Stories of dragons span time and space. From Europe to the Middle East, and Asian countries, stories of dragons are everywhere. 

Photo/Tom Morbey on Unsplash.com
Photo/Tom Morbey on Unsplash.com
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According to the American Museum of Natural History, “The fossil remains of extinct animals have sometimes been taken for dragon bones.” 

Photo/Edwin Chen on Unsplash.com
Photo/Edwin Chen on Unsplash.com
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Long before paleontology was a scientific field, “People unearthed fossilized bones in Asia and Europe and believed they had found the remains of dragons.” This led early naturalists to treat dragons as if they were part of the natural world. 

Photo/Amy Baugess on Unsplash.com
Photo/Amy Baugess on Unsplash.com
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Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar and naturalist, wrote, "Dragon’s blood was medicinal and formed when dragons attacked elephants and their blood ran together and congealed.” 

Photo/Jillian Amatt on Unsplash.com
Photo/Jillian Amatt on Unsplash.com
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According to Google Arts and Culture, the origins of dragons in the Middle East and South Asia are written in ancient sources. 

Photo/Mariola Grobeska on Unsplash.com
Photo/Mariola Grobeska on Unsplash.com
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“The Rig Veda (one of the oldest texts in the world, dated to around 1500 BCE) speaks of the great dragon Vrtra, who has to be killed by the god Indra to release the waters of heaven onto earth.” In the Mesopotamian myths, “The god Marduk battled with the dragon Tiamat for supremacy over human beings, and in the Zoroastrian tradition of Iran, dragons were known as serpents and had important roles in scriptures.” 

Photo/Anica Martin on Unsplash.com
Photo/Anica Martin on Unsplash.com
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From folklore and scriptures, dragons entered pop culture. In the fantasy genre, dragons are villains, allies, or even symbolic.  

Photo/Leo on Unsplash.com
Photo/Leo on Unsplash.com
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Dragons can be seen in the Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, How to Train Your Dragon, Mulan, and much more. Over the centuries dragons have become part of a global conscience. 

Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation premiere of "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" - Arrivals
Getty Images
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With that fantastical history, dragons have earned their own day to be celebrated. January 16th is Appreciated Dragon Day and now that you know more about dragons or want to know more, it’s the perfect day to delve into all things dragon-related. 

Hong Kongers Take Part In Pok Fu Lam Fire Dragon Parade
Getty Images
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You can celebrate by looking at the fossils that inspired dragons. A few places in Southern Utah to check out include: 

 

Dinosaur Tracks in Parowan: near the Parowan Gap 

Photo/Andrea Wright
Photo/Andrea Wright
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St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm: 2180 East Riverside Drive 

Photo/Google Maps
Photo/Google Maps
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Utah Raptor State Park: just outside Moab 

A more complete list is linked here.

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