JOURNAL ARTICLE

King Francis I's dracunculus: Further solutions to the mystery of an infamous museum piece.

  • Published In: Journal of the History of Collections, 2025, v. 37, n. 1. P. 193 1 of 3

  • Database: Historical Abstracts with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Senter, Philip J 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on the investigation of the dracunculus ("little dragon") specimen once owned by King Francis I of France (r. 1515–47), which was historically cited as evidence for the existence of winged dragons. The study reveals that the dracunculus was a taxidermic hoax composed of the skull of a weasel, the tail skeleton of a European eel, and the skin, forelimbs, and ribcage of an ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus), with the lizard's skin artificially repositioned. While the origins of the wings remain unidentified, the research highlights how Renaissance museums unwittingly displayed composite biological frauds that influenced early natural history literature. This case exemplifies the broader practice of creating fabricated dragon specimens by combining parts from various animals during the European Renaissance.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of the History of Collections. 2025/03, Vol. 37, Issue 1, p193
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0954-6650
  • DOI:10.1093/jhc/fhae045
  • Accession Number:187147016
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