this.
Step 3
In the forearm we can see a bird that covers two sticks with its wings.
Step 4
The hind legs are quite powerful parts of the body and they should be covered with large muscles.
Step 5
Now pay attention to the knee: as if three sticks are connecting it to the heel.
Step 6
Association with the following muscle: big crab trying to eat thighs.
Step 7
Let's connect both parts of the paw with two muscles.
Step 8
Time for the wing muscles. They are easy enough to remember.
Step 9
...adding biceps.
We've covered the most difficult parts of the muscles, the rest are easy enough to remember.
Step 10
If your dragon will be completely covered in scales or armor, then you don't need to draw all the muscles. Just set the body shape and that's it. In our version, tense muscles are mandatory.
3. Limbs
Step 1
How many toes should there be on a dragon's paw? It doesn't really matter. IN in this example there are three of them as you can see in the image below.
Step 2
Let's start with the foot. Draw two circles and three or four lines for the fingers.
Step 3
Draw a circle at the end of each finger. The middle or middle fingers should be the largest. The last circle in the background will be the smallest because it is the furthest from the viewer.
Step 4
Let's add more circles above the previous ones. They should be larger and approximately the same in size.
Step 5
Add slightly curved claws. Don't make them spicy.
Step 6
Now you just need to connect all the circles with lines.
Step 7
Draw the folds on the legs.
Step 8
This is what the dragon looks like at this stage:
4. Tail
Step 1
The most important rule is to remember that the tail has two sides that cannot be fully visible at the same time. The more you see of one side, the less you see of the other. For a natural effect, first draw the center line (pink) and then add the two sides of the tail.
Step 2
You can add fins to the tail.
Step 3
When it comes to the tail, there is one more thing to consider and consider. A bare tail looks pretty boring, so we'll draw some pseudo-practical decorations to go with it.
Step 4
Our dragon is almost ready!
5. Dragon reinforcement
Step 1
Before you start creating armor for a dragon, you need to think about exactly where protection is needed.
- yellow - weapons - the area is well protected.
- green - foreground - this is where protection is needed most.
- pink - back - the area should be fairly well armored, as it is easily accessible to a potential enemy from behind.
- purple - movement points - large areas on which it is necessary to install protection so that it does not limit the movement of the dragon.
Step 2
There are many shapes that can be used for scales. You can choose any one you like.
Step 3
There are two types of scales:
- large and immobile, which can hinder the wearer’s movements;
- small plates that are connected to each other.
Step 4
Now we can create beautiful and realistic armor for the dragon.
Step 7
Add smaller slabs. On the tail they connect the upper and lower parts.
Step 8
Now we cover the empty space with slabs that are suitable in size.
Step 9
Now you can do whatever you want with your drawing. To achieve the effect as shown in the image below, use gray/brown paper and watercolor. Then add a few strokes with a black marker.
Step 10
You may wonder: why did we look at the structure of the dragon's skeleton and muscles from the very beginning if they are invisible under the shell? There are two reasons for this.
.The image of a dragon is very common. Associated with it great amount beliefs and traditions in the culture of the people. And what was the surprise of the local residents of the town of Zhangjiakou when they discovered his skeleton! This amazing find will be discussed in the article.
Chinese dragon in folk mythology
It is described in ancient tales as a mysterious animal with the head of a camel, the antlers of a deer, the eyes of a demon, the scales of a carp, the claws of an eagle, the paws of a tiger and the ears of a cow. But in ancient Chinese images it doesn’t look quite like this. Dragons have a bump on their heads that allows them to fly.
These creatures reach a size of more than 300 meters.
Female dragons lay eggs. The birth of cubs is always accompanied by spontaneous natural phenomena: thunderstorms, hail, blizzards, meteor showers.
In mythology, dragons are divided into groups:
- Tianlong - guards the gods and carries them on a golden chariot.
- Dilun is in charge of rivers and seas.
- Futsanglong - this dragon guards gems and underground treasures.
- Yinglun - rules over the weather, he can send wind, rain, hail, thunder.
The age of a mythical animal is determined by its color. Red, yellow, black, white dragons are about a thousand years old, blue ones are 800 years old.
Dragons can take on human form.
