Dragon Dish by Todd Lockwood
The Dragon In Heraldry:
Heraldry began in the Middle Ages of Europe. During battles, most knights wore armor that covered their bodies, and, while it served to protect them, it also served to hide their identity. To thwart this, the noble families created designs to wear upon their shields to distinguish each other in battle. In some cases, heraldic crests and shields were altered to award people. For instance, when Sir Francis Drake became the first English man to circle the globe, Queen Elizabeth modified his family's coat of arms. Occasionally, stories (especially legendary ones) would be reproduced on a person's coat of arms to recognize a great feat or adventure of a famous family member.
Wyverns are the most common of the draconic heraldic symbols. They are seen almost as commonly as birds, and they are numerous in design. Since most wyverns were depicted as evil dragons in bestiaries, which were widely circulated at the time of the adoption of coats of arms, the fact that so many families adopted them as their symbol is not yet fully understood. However, the wyvern is most notably show as a creature of valor and protection, and, as most dragons in the past, also believed to have great eye sight. In another light, the wyvern is also a symbol of vengeance or may have been acquired threw a family member's slaying of a dragon.
Hydras are far less common in crests than the other dragons present in heraldry. The hydra, however, is said to be used on a crest only when a family, town, or the like has defeated a very powerful enemy. This may be due to Hercules' defeat of the Lerean Hydra in Greek mythology.
While many viewed dragons as a symbol of the Devil, the Western dragon, four-legged and winged, is a very common symbol on crests. This can be explained by history, for Uther Pendragon, the father of legendary King Arthur, had the symbol of the dragon on his crest. Keen sight, power, and fearsomeness are usually connected to dragons. Treasure is also thought of when Western dragons are imagined. Thus, dragons obviously symbolized powerful, wealthy people who guarded their wealth keenly.
The Dragon In Dreams:
As we all known the dragon is a very ancient symbol, which signifies different things in different cultures. In the Christian West, the dragon tended to symbolise evil, as in the representation of Satan as a dragon. For the Chinese, on the otherhand, the dragon is a symbol of wisdom and authority. Because most dragons breath fire they represent heightened emotions such as anger and passion. The emotions accomanying the dream will help you to determine the personal significance of this symbol. A dragon also represents magick and prosperity. Psychologically it can represent the qualities in a person around the dreamer. For instance, we often refer to dominating figures in life - particularly women - as 'Dragons'
The Dragon in Amulets and Talismans
The Western Dragon in amulet form traditionally symbolises royalty and riches. The dragon, knowing the answer to many universal riddles, is a symbol of heaven, the sun, and the very essence of Nature. Wearing a dragon amulet also protects against ill-fortune. Also not technically an amulet or talisman, some people believe that dragon tattoos protect the wearer from harm and empower them in numerous ways.
The Oriental Dragon in amulet form symbolises luck, material gain and good fortune, wisdom and even the rain. So as you can see the amulet symbolism differs little from its Western counterpart. If anyone knows otherwise please let me know so I can make the needed changes.
The Ouroboros is a serpent or dragon with its tail in its mouth. This universal symbol represents the totality of life, cycle of continous energy, the cycle that is life death and rebirth. Containing intergration, disintergration and re-absorption, opposing principles are held at a tension that promises perfection. Thus it represents life itself.
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