What exactly is the creature known as the “dieu su” that is considered a mythical symbol in many ancient civilizations and continues to exist in popular culture today?
In mythology, the dieu su was said to have carried the Sun God across the sky, guarded treasures, and protected the mighty god Zeus. The legend of the dieu su has thrived through many ages and continues to exist to this day.
A dieu su guarding at Changu Narayan Temple, Nepal. (Photo: Anders Blomqvist/Getty Images).
The widespread popularity of this mythical creature across various cultures has led some researchers to believe that it may have originated from real-life inspirations, possibly linked to dinosaur fossils discovered in Asia.
On the other hand, some experts argue that exploring the role of dinosaurs in the mythology of the dieu su creates unnecessary complexity and inconsistencies regarding the origin of this symbol, relying on interpretations without solid foundations.
Let’s examine the story of this creature, which has the head and front limbs resembling a hawk, and a body resembling a lion.
Ancient Greek and Roman authors believed that the dieu su originated from Central Asia.
The mythical tales that spread along international trade routes led folklorist Adrienne Mayo to suggest about 30 years ago that they were imagined by gold miners in Scythia, who happened to encounter dinosaur-like creatures with primitive beaks.
Since then, this has become a popular theory regarding the origin of the dieu su.
Upon reevaluating fossil records, researchers at the University of Portsmouth, UK, found several discrepancies in that assertion.
An illustration of a dieu su sitting on the fossil of a horned protoceratops dinosaur. (Photo: Mark Witton/University of Portsmouth).
The dieu su was regarded as a guardian deity in ancient Greece and often guarded gold treasures; thus, some associated this symbol with gold miners. However, the problem is that protoceratops dinosaur fossils have never been found in gold-rich areas.
It has been hypothesized that these dinosaur skeletons were discovered in partially exposed conditions, lying around like the remains of recently deceased animals.
However, generally speaking, by the naked eye, one could only see a part of a decaying dinosaur skeleton; unless one is an expert in fossil hunting, there is nothing remarkable.
Moreover, the legend of the dieu su in the Mediterranean region, as depicted on an ancient Mycenaean vase from the 12th century BC, existed hundreds of years before news of dinosaurs could have spread to this area.
Researchers also point out that dinosaur species like protoceratops only share the characteristics of having four limbs and a beak with the dieu su.
Comparison between the skeleton of a protoceratops dinosaur and the description of the ancient dieu su: the long, flexible tail and curled mane of the dieu su suggest its body was illustrated based on a large cat rather than a dinosaur. (Photo: Witton&Hing).
Researchers argue that while there is nothing wrong in assuming that ancient people found dinosaur bones and incorporated them into mythology, we need to trace the origins of such ideas back to historical, geographical, and paleontological realities; otherwise, they remain mere speculation.
There have been many cases where geological studies based on myth were founded on trivial facts, such as tales of a miraculous stone bird that could heal and fly in storms being linked to fossils of shelled animals from the Devonian period in China simply because they had wings resembling those of a bird.
Everything about the origin of the dieu su is consistent with the long-held interpretation that they are imaginary creatures, and their appearance is explained as a mosaic fusion of large cats and predatory birds.
Sometimes a myth can have such a simple origin, even if it has been passed down through generations and various cultures.
