By Louise Irvine

The dragon is unique in the world of fantastic animals, as no other imaginary creature has been recorded in such a diverse variety. As you will discover in the Dragon Quest at WMODA, these serpentine creatures can be found with two legs, four legs, or no legs, and with or without wings. Join dragonologists in the museum and see how ceramic artists have portrayed auspicious and ferocious dragons over the centuries. Here be Dragons!

Chinese Dragons

The Chinese believed in many kinds of dragons living deep underwater or in cloudy skies. Most are auspicious and bring good luck, but some are fearsome and create thunderstorms and floods. They combine attributes of nine other creatures, including the horns of a deer, the head of a crocodile, the body of a serpent and the feet of a tiger with eagle claws. Their colors are symbolic of their great powers, which were often associated with the Chinese emperors who were believed to be descended from dragons. The dragon is the fifth sign in the Chinese zodiac, and the Year of the Dragon is seen as a year of good fortune, signifying strength, health and power.

Western Dragons

Dragons in the West are mostly dangerous, terrifying creatures, symbolizing evil and destruction. In legends and folklore, they lurked in lairs or caves in the mountains. The Celts believed that dragons possessed great knowledge and healing powers. However, in medieval Europe, they were portrayed as dangerous beasts to be slain by heroic knights. Dragons play a major part in heraldry representing courage and ferocity. J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the Middle-earth stories, gave us flights of greedy, cunning, and malicious fire-breathing dragons who share a love of gold and treasure. Most Western dragons look like giant carnivorous dinosaurs with wings and claws, but there are many variations, as can be seen at WMODA.

Ouroborous

The ancient ouroboros symbol shows a snake or a dragon devouring its tail. The circle or spiral that they form represents eternity, the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Some cultures believed that snakes were immortal because they appeared to be reincarnated when they shed their skins. The Victorian artist-potter William De Morgan depicted the eternal cycle of destruction and recreation on a ruby-luster tile.

Cockatrice & Basilisk

Ancient legends claim that the basilisk has the power to destroy all life through its deadly piercing gaze. It was inspired by the Egyptian cobra and was alleged to have been hatched by a cockerel from a serpent’s egg. Its deadly capabilities included breathing fire. The cockatrice with a cockerel’s head became synonymous with the basilisk. The stench of a weasel was one of the few ways to destroy the creature. It could also be killed by looking at its own reflection or by the crowing of a rooster carried by wary travelers.

Amphiptere

 This two-winged snake is found in European heraldry and is said to have a feathered serpentine body with a spiked tail and bat or bird-like wings. The Martin Brothers represented the strange creature on a stoneware vase in the 1890s.

Wyvern

The wyvern’s name is derived from the viper, a venomous snake, and its serpentine tail often ends in a poisonous arrow-like spike. The wyvern has a dragon’s head and a reptilian body with two legs and wings. The wyvern became an important heraldic symbol. It is also a popular mascot of universities and athletic teams in the UK and USA. The Wyvern appears on vases by the Martin Brothers.

Lindworm

Typically the lindworm, derived from an old word German for snake, has two legs and no wings. The Lambton Worm terrorized the northeast of England in medieval times and was killed by a brave knight returning from the Crusades. The story inspired Lewis Carroll’s terrifying Jabberwock in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland which was portrayed by Mark Marshall for Doulton. The Craven Dunnill tile factory produced a ruby luster tile depicting a lindworm which was attributed to the famous designer Lewis Foreman Day.

Amphisbaena

This serpentine creature has a head at each end, and its name comes from the Greek meaning “going both ways.” The amphisbaena sprang from the blood that dripped from the monstrous Medusa’s head after she was slain by the hero Perseus. It fed on corpses left behind in the desert. The Amphisbaena is depicted on a Moorcroft vase designed by Kerry Goodwin. Medusa was portrayed by Wedgwood on Jasper ware plaques and in a scary wall mask by Helen Nottage.

Read more about dragons, snakes and other fantastic beasts at WMODA

Here Be Dragons | Wiener Museum

Year of the Dragon | Wiener Museum

Peacocks and Dragons | Wiener Museum

Jabberwock & Other Creatures by Mark V. Marshall | Wiener Museum

Dragon Lore | Wiener Museum