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Did Dragons Really Exist? Part 3

In the last two posts, we covered the historical evidence that dragons lived beside humans, and the historical and archeological evidence that dinosaurs did as well. Now, three main questions remain: is there archeological evidence for dragons? What do dinosaurs have to do with dragons? And, most importantly, what does it all mean for Christians... and for Evolutionists? Well, I propose a theory, which is accepted by many leading Creationists, that answers all of these questions: Dinosaurs and dragons were one the same. Here is the evidence that supports it. The word “dinosaur” (“terrible lizard”) didn't even exist until a couple centuries ago. It was coined in 1841 by a famous British scientist – and Creationist – named Dr. Richard Owen, around the time dinosaur fossils were first being dug up and recognized as a completely new group of reptiles (Ham www.answersingenesis.org). Before then, all throughout history, any creature relatively similar to a dinosaur was called a “dragon”. In fact, if the word “dragon” in many ancient documents and stories was replaced with “dinosaur”, it would work quite nicely.

(Cartoon from www.answersingenesis.org)

For an example, returning to the essay by John of Damascus, he described dragons as having a goat-like beard and a horn at the back of their head. Some fossils of dinosaurs have horns on the head and spikes on the back and/or tail, just like many depictions of dragons. We cannot know for sure if dinosaurs had a “beard” (similar to the bearded dragon lizard) because soft tissue generally isn't fossilized; however, some dinosaurs may have had such a “beard” (Alferov www.answersingenesis.org). There are numerous dinosaur fossils that resemble dragons. The fossil dracorex hogwartsia, uncovered in North America, surprised scientists because of how similar its features were to the dragons of ancient China and Medieval Europe. It had a long muzzle and spiky horns, just like a dragon (Thomas www.icr.org).

Skull of the dracorex hogwartsia

(Picture from www.icr.org)

There is another type of dinosaur called the baryonyx walkeri (“heavy claw”), which also looks a lot like a dragon. It was discovered in 1983 in Sussex, England by William Walker, and can be found today at the Natural History Museum in London (Ham 35). It has an interesting skull shaped a lot like a modern crocodile. It is easy to see how this dinosaur could have inspired the English dragon stories such as Saint George and the Dragon, as over the years the dinosaur's features were exaggerated and fancified until it became the classic dragon.

Artist's conception of the baryonyx walkeri

Another artist's conception from National Geographic

Skeleton in the Natural History Museum, London

John Calvin wrote a commentary on Genesis, and in the original translation of his commentary from Latin to English, some of the artwork included animals from creation: birds, pigs... and two dragons. Although the artwork was finished in 1578, about three centuries before the word “dinosaur” existed, these dragons had remarkable resemblance to dinosaurs. This confirms yet again that dragons and dinosaurs were the same, and that they lived at the same time as humans; maybe as recent as a few centuries ago (Hodge www.answersingenesis.org). Throughout dragon “mythology”, there are generally three types of dragons: land dragons, flying dragons, and sea dragons. Even the Bible gives reference to all of these types (see Jeremiah 14:6, Isaiah 30:6, and Psalm 74:13). This is easily explained with the fossil record. There were many types of land-dwelling dinosaurs that could have inspired dragon myths (e.g. dracorex hogwartsia, baryonyx walkeri, and even tyrannosaurus rex). Also, the flying dragon myths could have based off of the Pterodactyl, a type of flying dinosaur. As for sea dragons, there were many types of huge, sea-dwelling reptiles that could have easily inspired such myths; all of which are extinct now, but exist in the fossil record. A few include the terrible Kronosaurus, which grew up to thirty-three feet long and weighed eight to ten tons; the huge Styxosaurus, with a neck as long as twenty feet; and the fierce Mosasaurus, which could be fifty feet long (Wieland 14, 34, 6).

