← Back to the front page

‘Magic’ Eyeliner, and Other Fascinating Ancient Beliefs and Facts

Khalid Elhassan May 31, 2024 32 min

16. The Ancient Origins of Dragon Lore

Ancient Sumerian Mushussu — Ancient Sumerian mushussu. Malveus

Dragon mythology has existed since ancient times in vastly different cultures, thousands of years and thousands of miles apart. A common theme is a dangerous beast that poses a deadly peril, until a heroic figure slays it and saves the day. Dragons and dragon-like huge serpents appear in the mythology of many cultures around the world. The Hebrew Bible has the Leviathan; Norse mythology has the beast from Beowulf; Albanians have wyverns and pythons; the French have the Grand’ Goule; and the ancient Greeks had the Hydra. In non-Western lore, Hindus have the Vritra; ancient Egyptians had Apep; and Mesopotamians had mushussu.

16 Saint George Slaying A Dragon. K Pics — Saint George slaying a dragon. K-Pics

The hero and monster theme – an archetype that symbolizes the eternal war between good and evil – is prominent in dragon lore. The tales depict a scary reptilian creature that menaces people. It might fly and breathe fire, or slither and spew poison. Eventually, after a nice buildup that heightens the drama and narrative tension, a bigger than life hero or a god makes an entrance, challenges the beast, slays it, and sets things right. So, what are the origins of dragon lore?

Written by

Khalid Elhassan

A lifelong history buff, I developed a particular passion for WW2 history as a child, when I spent hours listening to my grandfather, enraptured, as he recounted his wartime experiences in the British East African Campaign and with the British 8th Army in North Africa.

I graduated with a history BA from George Mason University, then went on to get a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. After lawyering for a decade, I moved to sunny Rio de Janeiro and a less demanding career, opening a tourism agency in Copacabana.

A big chunk of my free time is spent blogging (you can follow me on Quora https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Elhassan ) or freelance writing, mostly about my favorite subject, history.