They were a symbol of imperial power. According to Chinese legend, one ruler in his declining years turned into a dragon and flew away. The authenticity of the emperor was established only by the presence of a mole on this animal. The throne was considered to belong to the dragon. During the reign, the image of this mythical creature was present on national flag. A common person had no right to wear clothes with the image of a dragon. For such an offense they were executed.
It should be noted that such a character as a dragon is found not only in Chinese, but also in Western European culture. But in the first he is a symbol of nobility, holiness, happiness, and in the second he is the embodiment of darkness, evil and deceit. Chinese dragon, according to mythology, flies through the air, wriggling with its whole body, and the western one - with the help of wings.
Local traditions
Residents of the town of Zhangjiakou, in northern China, have passed down from generation to generation a legend about a mysterious huge flying snake that has lived in these parts since ancient times. Just half a century ago, fruits, vegetables, and livestock were sacrificed to the mysterious creature. However, with the advent of communist ideology in China, many beliefs lost their validity. Make sacrifices mythical creature stopped. Since then the dragon has disappeared. Perhaps he simply died from lack of food?
Dragon skeleton: history of the discovery
In 2017, in an area where there was a clear belief that a dragon lived here, a huge skeleton was discovered. Its length reaches approximately 18 meters. Locals It is believed that this is the skeleton of a dragon.
Firstly, it was found exactly in those places where sacrificial alms were brought to him, that is, near the city of Zhangjiakou. The remains look as if they were recently muscle mass. There are forelimbs and hindlimbs, but no wings.
Residents of the town are convinced that this is the skeleton of their dragon. The found remains of a mysterious animal represent huge size a skull, two paws and an incredibly long tail. In Chinese mythology, these creatures looked exactly like this. They had long, elongated bodies, short limbs, and no wings at all, unlike dragons in Western mythology.
Authenticity of the find
It should be noted that neither Chinese scientists nor government officials have yet given an official conclusion on whether the find is a genuine skeleton of a mythical monster.
The bones found in the Chinese province really resemble the classic dragon, which is described in myths and tales - a large horned snake with a mustachioed muzzle. But the remains found had no flesh left on their bones. Therefore, it is impossible to determine the presence or absence of a mustache.
Residents of the town took photographs of this skeleton, which indicate the discovery. However, after studying the images, experts believe the bones are not real. Scientists called this skeleton a composite, presumably created for some movie or prank.
But the Chinese themselves are convinced that it is genuine. But how things really are remains to be seen.
Public response
After the discovery of a dragon skeleton in China, within a matter of hours, photographs spread around the entire planet on the Internet. The news caused a wide Dragon refers to mythical characters as oriental culture, and Western. Or maybe he is not a mythical animal, but a creature that really lived on the planet?
Historical finds and their application
The dragon skeleton in China is not the only amazing find. In the late 80s of the 20th century, residents of a village in Henan province found the bones of a sauropod. At first he was also mistaken for a dragon. Residents of the village, in accordance with ancient beliefs, began to cook stew from bones for children who suffered from various ailments. Some of the remains were ground into powder and applied to wounds, bruises and fractures. The Chinese believe that this is a very effective medicine.
At the local bazaar there was a lively trade in powder made from them. But paleontologists learned about this amazing skeleton and a scandal broke out. The peasants were very scared and transferred the remains of the animal, which lived on earth about 100 million years ago, to a research institute.
IN American state Montana man filmed flying over lake strange monster with a huge tail and wings. This is incomprehensible and mysterious creature very reminiscent of a dragon from fairy tales and myths. When the video went viral, a terrible controversy erupted. Some thought it was a dragon, others thought it was kite, third, that this is a drone. There were also skeptics who claimed that the video was a fake.
Instead of a conclusion
A dragon skeleton was found in China, a mythical animal was seen flying in Montana, but scientists continue to remain silent. So is this fiction? Is this someone's prank or the remains of a real dragon? The answer to the question has not yet been given. The Chinese dragon skeleton still remains a mystery...
The dragon combines elements of the bodies of several real animals - primarily reptiles and birds. The snake, unlike the dragon, does not have wings. However, strict terminological differences are not always adhered to - the words “snake” and “dragon” are often used as synonyms: the winged dragon in Slavic fairy tales is called the Serpent Gorynych, the wingless Greek Ladon is called a dragon, the monster that killed St. George is called either a snake or a dragon.
