LIFE AND TIMES OF THE DINOSAURS (HT14) 1PA046

Are Legends aboutDragons Connectedto the Discoveryof Dinosaurs?

Collect and compare legends fromvarious continents that might be

related to the discovery ofdinosaur bones.

Alexandra CochraneDecember 2014/ January 2015

A comparative study on dragon myths, focusing on two main Indo-European cultures including Old Norse and Mesopotamia whilst making reference to non-Indo-European cultures such as Asia to seehow these could be connected and help explain the early discovery of dinosaur bones.

Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

Are legends about dragons connected to the discovery

of the dinosaurs?

Collect and compare legends from various continents

that might be related to the discovery of dinosaur

bones.

The existence of dragons and other mythical creatures

feature in many children’s fairytales, usually representing a

fearsome antagonist. However it is not just in bedtime stories

where these legendary animals live, they are also found in

ancient folklore throughout the world. This paper will seek to

determine where these myths and legends originate from and

whether or not they were devised to aid in explaining early

discoveries of dinosaur bones. This subject is one that has

been researched largely by the classicist Adrienne Mayor who

details her findings and her various theses’ by geographical

regions to avoid confusion between ideology and conflicting

time periods. Taking this into consideration my study will be

a comparative analysis between two contrasting Indo-European

cultures, whose myths and folklores contain prominent “dragon”

stories. These Indo-European cultures include Scandinavia and

Old Norse and one that is shrouded in mystery; the Ancient

Near East. These have been selected because of their

contrasting time periods and their stark contrast in terms of

geographical locations. These two Indo-European cultures will

briefly be compared to a major Sino-Tibetan culture; China,

who regularly incorporates dragons as part of its daily life.

The Indo-European cultures will be discussed

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

chronologically. However it is initially important to clarify

what I will be utilising as the definition of a “dragon” as it

can alternate as a result of time, geography, to suit the

purpose of the author or when several myths merge together. My

definition of a “dragon” is derived from the Oxford English

Dictionary which states that a dragon is ‘a huge serpent or

snake’. Additionally it states that it could be a ‘mythical

monster, represented as a huge and terrible reptile, usually

combining ophidian and crocodilian structure, with strong

claws, like a beast or bird of prey with scaly skin…with the

addition of wings…’.1 I shall also be comparing the

connotations of both European and Asian dragon symbolism to

highlight how this could have affected the role of both

dragons and now dinosaurs within their respective cultures.

Chronologically, my paper will begin by discussing the

‘mythical monsters’ which appeared in the Ancient Near East,

notoriously in Assyrian mythology, religion, art and

architecture. There are two bird-like ‘griffin’ creatures

possibly created to help explain the early discovery of

unusual large bones. The first of these creatures is the

Lamassu (see figure 1) which was placed in pairs at doorways

of palaces and homes and also city gates. This positioning of

the statues and from what can be understood from ancient

cuneiform texts that we assume the Lamassu was a protective

deity in Assyrian mythology. This is unusual when we think of

the Western European stereotype of a terrifying beast that is

utilised to embody pejorative traits such as evil and sin. 1 Definition provided by Oxford English Dictionary, as found online at: http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/57429 (accessed 04/01/2015).

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

According to statues the creature had both animal and human

characteristics; featuring a human head with an animal body,

described by excavator Austin Henry Layard as having the

‘strength of a lion with the swiftness of a bird’.2

Similarly a ‘griffin’ is represented by the Anzu deity

(figure 2) whose imagery and character is the antithesis of

the prior, often displayed on tablets as a lion headed

‘feathered’ eagle with bird like hind talons, horns and a

powerful jaw with ferocious teeth.3 It was stated they could

breathe both fire and water. It is of interest a new

Oviraptorosauria dinosaur discovered in Northern America, then

described in 2014 was named as Anzu wyliei (figure 3) after its

suggested large ‘feathery’ appearance, carnivorous diet, beak

and tail. 4 Mayor states in her work The First Fossil Hunters that a

golden griffin head was discovered in Iran and is believed to

date from the 7th Century BC. She notes its remarkable likeness

to a skull from a Psittacosaurus which were common in the Ural

region. However it is similar to the clay drawings of the Anzu

deity. It too features extraordinarily sharp teeth, a beak-

like snout, what appear to be “ears” and a feathered neck. 5 My

argument is that through connections with warfare and trade,

notwithstanding a similar religious and mythological belief

system in the region, the golden griffin head is initially

modelled upon the Anzu deity. The deity itself could have been2 http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/c/colossal_statue_winged_bull.aspx (accessed 04/01/2015). 3 http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/gods/explore/anzu.html (accessed 04/01/2015).4 http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/scientists-discover-discover-large-feathered-dinosaur-once-roamed-north-america-180950130/?no-ist (accessed 04/01/2015). 5 For the image of the Proto-Scythian griffin statue (as drawn by A. Mayor) please refer to her book The First Fossil Hunters, (2000, Princeton), p.49.

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

fashioned on the fossilised remains of a Psittacosaurus. This would

assist in explaining the public belief that gods and deities

occasionally visited earth and would have essentially provided

“proof” of their visitation.

A further example of a dragon which could have been based

on fossilised remains can be witnessed on the impressive

Ishtar Gate, originally constructed in Ancient Babylon in the

6th Century BC. A recurring motif featuring sauropod-like

‘dragons’ that have a scaly or feathered body, a serpent head

with a viper horn on its forehead, the front legs of a feline

and the rear of a bird with talons.6 It also features a

scorpion tail (figure 4). The purpose of the Ishtar Gate

should be taken into consideration; it was intended to

intimidate and impress visitors, which is further evidenced by

other featured animals including lions. This implies that the

“dragon” was intended to be fearful and not acted as a

protection spirit like the Lamassu.

