The first dragon myths appear with the Sumerian legends of the god-mother Tiamat who transforms herself into a legged, horned serpent, and of the snake Zu who steals the law tablets. Dragons appear in Chinese and Indian legends in about 2700 B.C., and in Egypt a creation myth describes the dragon Apep.
The earliest draconic zoomorphic depictions date from the Xinglongwa culture between 6200–5400 BC, while the Hongshan culture may have introduced the Chinese character for 'dragon' between 4700 to 2900 BC.
Scholars say that belief in dragons probably evolved independently in both Europe and China, and perhaps in the Americas and Australia as well. How could this happen? Many have speculated about which real-life animals inspired the first legends.
Loong is a 40-metre long, five-clawed (or imperial) dragon who is now more than 120 years old. He lives in regional Victoria and is recognised on Victoria's Heritage register for his historical and cultural significance to the community.
Ancient Indian sources like the Rig Veda (one of the oldest texts in the world, dated around 1500 BCE) speak of the great dragon Vrtra, who had to be killed by the god Indra to release the waters of heaven onto earth. In Mesopotamian myths, the god Marduk battled with the dragon Tiamat for supremacy over human beings.
The motif of Saint George as a knight on horseback slaying the dragon first appears in western art in the second half of the 13th century. The tradition of the saint's arms being shown as the red-on-white St. George's Cross develops in the 14th century.
In Chinese mythology, Longwang (龍王) lords over the seas and is known as the “Dragon King.” He is a fearsome guardian deity who controls all dragons, sea creatures, the oceans, and the weather. Although he has a temper, Longwang is seen as a symbol of good fortune and the mythological embodiment of the concept of yang.
At 126 years old, Loong is the oldest processional dragon in Australia and the third oldest of its kind in the world.
The last dragon belonging to House Targaryen died young in 153 AC, during the later part of the reign of King Aegon III, who was called the Dragonbane. Her death marked the extinction of dragons in Westeros and beyond, until Daenerys Targaryen managed to hatch three dragons around a century and a half later.
In real life, probably not. While it makes sense that massive, unidentified bones combined with smaller creatures that look like they could be dragon relatives inspired the legends, we'll have to be satisfied with fictional dragon depictions to fuel the fire of our mythical mentality.
The Chinese dragon, also known as the loong, long or lung (Chinese: 龍 / 龙), is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture at large. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish, but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs.
Bible verses about dragons
Isaiah 34:13 also contains a reference to dragons. That reference reads, “And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.”
The first king of Westeros was Aegon the Conqueror who, along with his sisters Visenya and Rhaenys and their three dragons, won the War of Conquest. This war marked the beginning of the modern timeline (AL for Aegon's Landing), and a Targaryen Dynasty that ruled Westeros for more than 250 years.
After all is said and done, we can definitively say that, sadly, there is no proof that dragons are real. Ultimately, dragons were never more than a phenomenon of a collective psyche.
Komodo Dragons: The Last Dragons On Earth - Illinois Science Council.
Their lifespan is usually 10 to 15 years or more, so they're quite a commitment. It's important to replicate their natural habitat as best you can. Learn more about how to care for your bearded dragon and how to keep them healthy and happy.
Dragons never stop growing as long as they live, and they can live for centuries, though many died in combat before reaching such an age. The largest Targaryen dragon, Balerion the Black Dread, lived for nearly two centuries and had a skull the size of a carriage.
Dating back 100 million years, the 'dragon' called Thapunngaka shawi would fly above the ancient inland sea called Eromanga that used to cover a big portion of outback Queensland.
In the Game of Thrones series, there were only three dragons: Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
Balerion the Black Dread
The largest and eldest of all the Targaryen dragons, Balerion was flown by Aegon the Conqueror and later became the steed of King Viserys I.
The Five Dragon Kings are Tiamat, Yu-Long, Vritra, Midgardsormr, and Fafnir. Tannin was also one of the Dragon Kings before leaving and joining the Devils.