Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

[Merged] Giant Flying Serpents Of the 1860's


draconic chronicler

Recommended Posts

While buildling the transcontinental Railroad in 1866, workers in the Western United States reported a flying creature or machine in the sky with such detail, that in a popular local ballad it was described covered in "scales like a serpent's hide" though apparently had no wings to propell it.

And only two years later, noted by researchers Jerome Clark and Marcellow Truzzi, a remarkably similar description of such a creature came out of Chile around the same time. In 1868, the scientific publication, "Zoologist" printed this eyewitness description from a Chilean newspaper supposedly likewise seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses:

"On its body, elongated like a serpent, we could see only brilliant scales, which clashed together with a metallic sound as the strange animal turned it body in flight."

What were these creatures, or machines seen at the same time thousands of miles away, and with such detail that eyewitness stated were covered with reptilian like scales? Interestingly these sightings seem remarkably similar to the flying serpent deities of MesoAmerica and the Lung of China believed in by these cultures for thousands of years.

Source: Pages 16 and 17, UFO's And Ufology, The First 50 Years Paul Devereux and Peter Brookesmith ISBN 0-8160-3800-7

Edited by draconic chronicler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 669
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • draconic chronicler

    153

  • makaya325

    58

  • Agent. Mulder

    35

  • louis_last

    34

Have you ever read the bit in herodotus where he talks about flying snakes or serpents?

Yes, virtually every culture believed in a similar creature and spoke of them as real animals. Just last month there was a UM article on the flying serpent called the Gwiber of Wales that terrorized the country until driven into a marsh by bowmen in the 15th century.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, virtually every culture believed in a similar creature and spoke of them as real animals. Just last month there was a UM article on the flying serpent called the Gwiber of Wales that terrorized the country until driven into a marsh by bowmen in the 15th century.

im sorry, but what makes you believe a 10 ton animal can even fly!

most cultures regard them as symbols of power, rather than real fauna

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im sorry, but what makes you believe a 10 ton animal can even fly!

most cultures regard them as symbols of power, rather than real fauna

About the same thing that makes me believe a pile of metal about the same weight can fly.

It was built to?

If you believe in dragons, of course. I think they're nice to read about, but I personally find their existence unlikely--though, desirable!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whenever I read of things like this from the 19th century (or before, heck, even from today), I'm reminded of the Great Moon Hoax of 1835.

The specifics of it are off-topic, and I apologize for that, but the underlying point is relevant: just because it's been reported, and printed, in detail, doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/moonhoax.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whenever I read of things like this from the 19th century (or before, heck, even from today), I'm reminded of the Great Moon Hoax of 1835.

The specifics of it are off-topic, and I apologize for that, but the underlying point is relevant: just because it's been reported, and printed, in detail, doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/moonhoax.html

you also have to learn that known hoaxes doesnt mean ALL must be fakes.

Whenever I read of things like this from the 19th century (or before, heck, even from today), I'm reminded of the Great Moon Hoax of 1835.

The specifics of it are off-topic, and I apologize for that, but the underlying point is relevant: just because it's been reported, and printed, in detail, doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/moonhoax.html

you also have to learn that known hoaxes doesnt mean ALL must be fakes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im sorry, but what makes you believe a 10 ton animal can even fly!

most cultures regard them as symbols of power, rather than real fauna

Scientists are constantly proven wrong in this subject.

First they find a pterosaur with a 20 foot wingspan and claim "this is the largest flying animal ever - it is impossible for anything bigger to fly".

And then they find one with a thirty foot wingspan and claim the same thing. And now there is one that may have a 50 foot wingpan, but it does have a 10 foot long skull, the largest head of all land known land animals. It could gulp down adult humans like they were popcorn.

I posted the info on this pterosaur before. It was found in Romania (and no, it has nothing to do with Harry Potter). But its scientific name is te Romanian word for "dragon", and with pretty good reason.

So yes, it is now a proven fact that gigantic flying reptiles big enough to swallow people whole really did exist. The scientists were wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe it is the oh, so spooky Quetzalcoatl of Myan beliefs?

Anyway. I don't think giant pterosaurs have anything to do with dragons or the existence (or non-existance) of dragons.

Off topic: Arn't dragons not supposed to be discussed anymore? :huh: Not that i'm trying to get this topic closed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe it is the oh, so spooky Quetzalcoatl of Myan beliefs?

Anyway. I don't think giant pterosaurs have anything to do with dragons or the existence (or non-existance) of dragons.

Off topic: Arn't dragons not supposed to be discussed anymore? :huh: Not that i'm trying to get this topic closed.

They don't have anything to do with dragons immediately, but the fact that a creature that large existed and could fly is the platform upon which you can say it is possible that a reptile the size of mythical dragons that can fly may have or do exist. Which would be ample evidence against those that argue, "im sorry, but what makes you believe a 10 ton animal can even fly!"