The theory that these Mesopotamian dragons and deities

could have been imagined thousands of years ago to aid in the

understanding and explanation of large fossilised dinosaur

remains is certainly plausible and the tales of these often

terrifying “dragon creatures” would have easily spread orally

throughout the region when trade or warfare occurred. The

campaigns of King Esharhaddon campaigned against the Scythians

could have created a climate for alternating tales to be

exchanged and could be the origin of the gold-guarding griffin

myth, explored in-depth by Mayor. However there are problems

with this theory as currently very few dinosaur fossils have 6 W.H. Ward, Seal Cylinders of Western Asia, (1920, Washington), p.197.

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

been discovered in the area. A possible suggestion for this

being they might not have survived the climatic conditions of

the desert or have been destroyed throughout history by man

due to many conflicts occurring in the region in both Ancient

and Modern times.

Figure 1- Lamassu statue from Nimrud (9th Century BC) (as found at: www.metmuseum.org)

Figure 2- Anzu bird as depicted on contemporary clay tablets (3rd Century BC) (as found in:A.H.Layard, Monuments of Nineveh, 1853)

Figure 3- Anzu wyliei (as found at: www.smithsonianmag.com)

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

Figure 4- 'Dragon' on the Ishtar Gate (as found at: www.ancient.eu)

The next culture of “dragon” myths I shall be analysing is

that of Scandinavia, the home of the ferocious Vikings who are

synonymous with their dragon-headed prows on their longboats.

For the purpose of this culture the “dragon” definition that I

shall be utilising is that of a serpent. Although not a

stereotypical dragon image Beck argues that ‘Scandinavia has

about as many tales of dragons as anywhere in the world’.7

Serpent dragons, commonly known as “lindworms” are a regular

occurrence in Old Norse mythology and one in particular;

Jörmungandr. Who plays an integral role in the existence of

Midgard and the world for it is stated that he ‘grew so thick

and so long that he encircled the whole world and bit his own

tail’.8 It is known in Norse mythology that when he lets go of

his tail, Ragnarök, the end of the world, will have begun. It

is from this that we can decipher that Jörmungandr is intended

to align with the western stereotype of depicting evil,

further emphasised by his parentage being the trickster-god

Loki and the giantess Angrboda. Contemporary depictions of the

Midgard Serpent exist on rune stones, most notably also

7 H.P.Beck, Folklore and the Sea, (1973, Connecticut), p.256. 8 K.Crossley-Holland, ‘Loki’s Children and the Binding of Fenrir’, The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings’, (2011, London), p.33.

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

featuring his arch-enemy Thor. These highlight the believed

size of the serpent itself (figure 5). A giant serpent in

mythology could have its base in many Germanic origins, for

example a large eel could have been sighted and the story was

orally passed to others through the Viking excursions and

trade with the Middle Eastern region, and embellished over

time until it found its way into mythology. It is worth noting

that mosasaur fossils have been found in the Scandinavian

region so it is possible one could have been discovered whilst

fishing and the story was started here to help explain the

impossibly large bone.

This method of oral history exchange could aid in the

explanation of the role of a second “lindworm” in Nordic

mythology, Fafnir. Fafnir is depicted in mythology as a scaly

creature who turns evil in his greed for gold which he

dedicates his time to guarding. This sounds remarkably similar

to Mayor’s gold-guarding Scythian griffins and I surmise that

it is the same myth that has been transported throughout the

centuries and modified to suit the Old Nordic imagery and

purpose so that the notion would be accessible to all. This

theory is reinforced by very few dinosaur discoveries actually

occurring in the Scandinavian region although some have

appeared such as the Iguanodon in Sweden.

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

Figure 5-Altuna rune stone RAÄ- Altuna U1161 (as found at: www.abdn.ac.uk)

In the Non-Indo-European world of the Far East there is a

firmly held belief in the connection between dinosaurs and

dragons. It is known that fossilised dinosaur bones have been

ground down to use as ‘dragon bone medicine’ for centuries.

According to Dong, a palaeontologist in Beijing, dragons first

appeared in Chinese mythology 3000 years ago and were

worshipped as guardians of various natural objects, for

example waterways.9 This highlights their positive role in

society and connects them to the earth which assists in their

symbolic role of fertility. This could further be emphasised

by dragons representing the Chinese Imperial family.

This paper has shown through the careful analysis of

selected mythologies from two contrasting Indo-European

cultures, the relationship between dinosaur fossil discoveries

and dragon folklore is strongly connected. This has been shown

by the study of Ancient Near Eastern “dragons” including the

Lamassu and Anzu deities and the motif on the Babylonian

Ishtar Gate. The beasts depicted in these mythologies, have 9 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070713-china-dinos.html (accessed07/01/2015).

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Alexandra Cochrane Life and Times of the Dinosaurs Essay Assignment

been compared and contrasted against the more “serpent” like

dragons which feature in Norse mythology such as the lindworms

Jörgumandr and Fafnir. These two Indo-European cultures have

largely reflected the medieval to early-modern western

stereotype of dragons representing evil and foreboding. The

problems of the lack of modern discoveries of dinosaur fossils

in both of these cultures have also been addressed. These

cultures have then been compared to the positive Chinese

depiction of dragons which regularly utilise dinosaur fossils

in their medicinal treatment and therefore place an obvious

connection between the myth and a past reality.

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