The ancient Greek monster Chimera, the daughter of the dragons Typhon and Echidna, combined the features of several animals: a lion, a goat and a snake. At the same time, the Chimera could fly and was fire-breathing.
The number of limbs of snakes and dragons varies. Mythology knows many snakes that have no limbs at all, for example the snake gigantic size, which has supernatural powers. Wingless dragons with four limbs are also known, for example Fafnir, killed by Siegfried. A winged dragon usually has six limbs - four legs, like a lizard, and two wings. There are also winged dragons with two legs - like birds, for example the cockatrice.
Dragons with six limbs can move on four legs, like animals, and can also practice an upright gait: walking on hind legs, and grab prey with its front paws. Dragons' paws end in sharp claws.
Dragon wings are not like bird wings. They almost never have feathers. The only exception is American God Quetzalcoatlus, whose name translates to “feathered serpent.” Dragon wings are somewhat similar to the wings of small bats- they are strong, have leathery membranes. And the wingspan of dragons is gigantic: flying across the sky, they can block the sun with them.
Dragon's Tail - powerful weapon. It is long, strong, and often has thorns. The tails of dragons defeated by heroes leave deep furrows on the ground, which can then become river beds along which high mountains will rise.
One of characteristic features the dragon is its many heads. Not everyone has many heads, but there are many dragons in Greek, Slavic, and American mythologies that have between one and one hundred heads. For example, our Serpent Gorynych in different options tales could have three, six, seven, nine, twelve or even a hundred heads. The heads themselves can be of the same type or different (the Greek three-headed Chimera had the heads of a lion, goat, and snake). Many dragons, for example the Greek Lernaean Hydra, new ones grew in place of the severed head. Many dragons - both multi-headed and those with only one head - were fire-breathing - they had the magical ability to spew fire from their mouths.
The dragon's eyes are endowed with magical powers. It is not for nothing that the Greek word “dragon” in its origin is associated with the verb “to look”. The dragon's pupils are narrow, vertical, like those of snakes, and not round, like those of humans. The dragon's gaze can be dangerous. The basilisk dragon kills with its gaze everyone who meets its eyes. The dragon-like Greek monster the Gorgon Medusa turned into stone with her gaze.
It is often believed that a dragon's eyes are blood red in color. In Asia, the pitaya fruit grows, which in its shape resembles a giant egg. Red, covered with something like thorns, it was called the “dragon eye”.
Dragon teeth are extremely sharp and sometimes poisonous. Its bite can poison the hero who fights the dragon. The teeth of defeated dragons could be used as dagger blades. The teeth, like other parts of the dragon, were kept by the monster even after death. magical properties: teeth ground into powder in the Middle Ages were considered miraculous medicines; people could also wear a dragon’s tooth as a talisman - a talisman that protects against evil spells. IN Greek mythology There are cases when armed warriors grew from teeth sown in the ground.
Like teeth, dragon claws remain magical objects. In antiquity and the Middle Ages it was believed that the claws of killed dragons retain magical power and can be used as weapons, amulets and medicines. Magical properties other parts of the slain dragons also possessed: blood, heart, tongue. Thus, the dragon’s blood tempered the hero’s body by bathing in it, and he became invulnerable. And the person who ate the heart (according to another version, the tongue) of a dragon began to understand the language of animals.
The dragon's jaw is massive and equipped with strong muscles. It is believed that the dragon is able to dislocate its jaw in the same way as some snakes do in order to swallow large pieces of prey. The dragon has two types of teeth, which means it is omnivorous - it can eat both meat and plant foods. The canines and incisors are very long and razor-sharp, and the molars are designed for chewing food rather than swallowing it in whole chunks.
The shoulder bones are strong to provide the necessary support and support for the large wings in flight. The wing "finger" bones are very long to pull the thin flight membrane taut during flight and control the wing.
In addition, it can probably be argued, by analogy with birds and vertebrates, that the bones of dragons do not have a solid, but a hollow structure. Therefore, dragon bones are very light and have large surfaces for the attachment of flight muscles. They are hollow inside, not filled bone marrow, like in mammals. The bone cavity contains a network of thin supporting beams, especially where the skeleton experiences the greatest load (for example, at the attachment points of the flight muscles). The beams are located in such a way as to resist the action of external force. This achieves stabilization of relatively thin bone walls without significant weight gain.
