For thousands of years dragons have existed in the minds and legends of men. These creatures have been found in the folklore and religions on nearly every civilization in the world and have taken on a variety of forms. From the wise and regal dragons of the orient to the fierce creatures of western lore, these great winged lizards have inspired artists and writers.

The first recorded dragon existed in the days of Babylon. According to their religious theory of creation, a great female dragon descended from the sky and destroyed all the gods and goddesses but the strongest. The greatest of the gods battled the she-dragon and killed her, dismembering her body and forming the earth, stars, and the rest of the heavens from her corpse.

The eastern cultures saw dragons as great, wise and all-knowing creatures that protected the people and were highly revered. Most images of these dragons lack wings, but have curling whiskers and firey manes. Although they may appear fierce in art work, oriental dragons were percieved as passive and peace-loving creatures.

In the far west, the Aztecs believed in a "great plummed serpent", whose name I won't even begin to try and spell, well ok, Quetzocoatle, who resembled a dragon. It was believed that the serpent would lead the people to safety and prosperity and was watching over them.

European, but especially Christian, cultures have long associated dragons with the devil. Dragons were evil creatures intent on doing nothing but burning farms with their firey breath, slaughtering villagers, eating ransomed maidens, and causing general havoc wherever possible. Great knights and nobles set out to find and destroy these fiends. Even saints and angels participated in the fanciful dragon hunts of lore. In the garden of Eden, it was a serpent, often thought to be the devil, who tempted Eve. In the Book of Revelations, a multiple headed dragon, the devil, is thwarted, but as he is banished, takes with him one third of the stars of heaven.

Whatever the culture, whatever the religion, dragons continue to inspire artists and writers, and to thrive in the imaginations of the populace.

The Dragon Gallery: My collection of dragon images from across the net

Qusetions? Comments? Send Me Your Thoughts