The Oldest Dragon Myths and its Origins
Crecganford・29 minutes read
Dragon myths have ancient origins, with a single origin revealed through statistical analysis aligning with human migrations, evolving over time and spreading globally. The core motif of dragons worldwide includes giant, scaly, single-headed creatures near water, driven by human fascination and fear of snakes.
Insights
- Dragon myths are ancient and widespread, evolving over millennia through human migrations, with a single origin in South Africa 75,000 years ago, mutating as they spread to China, Siberia, North America, and beyond, showcasing a persistent narrative across diverse cultures.
- The core motif of dragons, featuring giant, scaly, single-headed creatures near water, is prevalent globally, rooted in human fascination and fear of snakes, with variations in attributes and narratives influenced by cultural shifts and mistranslations over time, shaping the diverse dragon myths found worldwide.
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Recent questions
What are some common attributes of dragons in myths?
Varied sizes, colors, kidnapping princesses, causing floods.
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Summary
00:00
Global Evolution of Dragon Myths
- Dragons appear in various myths with different attributes and purposes, such as kidnapping princesses, causing floods, and varying in size and color.
- The dragon motif is ancient, existing before written evidence, and is found in myths worldwide, from Indo-European to Mexican to Australian.
- Research on dragon myths involved analyzing 23 regions and asking 69 questions about each myth's physical attributes, abilities, and folklore associations.
- Myths evolve slowly, akin to genetic evolution, with similar narratives persisting across cultures despite migrations tens of thousands of years ago.
- Statistical analysis using phylogenetics revealed a single origin for the dragon myth, aligning with human migrations globally.
- The dragon narrative dates back 75,000 years, originating in South Africa as a shamira linked to water, evolving into a giant snake with human-like features and storm associations.
- The dragon myth spread from Africa to China 60,000 years ago, then to Siberia and North America, mutating into more aggressive forms.
- By 10,000 years ago, the dragon myth reached Australia, South America, and Central America, with variations in Europe influenced by the Indo-European expansion.
- The European dragon motif evolved from many-headed to single-headed beasts, with variations in attributes like fetid breath and shape-shifting.
- Some dragon attributes, like association with long life and immortality, were not prevalent in the original myths, as revealed by extensive research and analysis.
16:45
Dragon Myths: Fear and Fascination Worldwide
- Yumo tasked his warrior Trijito with retrieving cattle, leading Trijito to sacrifice and gain strength through an intoxicating beverage.
- Trijito found the cave where cows grazed near a river flowing from it, hid among the cows, and threw spears at a dragon, injuring it.
- The wounded dragon retreated, allowing Trijito to gather the cattle and return home as a celebrated warrior.
- Over time, the word for cattle got mistranslated to women, leading to dragon-kidnapping tales.
- A statistically probable model of dragons from different ages was constructed, showing the complexity of dragon motifs.
- Evidence of a ritual to contain dragons was found in two caves in the French Pyrenees, dating back 20,000 years.
- The lack of dragon belief evidence in cave art outside South Africa or Australia may be due to taboos or the distinction between myths and tales.
- Dragons in myths worldwide share a core motif of giant, scaly, single-headed creatures living near water and being aggressive.
- The story of the Rainbow Serpent in Australia, around 10,000 years old, depicts a snake creating life on Earth through water.
- The persistence of dragon myths globally can be attributed to human nature's fear and fascination with snakes, leading to memorable stories.
33:49
European mythology: Princess, Dragon, and Power
- The video delves into the concept of the princess and dragon in European mythology, hinting at various ideas such as creation myths, the significance of snakes, and the power associated with them in ancient beliefs, suggesting a deeper exploration of these themes in future videos.
