![]() The legend of the dragon in China is a very old one, with the earliest representation being a 1.78m dragon statue dating to the fifth millennium BC. However, in Ancient China, dragons were considered spiritual, wise, a creature that could bring harmony. In the early European folklore, dragons were vicious, fire breathing, linked to Satan, and were a beast to be overcome by the hero. In fact, many dynasties proclaimed that only the Emperor or higher nobility were allowed to wear images of dragons.Īn embroidered blue silk dragon robe for a civil official, c. The founder of Han dynasty, Liu Bang (202 – 195 BC), claimed that he was conceived after his mother dreamt of a dragon, and later dynasties wore robes with dragons on. As the dragon was such a powerful creature, it is no surprise that the Chinese emperors seized it as their own symbol. Dragons were powerful creatures and represented strength and good luck – often they had control over the elements, particularly over water. The most famous variant is the Chinese dragon, which is long and snake-like, but has 4 legs with talons or claws. For example, Ladon was a serpent-like dragon who twisted around the tree in the Garden of the Hesperides and guarded the golden apples, but was eventually slain by the hero Heracles.Īs mentioned, the Greek’s ideas of dragons being serpent-like creatures came over from Asia. Dragons had been appearing in Greek mythology before then they were often creatures who guarded treasure, in an image that is often still adhered to today. ![]() So the idea of a dragon being a big flaming beast was certainly a common enough creature that followers of Christianity around 2000 years ago were expected to understand this picture. ![]() The Book of Revelation – the last book of the Bible – written in Greek talks about Satan as being “a great dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns”. In Europe, the earliest depictions of dragons come from Ancient Greece, and were serpentine, borrowing from imagery from western Asia. 1284), earl of Chester, son of King Edward I, and Margaret, daughter of Florent V, Count of Holland and Zeeland, sadly the marriage was aborted by Alphonso’s death in August 1284.One of Daenerys’ dragons from the popular tv series Game of Thrones. The psalter was likely commissioned in 1284 to celebrate the proposed marriage of Alphonso (b. This page is from a psalter, ‘The Alphonso Psalter’, also know as ‘The Tenison Psalter’. But wait, there’s more! If you look closely, especially along the left hand margin, I can make out at least three more dragons! The image below from The British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts is a stunning example of dragons in the margins.Īt the bottom of the page, there’s a little scene of a dragon battling a stag. (If you haven’t read Marginal Cats yet, you might want to take a peek at it too!) I confess I love marginalia and the fascinating stories that are told in it. ![]() These may be humble scribbles, or study notes, or even elaborate illustrations as are often found in medieval documents. It refers to marks made in the margins of a book or other document. Dragons in the Margins Have you ever heard of marginalia?
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