327 - Richard Rohlin - Universal History: Dragons!
Feb 2, 2024
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Historian Richard Rohlin explores the presence and symbolism of dragons throughout history and across cultures, including their connection to snakes, birds, and angels. The podcast also delves into the treatment of dragons in Eastern traditions, Christianity, and medical symbolism, highlighting their role as guardians of paradise and sources of forbidden knowledge.
Dragons are often depicted as serpents or serpent-like creatures in various mythologies and cultures.
Dragons are commonly associated with guarding or hoarding bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, and seas.
Dragons hold significant symbolism in Christianity, representing the forces of evil and chaos.
Deep dives
Dragons as Serpents and Hybrid Creatures
Dragons are often depicted as serpents or serpent-like creatures in various mythologies and cultures. They are often described as hybrid creatures, combining features of serpents with other animals such as lions or deer.
Dragons as Guardians of Water
Dragons are commonly associated with guarding or hoarding bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, and seas. In many cultures, they are seen as protectors of vital water sources, ensuring their availability for survival and prosperity.
Dragons as Enemies of Thunder Gods
In ancient myths and legends, dragons are often portrayed as enemies of thunder gods or deities associated with storms. These powerful entities engage in battles with dragons, symbolizing the struggle between chaos and order.
Dragons in Christian Symbolism
Dragons also hold significant symbolism in Christianity, representing the forces of evil and chaos. Dragon slaying by biblical figures, such as Yahweh and St. Michael, represents the triumph of good over evil and divine power over chaos and destruction.
Dragons in Different Cultures
Dragons have been revered and depicted in various cultures throughout history. In horticulture and animal husbandry, the concept of hybrid resilience is illustrated through examples of fruit trees and modern dog breeds. The Welsh culture, for instance, considers dragons as symbols of strength and resilience, with dragon imagery even present on their flag and coat of arms. Germanic Iron Age cultures also incorporated dragon symbolism, often seen on helmet crests, shield faces, and ship prows. These cultural representations demonstrate the universal appeal and association of dragons with power, protection, and fear.
Symbolism and Ambiguity of Dragons
Dragons are rich in symbolism and ambiguity, found in both ancient and modern iconography. Dragons are often associated with the themes of healing, protection, and guardian roles. They can represent both blessings and chaos, depending on their context. Dragons are seen as powerful and majestic creatures, but they also possess the potential to hoard and oppress. The idea of integrating dragon symbolism is explored, emphasizing the need for personal strength and worthiness in order to harness the positive aspects of the dragon. Dragons are regarded as both fearsome and revered creatures across different cultures, uniting both heaven and earth in their symbolism.
In this episode of Universal History with Richard Rohlin, by popular demand, we finally explored the topic of dragons! We discussed the ubiquitous appearance of dragons across history and different cultures, a dragon’s essential characteristics and mythical nature, their connection to snakes, birds, and angels, and the dragon as a hybrid and guardian of paradise. We also discussed the treatment of dragons in Eastern traditions and various languages, as well as in Christianity and even in medical symbolism. Enjoy!
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Sign up for the Symbolic World Summit on February 29th, 2024. Check our website for information on the schedule, FAQ, hotel discounts, speakers, and more: https://thesymbolicworld.com/summit
Check out our Universal History: Beowulf course on the Symbolic World website, where we presented 6 classes covering the Beowulf epic, many hours of which included dragons: https://thesymbolicworld.com/news/the-beowulf-course-by-richard-rohlin-and-jonathan-pageau
OTHER LINKS: The Dragons that Almost Exist, by Jonathan Pageau: https://orthodoxartsjournal.org/dragons-almost-exist/ Discussion with Fr. Joseph Lucas: https://youtu.be/0FuO88QVlN0?si=d66NKZ2JkyqWdNV7
----- 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🗣 Join The Symbolic World Community for discussions about symbolism: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe
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Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson. -----
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