The Dragon Bones of Demänová
For centuries, people in Slovakia believed a cave was the lair of dragons, because they found the bones there.
What was reported
Demänovská Ice Cave, in the Low Tatras mountains, is one of the oldest-known caves in Slovakia, mentioned in writing in the 13th century. Its floors and walls are coated in ice all year round.
Inside, early visitors found big bones and skulls, with long teeth, that didn't belong to any animal they knew. They took them for the bones of dragons, and the cave was long known as the Dragon Cave.
Explanations offered
The bones belonged to cave bears, a large bear that lived in Europe during the Ice Age and died out around 24,000 years ago. Many caves across Europe were thought to be dragons' lairs for the same reason. The cave is now open to visitors.
- When
- Known since the Middle Ages
- Where
- Demänovská dolina, Žilina Region, Slovakia
- Witnesses
- Visitors to the cave since the 1200s
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.