In wide parts of individual bones, such as the humerus and femur, some bones of the skull and spinal column, individual ribs, sternum (keel) and pelvic bones, there are air sacs communicating with the flight cavities. These air-filled bones also help reduce weight. Dragon bone can be thought of as a hollow cylinder consisting of a thin, hard shell, which is supported from the inside by thin plates of bone and air.
"Pneumaticity that is, the presence of air cavities in the bones, a phenomenon to a weak extent characteristic of many vertebrates. The bones of many vertebrates, lying adjacent to the nasal and tympanic cavities, are hollow and contain air-bearing projections of these cavities. The same phenomenon of pneumaticity is represented by many bones of most birds. Fossil flying reptiles (Ornithosauria) had pneumatic bones, and, apparently, they were also characteristic of some Dinosauria, which, however, did not have the ability to fly. Among birds, pneumaticity of bones is characteristic of most Carinitae, except, however, gulls (Larus) and terns (Sterna), which fly well, and it is also preserved to a weak degree in Ratitae (except Apteryx), which have completely lost the ability to fly. Thus, although there is known attitude between flight and pneumaticity of bones, a relationship determined, naturally, by the greater lightness of pneumatic bone compared to dense bones, but, nevertheless, pneumaticity itself arose earlier than the ancestors of birds acquired the ability to fly, and only with the acquisition of this ability did pneumaticity become more complete development; then, pneumaticity was preserved in birds that had lost the ability to fly; finally, it is not at all necessary condition for the development of flying ability, for both some birds fly well and the bats deprived of it. Usually pneumatic are the humerus, coracoids, sternum, as well as individual parts of the spine, ribs and posterior girdle. Other bones, such as the bones of the anterior girdle and the femur, are also less often pneumatic. Sometimes only a few bones are pneumatic, but sometimes even the phalanges of the fingers are pneumatic, as is the case in pelicans (Pelycanus) and rhinoceroses (Buceros), etc. The processes of the air or pulmonary sacs enter the pneumatic bones of birds.”
The scales (and claws and horns) of a dragon are made of densely packed cells of keratin, a fibrous protein. Newborn dragons have scales that are soft, like paper or fabric, and gradually harden as the dragonet grows. Gradually, during the process of metabolism, iron obtained from food is mixed with keratin. The result is a scale of remarkable strength. The process of hardening of the scales continues for a year after the hatchling hatches from the egg.
The color of the scales varies from light shades in childhood to the black color of the mature adult. Dragon scales are never one shade of color. If the dragon is blue, then its scales will shine in all shades of blue - from the lightest to blue-black. The back is usually painted in dark tones, the underbelly and inner side wings - to lighter ones. A healthy dragon's scales shine, but if he gets sick or starving, they become dull and faded.
Adult dragons of some breeds can change the color of their scales, such as the chameleon. The chromatophore pigment contained in the scale cells allows them to do this. A change in color is usually a reaction of the body caused by strong emotions - anger, joy, etc. If the dragon is angry, it may change its original color to a brighter, fiercer color, such as red, to appear more threatening. During marriage rituals dragons change their colors iridescently to attract other dragons. Some dragons can change color randomly, i.e. at will, this is due to their intellectual abilities. A dragon, for example, can choose a color that exactly matches the surrounding background in order to become almost invisible (which, you see, is important for a creature of this size). As a result, you can easily walk past the 65-foot dragon, camouflaged in the color of sand and looking like a large pile of sand.
The main function of scales is to protect the dragon's soft skin. An adult dragon can easily withstand the blow of a knight's sword, only flinching slightly. Adult dragons have teardrop-shaped scales that are 7-9 inches long and 4-6 inches wide. Flat scales overlap each other like tiles and cover the entire body of the dragon in an even layer. In the chest area, the scales are the largest - often reaching a foot wide, and at the same time form three planes - the flight planes. They are formed differently than the main scales throughout the body. Scales from these areas have more rectangular shape and have a different direction - from the throat, along the stomach and to the end of the tail. Under the dragon's chin, the scales run in the opposite direction to most other directions. They protrude twelve inches and are capable of killing a person. The scales slide and rub against each other with any movement, and at the same time a characteristic rustling sound is heard. The overlapping scales make the dragon virtually invulnerable.