Edited by Ebonykrow
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As mentioned in an earlier post... Every culture has something about dragons or a flying reptile. I personally believe something that widespread either exists/did exist/is a primal human fear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As mentioned in an earlier post... Every culture has something about dragons or a flying reptile. I personally believe something that widespread either exists/did exist/is a primal human fear.

As do I. When I was too young to understand what a dragon was (I was barely in preschool) I used to draw--what I considered--giant winged dinosaurs for really no reason. I think the dragon is a combination of human fears, and can be used as something to blame when something is unexplained. I thought dinosaurs with wings would be shizz nizz--because at that time I was infatuated with JP. But what if people only had skeletons to go on? Their interpretation could be much different.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prehaps a hitherto undiscovered species of gliding snake? Quite an out-there possibility but considering the amount of exaggeration involved I think it's possible. Around the same time reports came from all over of flying Eels too. Prehaps theres a grain of truth in this story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone has the ability to beilive in these things its just they arent willing too. As a child some of my beiliefs were fantastic it carried me away from the troubles of life for a little while, as i beilived i was a medival knight riding to slay the evil dragon. It was as real to me as this is to you but then i grew out of it and some of my most cheerished childhood memories are from these imginational (is that a word) visions. But there come a time when you have to let go of these dreams and fairytales. Its just when to do it.

I find dragons beilivable even now but i feel they were a creations of all humans fears and terrors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone has the ability to beilive in these things its just they arent willing too. As a child some of my beiliefs were fantastic it carried me away from the troubles of life for a little while, as i beilived i was a medival knight riding to slay the evil dragon. It was as real to me as this is to you but then i grew out of it and some of my most cheerished childhood memories are from these imginational (is that a word) visions. But there come a time when you have to let go of these dreams and fairytales. Its just when to do it.

I find dragons beilivable even now but i feel they were a creations of all humans fears and terrors.

That's nice, but unfortunately it does not explain all of the eyewitness accounts of such creatures all over the world and for thousands of years. In virtually every culture the stories talk of people interacting with these creatures, not simply that they were something that lived before their time.

It may actually be more "childish" to simply ignore all of the evidence. Paleontology has now proven that gigantic reptiles can fly, so people cannot use that excuse any more.

I do agree that your fantasy of being able to kill such a creature in a medieval setting is the stuff of fairytales however..

Edited by draconic chronicler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's nice, but unfortunately it does not explain all of the eyewitness accounts of such creatures all over the world and for thousands of years. In virtually every culture the stories talk of people interacting with these creatures, not simply that they were something that lived before their time.

It may actually be more "childish" to simply ignore all of the evidence. Paleontology has now proven that gigantic reptiles can fly, so people cannot use that excuse any more.

I do agree that your fantasy of being able to kill such a creature in a medieval setting is the stuff of fairytales however..

When has paleontolgy proven that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When has paleontolgy proven that?

The largest skull of ANY land land animal now belongs to a recently discovered flying pterosaur from Romania. The skull is over 10 feet long and with a maw three feet wide.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no article of "the largerst" pterosaur found in Romania. There was a pterosaur called Heptzegopteryx found that comes close too largest, but i'm afraid not.

Also, it is only believed that a pterosaur as big as Quezalcoatus would have weighed around ~250 pounds. Wikipedia also states that the Quezalcoatus is still the holder of "Largest flying animal ever" See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus

Heptzegopteryx on the other hand is said to have a similar build to Quezalcoatus in general, except the skull, which was alot bigger (9.8 feet long) and "among the largest skulls of any known non-marine animals", It still would have weighed probably around 200 pounds, as the skull was mentioned to resemble the structure of expanded polystyrene.

See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatzegopteryx

Though it still had roughly the same wingspan as a Quetzalcoatus. Maybe you just confused "largest skull" with "largest pterosaur".

In comparison the largest bird alive today (thunderbirds discluded) is the Great Albatross, which has been recorded to have a wingspan reaching 11.5 ft, while these Pterosaurs had a wingspan of 40 feet. The largest bird ever capable of flight, according to wikipedia was Argentavis magnificens which had a wingspan of 28 feet.

UndeadSkeptic said

Prehaps a hitherto undiscovered species of gliding snake? Quite an out-there possibility but considering the amount of exaggeration involved I think it's possible. Around the same time reports came from all over of flying Eels too. Prehaps theres a grain of truth in this story.

Interesting theory, I never even considered that, though I think it's doubtful if it was in pre-1900 Western United States.

Ebonykrow said,

When I was too young to understand what a dragon was (I was barely in preschool) I used to draw--what I considered--giant winged dinosaurs for really no reason. I think the dragon is a combination of human fears, and can be used as something to blame when something is unexplained.

Or it is possible that you saw a dragon on a poster, or on tv, or in a book, with out the conception that it was a dragon, and you just kept in your memory unconcieved. Don't believe me, here is a compelling video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyQjr1YL0zg

So DC,

Q: How much does a huge fire breathing reptile capable of destroying entire civilizations and cities, with skin able to repel swords, axes and arrows, weigh?

