Dragons appear in the myths and legends of cultures across the world, from ancient China and Mesopotamia to medieval Europe and the Americas. In this book, you will find an overview of how dragon figures have been understood and described across different civilisations and historical periods. Each chapter examines the characteristics, roles and symbolic meanings attributed to these creatures in their respective cultural contexts, tracing how the image of the dragon has evolved over centuries of storytelling and tradition. The book also considers some of the theories proposed to explain why dragon-like beings appear independently in so many traditions. Written with the assistance of artificial intelligence, this is an accessible introduction to the comparative study of dragon mythology.