Interestingly, the dragon can “raise” its scales, say, for washing. An angry dragon's scales also stand up, making it appear much larger than it actually is. The dragon also raises its scales when it is hot - the raised scales allow for better heat transfer, and the dragon cools down much faster. Favorite hobby some dragons - go into the water with raised scales so that it flows between the scales and gets on the sensitive skin.
According to ancient Akkadian sources, the dragon had the paws of a dog, the head of a lion, and the wings of a bird. The image of the Dragon appears in almost all creation myths. The sacred texts of ancient peoples identify it with the primordial power of the earth, the primordial Chaos, which enters into battle with the Creator. In these cosmic battles, as a rule, the forces or gods who personify order and maintain balance in the universe win, and the firmament is created from the monster and heavenly world: “And he cut open her insides, and pierced her heart... and from one half he created the firmament of heaven, and from the other, the firmament of the earth...”
In every country, poets sang of this titanic battle. The ancient Babylonian legend Enuma Elish talks about the struggle of the god Marduk with Tiamat, the goddess of the primeval cosmic ocean. One of the gods of the Vedic pantheon, Indra, defeats the dragon Vritra, the Semitic god Baal - the god Yama, the lord of the primordial ocean... Widely known and biblical story about the monster Leviathan, once defeated by the Creator. The dragon symbol is the emblem of warriors on Parthian and Roman standards, the national emblem of Wales, the guardian depicted on the prows of ancient Viking ships. Among the Romans, the dragon was the badge of a cohort, hence the modern dragon, dragoon. The dragon symbol is a symbol of supreme power among the Celts, a symbol of the Chinese emperor: his face was called the Face of the Dragon, and his throne was called the Dragon Throne. On the shield of Agamemnon (11th song of the Iliad) a blue three-headed dragon was depicted. The legends of Buddhism are replete with references to dragons, and the tales of Taoism tell of their deeds. Dragons are winged snakes, in the image of which animals were united, embodying two worlds - the upper (birds) and the lower (snakes). These fantastic creatures in Chinese mythology personified masculinity, the primary element of yang, together with the phoenix, embodying feminine, the primary element of yin.
The image of a dragon served as a symbol of the emperor, and a phoenix - of the empress. In medieval alchemy, primordial matter (or otherwise the world substance) was designated by the most ancient alchemical symbol - a snake-dragon biting its own tail and called ouroboros (“tail eater”). The image of the ouroboros was accompanied by the caption “All in One or One in All.” And Creation was called circular (circulare) or wheel (rota). In the Middle Ages, when depicting a dragon, different parts of the body were “borrowed” from various animals, and, like the Sphinx, the dragon was a symbol of the unity of the four elements.
One of the most common mythological plots is a battle with a dragon: the hero, thanks to his courage, defeats the dragon, takes possession of its treasures, or frees a captive princess. This plot tells about the duality of human nature, about the internal conflict between light and darkness, about the forces of the unconscious, which can be used to achieve both creative and destructive goals. The battle with the dragon symbolizes the difficulties that a person must overcome in order to acquire treasures internal knowledge, win victory over your base, dark nature and achieve self-control.
The labors of Hercules, the liberation of Andromeda by Perseus, the battle of Jason with the dragon in the tale of the Argonauts, the legend of the Scandinavian hero Sigurd and his victory over the dragon Fafnir, the battle of St. George with the dragon are just some examples of this. Each of them gives their own advice on how to fight their own darkness. And although the dragon, like the Egyptian Seth, causes severe pain, it helps a person to know himself. Dragons were symbols of powerful life-giving gods: Quetzalcoatl, god of the morning star, Atum, god of eternity, Serapis, god of wisdom. This symbol is endless, just as the ever-evolving world, protected by the Ouroboros ring, is endless.
sources
http://www.95live.ru/world-secrets/history-of-dragons.html - Literature Mythology. Encyclopedia, -M.: Belfax, 2002
http://drkn.ucoz.ru/publ/drakony/istorija_drakonov/istorija_drakonov_chast_pervaja/8-1-0-4
http://dragons-nest.ru/dragons/rasa_drakonov/kakimi-byly-drakony.php