The Kronosaurus

The Styxosaurus

The Mosasaurus

The Kronosaurus and Styxosaurus are both very likely candidates of the Leviathan from Job 41. In fact, it may have been a sea monster in the Styxosaurus's family that was responsible for the Loch Ness monster sightings (Wieland 35). If the Loch Ness sightings are grounded in truth, than they could be evidence of a still-living “dragon” that did not become extinct after all. Only one thing remains: fire breathing. Most dragons were known to have breathed fire. Well, it is possible that some dinosaurs had this ability as well. There have been dinosaur fossils that were excavated with a strange bump on the top of the head, containing an internal cavity. No one knows for sure what the cavity is for; but it could have been used to mix gases that would ignite when breathed into the oxygen-filled air (www.bibleinsong.com). From all these facts, it is clear that dragons and dinosaurs were the same, and that they lived alongside humans. Stories of dragons are recorded throughout the world in myths, legends, and historical records; and there is evidence that dinosaurs lived beside people in ancient art, stories, and even archeology. By comparing the depictions of dragons with dinosaur fossils, one can see that the similarities are striking. Now, why is this important to Christians, you may wonder? According to many leading evolutionists, if it was proven that dinosaurs and humans coexisted, than the whole theory of Evolution would fall apart. Richard Dawkins spoke about “alleged” human bones found in the Carboniferous coal deposits, that if they were to “authenticated as human, these bones would blow the theory of evolution out of the water” (www.bible.ca). Another leading evolutionist, Louis Jacobs said, “Such an association [co-occurrence of men and dinosaurs] would dispel an Earth with vast antiquity. The entire history of creation, including the first day of rest, could be accommodated in the seven biblical days of the Genesis myth. Evolution would be vanquished” (ibid). On a NOVA TV Special, “Darwin and the Dinosaurs”, it was said that “finding them [dinosaur footprints, side by side with humans] would counter evidence that humans evolved long after the dinosaurs became extinct and back up... [the] claim that all species, including man, were created at one time” (ibid).  If it can be proven that dinosaurs lived at the same time as humans, than by the very words spoken by evolutionists, the theory of evolution will be completely overturned. And if Evolution is wrong, than Creationism is right; and there is a Creator that deserves our worship.

Bibliography

“Evolutionary Theory Obliterated!” The Interactive Bible. http://www.bible.ca/tracks/dino- human-coexistence-implications.htm (accessed 6 March 2010)

“Dragons; Evidence of Recent Dinosaurs.” Northwest Creation Network. http://www.nwcreation.net/dinosdragons.html (accessed 2 February 2010)

Ham, Ken. “The Bible Explains Dinosaurs: The Real History of Dinosaurs.” Answers in Genesis. Lynchburg, VA. 2002.

Ham, Ken. “Dinosaurs and the Bible.” Answers in Genesis. 5 November 1999. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/1999/11/05/dinosaurs-and-the-bible (accessed 2 February 2010)

Ham, Ken. The Great Dinosaur Mystery Solved! Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., 1998

Hodge, Bodie. “Calvin's Dragons!” Answers in Genesis. 1 July 2008. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2008/07/01/calvins-dragons (accessed 30 Jan. 2010)

The Holy Bible, NKJV

“Job 41: Was Leviathan a crocodile, whale or dinosaur?” Bible in Song. 2006. http://www.bibleinsong.com/Song_Pages/Job/Job41/Job41.htm (accessed 11 February 2010)

Thomas, Brian, M.S. “Is There Some Truth to Dragon Myths?” Institute For Creation Research. 2 July 2009. http://www.icr.org/article/there-some-truth-dragon-myths/ (accessed 2 February 2010)

Weiland, Carl. Dragons of the Deep. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., 2005

Did Dragons Really Exist? Part 2

In Part 1, we explored lots of evidence that dragons existed. Now it's time to go slightly off-topic: we're going to look at the evidence for the coexistence of dinosaurs and people. You may be wondering: what do dinosaurs and people have to do with dragons? Well, keep reading, because you'll find out soon!

There is too much evidence that dinosaurs lived beside humans for this article to cover all of it; so it will only cover some. All over the world, there have been paintings, carvings, stories, and fossils that suggest the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans. For an example, natives in some countries have described creatures that sound like dinosaurs (Ham www.answersingenesis.org). Also, there have been carvings done by Native Americans that resemble the Bracciosaurus and Pterodactyl. Interestingly, Pterodactyl fossils have been found in the same area of the carvings (Ham 2002). Here are some more amazing facts:

* In the 1920s, archaeologist Dr. Samuel Hubbard found Native American pictures in the Grand Canyon. Along with detailed drawings of cattle, sheep, oxen, and buffalo, there were drawings of dinosaurs; just as realistic as the rest (www.bibleinsong.com)!

