{"product_id":"the-history-of-dragons-auke-9798304258609","title":"The History of Dragons: Myths, Truths, and Legacy","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat if dragons weren't just fantasy? From Aztec temples to Viking longships, nearly every culture on earth feared or worshipped some version of these creatures. This book explores why ancient priests fed sacrifices to feathered serpents, medieval knights claimed to hunt wyverns in swamps, and scientists were still dissecting so-called dragon bones as late as 1800.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning cultures and centuries, this book traces dragon mythology across the globe and asks where the legends came from. Chinese emperors linked dragons to weather and power. Vikings carved dragon slayers on runestones while fearing Nidhogg in their own mythology. Mesoamerican shamans claimed transformation into Quetzalcoatl. Even the Vatican once displayed what was said to be a dragon skull. Along the way, you'll find real-world explanations that are just as strange as the myths: poison vents in Greece mistaken for a multi-headed monster, dinosaur fossils sold as holy relics, and colonial missionaries burning sacred serpent shrines in the name of saving souls.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's inside: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDragon traditions from China, Scandinavia, Mesoamerica, Persia, the Middle East, and Central Africa\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe surprising science behind the myths: toxic gas vents, fossil discoveries, and misidentified animals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow churches and empires weaponized dragon mythology for political and religious control\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBizarre historical footnotes, from 18th-century \"dragon blood\" elixirs to dragon relics displayed in European cathedrals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe moral complexity behind dragon legends: were they monsters, gods, or something else entirely?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReader review: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The chapter on Azhi Dahaka alone was worth the price. A three-headed Zoroastrian dragon symbolizing tyranny, and apparently the name still pops up in modern intelligence circles? I had no idea. The global scope is what sets this apart from other mythology books. It's not just European dragons, you get Tiamat, Quetzalcoatl, African fire-drakes, and more. Really fun read.\"\u003c\/i\u003e Lena K.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you've ever wondered whether there was something real behind the dragon legends, or you just love mythology served raw and weird from every corner of the world, this book has plenty to dig into. History, folklore, and questionable science all in one place.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrder your copy today.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Auke,Jennifer Joseph,Yahia Fathy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798304258609\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/19\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 202\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.79lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.43d","brand":"Auke","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48442862469375,"sku":"9798304258609","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_5ccb9aac-1740-4def-8065-2c91c2833a3b.jpg?v=1777200287","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-history-of-dragons-auke-9798304258609","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}