Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani Jade Times Staff
V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Culture.
The Story Behind a Global Sensation That Blurred Fact and Fiction
In January 2004, Oxfordshire author Allistair Mitchell introduced the world to a strange discovery: a "pickled dragon" preserved in a jar. He claimed the creature had been created by German scientists in the 1890s as a prank to fool their British counterparts. The story quickly went viral, spreading to media outlets across the globe, from Europe to America.
However, the pickled dragon was not an ancient artifact but part of a clever hoax crafted to promote Mitchell’s fantasy novel about dragons. The 1ft latex creature, complete with an umbilical cord, was created by a prop maker, and the jar was custom made by a glassmaker on the Isle of Wight, unaware of its purpose. The images of the dragon, sent to a major newspaper, soon sparked a frenzy as news organizations reported it as fact.
Mitchell's fictional backstory was rooted in a supposed rivalry between British and German scientists, leading to the idea that the dragon was an attempt by the Germans to embarrass their British peers. While some were furious at the revelation, believing they had discovered proof of dragons, others, particularly in the scientific community, enjoyed the fun behind the elaborate prank.
Now, more than 20 years later, the pickled dragon has found a home at Oxford’s Story Museum as part of its "Here Be Dragons" exhibition, continuing to inspire fascination and wonder.
The hoax remains a testament to the power of storytelling, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy in a way that captured imaginations worldwide.