/end

P.S. See how I added Citations ;)

Edited by DarkSide
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or it is possible that you saw a dragon on a poster, or on tv, or in a book, with out the conception that it was a dragon, and you just kept in your memory unconcieved. Don't believe me, here is a compelling video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyQjr1YL0zg

Don't know... I was just starting preschool, and that's really the only time I ever left the house. She rarely took me shopping because I was one of those kids that threw a fit if I didn't get something every time I went in a store. :lol: But! It's very well possible. Interesting video!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no article of "the largerst" pterosaur found in Romania. There was a pterosaur called Heptzegopteryx found that comes close too largest, but i'm afraid not.

Also, it is only believed that a pterosaur as big as Quezalcoatus would have weighed around ~250 pounds. Wikipedia also states that the Quezalcoatus is still the holder of "Largest flying animal ever" See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus

Heptzegopteryx on the other hand is said to have a similar build to Quezalcoatus in general, except the skull, which was alot bigger (9.8 feet long) and "among the largest skulls of any known non-marine animals", It still would have weighed probably around 200 pounds, as the skull was mentioned to resemble the structure of expanded polystyrene.

See here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatzegopteryx

Though it still had roughly the same wingspan as a Quetzalcoatus. Maybe you just confused "largest skull" with "largest pterosaur".

In comparison the largest bird alive today (thunderbirds discluded) is the Great Albatross, which has been recorded to have a wingspan reaching 11.5 ft, while these Pterosaurs had a wingspan of 40 feet. The largest bird ever capable of flight, according to wikipedia was Argentavis magnificens which had a wingspan of 28 feet.

UndeadSkeptic said

Interesting theory, I never even considered that, though I think it's doubtful if it was in pre-1900 Western United States.

Ebonykrow said,

Or it is possible that you saw a dragon on a poster, or on tv, or in a book, with out the conception that it was a dragon, and you just kept in your memory unconcieved. Don't believe me, here is a compelling video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyQjr1YL0zg

So DC,

Q: How much does a huge fire breathing reptile capable of destroying entire civilizations and cities, with skin able to repel swords, axes and arrows, weigh?

/end

P.S. See how I added Citations ;)

Instead of relying merely on Wikipedia, I suggest you read something from real paleontolgogists with expertise in pterosaurs.

But the Wiki article did cofirm what I said that this creature has the largest/longest known skull of ANY land dwelling vertebrate.

But only a very ignorant person could believe such a massive creature could only weigh 250 lbs. This is what I mean about foolish scientists trying to "save face" after stating nothing bigger than the first large pterodactyls could fly. Just that 10 foot long, three foot wide skull alone, when fleshed out on the real creature would weigh more than than, probably three imaginary "250 lb Quetzalcoatlus's.

At any rate, go to this site created by a pterosaur expert to learn the truth, and also see how large his reconstruction of this animal really is. It is quite awe inspiring. http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwitton/2465048793/

Edited by draconic chronicler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The largest skull of ANY land land animal now belongs to a recently discovered flying pterosaur from Romania. The skull is over 10 feet long and with a maw three feet wide.

Awesome! Could you cite a link to where you got this information though? Also I have got to say that pterosaurs and dragons are very disimilar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone ever taken a photo of one of these creatures? I personally doubt the existence of dragons or dragon-like creatures. But I would be willing to listen if there was evidence. ie..photos, video, etc. Any evidencs at all besides legends from hundreds and thousands of years ago?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Instead of relying merely on Wikipedia, I suggest you read something from real paleontolgogists with expertise in pterosaurs.

But the Wiki article did cofirm what I said that this creature has the largest/longest known skull of ANY land dwelling vertebrate.

But only a very ignorant person could believe such a massive creature could only weigh 250 lbs. This is what I mean about foolish scientists trying to "save face" after stating nothing bigger than the first large pterodactyls could fly. Just that 10 foot long, three foot wide skull alone, when fleshed out on the real creature would weigh more than than, probably three imaginary "250 lb Quetzalcoatlus's.

At any rate, go to this site created by a pterosaur expert to learn the truth, and also see how large his reconstruction of this animal really is. It is quite awe inspiring. http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwitton/2465048793/

You're one to talk DC :D Atleast I actually sourced my citations, and all you really gave in a few of your other topics was a handful of wikipedia links too. Your first post, was actually one of the first times i've ever seen you source a book. :lol:

And i'm sorry if you think Wikipedia is only edited by teens and young adults with nothing better to do, but credible experts go on that site and update pages with the true facts, albeit sometimes the pages arn't up to 'truthful' standards.

But only a very ignorant person could believe such a massive creature could only weigh 250 lbs.

How can you call them ignorant? These people make it their life to study pterosaurs, and they are making an educated guess at the weight these creatures would have to attaint to in order to fly.

If you would like, we could also call you ignorant for thinking dragons exist and that you're just trying to "save face" :huh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.