Dragon in a bottle - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Cynthetiq · 01-08-2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

LINK
A pickled "dragon" that looks as if it might once have flown around Hogwarts has been found in a garage in Oxfordshire.

Yesterday the baby dragon, in a sealed 30in jar, was in the office of Allistair Mitchell, who runs a marketing company in Oxford. He was asked to investigate by his friend, David Hart, from Sutton Courtenay, who discovered it.

A metal tin found with the dragon contained paperwork in old-fashioned German of the 1890s. Mr Mitchell speculates that German scientists may have attempted to use the dragon to hoax their English counterparts in the 1890s, when rivalry between the countries was intense.

"At the time, scientists were the equivalent of today's pop stars. It would have been a great propaganda coup for the Germans if it had come off.

"I've shown the photos to someone from Oxford University and he thought it was amazing. Obviously he could not say if it was real and wanted to do a biopsy."

The documents suggest that the Natural History Museum turned the dragon away, possibly because they suspected it was a trick, and sent it to be destroyed. But it appears a porter intercepted the jar and took it home. The papers suggest the porter may have been Frederick Hart - David Hart's grandfather.

Mr Mitchell said: "The dragon is flawless, from the tiny teeth to the umbilical cord. It could be made from indiarubber, because Germany was the world's leading manufacturer of it at the time, or it could be made of wax. It has to be fake. No one has ever proved scientifically that dragons exist. But everyone who sees it immediately asks, 'Is it real?' "

Yesterday the Natural History Museum said that it was interested in following up the find.

So this has been something that I've seen a couple of years ago, but never have see anything to truly refute it.

Dragons are an archetype for almost all cultures.

I do wish that there were more pictures of it than this one.

Zeraph · 01-08-2006, 08:05 PM

Pretty real looking, but it doesn't look like a baby, more like a mini adult. If it was a baby I wouldn't think it'd have all the ridge lines and spikes and since an umbilical cord implies live birth...ouch. Wings look much more fully developed than they should as well. Obviously though since there are no real (at least today) dragons to compare I'm just using what I know of biology of birds and reptiles.

analog · 01-08-2006, 09:07 PM

Man, of course it's a hoax- everyone knows dragons are born in eggs like any other winged creature.

Willravel · 01-08-2006, 09:11 PM

Part of me was really, honestly hoping that there would be some sort of proof that this could possibly be real. The little kid in me still wants to believe in stuff like this. Of course, there is almost certianally no proof, and this is a clever hoax/model. Either way, I was very entertained! I'd kinda like to have a leprechaun in a bottle.

Gatorade Frost · 01-08-2006, 09:35 PM

That's a fantastic trick.

gustaf00 · 01-09-2006, 05:29 PM

I love the notes by the editor (in the link). Makes me think of the 80's show 'V'.

My favorite: "Does anyone really believe that the powers that be would really tell us this is a real dragon?...When reptilians and draconians control the media?"

raeanna74 · 01-09-2006, 05:33 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/o...re/3576987.stm

This has a pretty cool looking pic of the pseudo creature.

Seeker · 01-09-2006, 05:40 PM

I came across this on a different site yesterday... I can't believe it's here today!

What does that mean?

Personally, I'd love the little critter to be real. Logically I think it's really cool that people go to this effort to keep the magic and fantasy alive in life...

Crack · 01-13-2006, 07:11 AM

as I said before, when this was posted in a thread here a long time ago...
I WANT to believe that it's real!

Gatorade Frost · 01-13-2006, 03:47 PM

Wow, that's even better. It's a hoax of a hoax to hype a book.

Cynthetiq · 01-13-2006, 08:06 PM

aaaah see this is why it's great to collaborate with other people....

01-08-2006, 09:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
Gatorade Frost Rookie	That's a fantastic trick. __________________ I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well." Emo Philips

01-09-2006, 05:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/o...re/3576987.stm This has a pretty cool looking pic of the pseudo creature. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

01-09-2006, 05:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Seeker Getting Clearer Location: with spirit	I came across this on a different site yesterday... I can't believe it's here today! What does that mean? Personally, I'd love the little critter to be real. Logically I think it's really cool that people go to this effort to keep the magic and fantasy alive in life... __________________ *To those who wander but who are not lost...* ~ Knowledge is not something you acquire, it is something you open yourself to.

01-13-2006, 07:11 AM	#9 (permalink)
Crack Misanthropic Location: Ohio! yay!	as I said before, when this was posted in a thread here a long time ago... I WANT to believe that it's real! __________________ Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex. ~Halx

01-13-2006, 03:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gatorade Frost Rookie	Wow, that's even better. It's a hoax of a hoax to hype a book. __________________ I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well." Emo Philips

01-08-2006, 08:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zeraph Banned Location: The Cosmos	Pretty real looking, but it doesn't look like a baby, more like a mini adult. If it was a baby I wouldn't think it'd have all the ridge lines and spikes and since an umbilical cord implies live birth...ouch. Wings look much more fully developed than they should as well. Obviously though since there are no real (at least today) dragons to compare I'm just using what I know of biology of birds and reptiles.

01-08-2006, 09:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
analog Banned	Man, of course it's a hoax- everyone knows dragons are born in eggs like any other winged creature.

01-08-2006, 09:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	Part of me was really, honestly hoping that there would be some sort of proof that this could possibly be real. The little kid in me still wants to believe in stuff like this. Of course, there is almost certianally no proof, and this is a clever hoax/model. Either way, I was very entertained! I'd kinda like to have a leprechaun in a bottle.

01-09-2006, 05:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
gustaf00 Upright	I love the notes by the editor (in the link). Makes me think of the 80's show 'V'. My favorite: "Does anyone really believe that the powers that be would really tell us this is a real dragon?...When reptilians and draconians control the media?"

01-13-2006, 08:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	aaaah see this is why it's great to collaborate with other people.... __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!