Ancient Dragon Stone That Inspired Legends Discovered In Turkey

AncientPages.com - Myths and legends of dragons were common among ancient people. Today we can find many places that have been named in memory of dragons that were once believed to have been encountered by our ancestors.

Ancient people had a conflicting relationship with dragons. In our article Dragons And Dragon Kings In Ancient Mythology published on Ancient Pages, we explained how the dragons was perceived in different parts of the world. They could be regarded as either beloved or horrifying and feared creatures.

Ancient people have many myths and legends about dragons. Image credit: Public Domain

While excavating in Turkey, archaeologists have unearthed an ancient dragon stone that is well-known for its legend that started to be told in the 12th or 13th century and has survived up until today.

The boulder, which resembles a dragon stone was found “in the historical Harput neighborhood of Turkey's eastern province of Elazığ,” Daily Sabah reports.

In ancient times, Harput hosted civilizations including Urartus, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans. So this is definitely an area rich in history.

Legendary Dragon Stone discovered in Turkey. Image credit: Anadolu Agency

“Hence, Harput also has a super-rich written and oral cultural heritage in addition to its historic layer that stretches from centuries ago up until today. In a way, the dragon stone in the historical neighborhood and the legend told about it are the reflections of this deep culture,” Kadir Atıcı, Kudeb authority and expert in art history explained.

Atıcı said that legends about the dragon stone are still told by the local people.

"The legend says that a dragon comes through Harput with its cubs to devour the people, and the local people consult Fethi Ahmet Baba, one of the leading scholars of the time. The people of the time want Fethi Ahmet Baba to pray in their name so that they can escape the wrath of the dragon.

See also:

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The Red Dragon Of Wales – Ancient Symbol Dating Back To Roman Times

Fethi Ahmet Baba prays for the dragon and its cubs to be removed from the neighborhood. The prayer comes true and the dragon becomes petrified with its cubs on an area 2 kilometers away from Harput. Needless to say, this is just an oral and cultural legend of Harput," Atıcı said.

The dragon stone is now preserved and it's likely people will continue to repeat the legend to the next generation.

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