* About a decade later, an amazing discovery was made in the Paluxy Riverbed near Glen Rose, Texas: dinosaur tracks along with what appeared to be human footprints. When it was reported in the May 1939 issue of National History, it caused a heat of controversy. Recently, a computer programmer from Ohio named Glen Kuban found chemical discolorations on some of the human-like footprints, and people soon claimed that the prints weren't human at all. They said they were merely parts of the dinosaur tracks that had been distorted by mud-fill. Some people, however, have suspected that the footprints were altered by scientists to make them look less “human” (www.bibleinsong.com).

* In 1970, newspapers reported a fascinating find: cave paintings in Zimbabwe done by Bushmen that showed accurate pictures of an elephant, giraffe, and a Brontosaurus! Scientists have been greatly confused, because Bushmen were known to paint from real life (www.bibleinsong.com).

* In Utah, a picture was found drawn by Anasazi Indians who had lived there from approximately 150 BC to 1200 AD. Even evolutionists agree that it looks like a dinosaur, and that the age given to it is correct. One evolutionist wrote, “There is a petroglyph in Natural Bridges National Monument that bears a startling resemblance to a dinosaur, specifically a Brontosaurus, with a long tail and neck, small head and all” (www.genesispark.org). The fact that even an evolutionist admitted the picture's resemblance to a dinosaur only confirms that it could not be anything else.

Picture by Anasazi Indians

(To see more examples of dinosaurs depicted in ancient art, click here: http://www.genesispark.org/genpark/ancient/ancient.htm)

Another source of evidence for the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans is in the Bible. Job 40:15-24 describes another “mysterious” creature called the “Behemoth”. Just as with the Leviathan, there has been a lot of controversy over what type of creature the Behemoth is. Many people claim that it is a hippopotamus or an elephant. However, it isn't hard to see that it more closely resembles a Brachiosaurus.

The Behemoth had powerful hips and muscles (Job 40:16), and had bones like bronze and ribs like iron (verse 18). These descriptions certainly fit an elephant more than a hippopotamus, but they fit a Brachiosaurus more than anything. At seventy-five feet long, forty-one feet high and weighing eighty-nine tons, the Brachiosaurus weighed twelve times as much as the adult African bull elephant (Ham 70)! If there was any creature that had bones like bronze and ribs like iron, it was the Brachiosaurus. However, the one thing that truly proves the Behemoth was not an elephant or hippopotamus is verse 17, which states that the Behemoth “moves his tail like a cedar [tree]”. The tiny tails of both elephants and hippopotamuses are about as far away from looking like a broad, thick cedar tree as tails can get!

A cedar tree

Do these tails look like cedar trees to you?

If elephants and hippos DID have tails like cedar trees...

(Cartoon from www.answersingenesis.org)

Finally, verse 19 says that the Behemoth is “chief in the ways of God”, which means that it was the biggest animal God created. While the elephant is the largest living land animal in creation, it is still dwarfed by the mighty blue whale of the ocean. The Brachiosaurus, however, is suspected to have been the largest animal of its day.

Brachiosaurus - the real Behemoth

Now that we have peeked at the evidence for the coexistence of dinosaurs and people, you say: what does all this have to do with dragons? Find out soon... in part 3! (Hahaha, you actually thought you'd find out in this article, didn't you?)

Bibliography

“Ancient Dinosaur Depictions.” Genesis Park. http://www.genesispark.org/genpark/ancient/ancient.htm (accessed 6 March 2010)

Ham, Ken. “The Bible Explains Dinosaurs: The Real History of Dinosaurs.” Answers in Genesis. Lynchburg, VA. 2002.

Ham, Ken. “Dinosaurs and the Bible.” Answers in Genesis. 5 November 1999. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/1999/11/05/dinosaurs-and-the-bible(accessed 2 February 2010)

Ham, Ken. The Great Dinosaur Mystery Solved! Green Forest, AR: Master Books, Inc., 1998

The Holy Bible, NKJV