The History of Dragons: Myths, Truths, and Legacy (The History Series)

What 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.

Spanning 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.

What's inside:

• Dragon traditions from China, Scandinavia, Mesoamerica, Persia, the Middle East, and Central Africa
• The surprising science behind the myths: toxic gas vents, fossil discoveries, and misidentified animals
• How churches and empires weaponized dragon mythology for political and religious control
• Bizarre historical footnotes, from 18th-century "dragon blood" elixirs to dragon relics displayed in European cathedrals
• The moral complexity behind dragon legends: were they monsters, gods, or something else entirely?

Reader review:
"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." Lena K.

If 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.

Order your copy today.