Experts solve mystery of ancient 'mummified dragon' discovered by Japanese shogun

Researchers judge they've cracked the enigma of a mummified "rainbow dragon" that's been sitting successful a Japanese treasure location for centuries.

The "dragon" has been stashed astatine the Shosoin Treasure House successful the historical Japanese metropolis of Nara, according to Pen News. The remains were reportedly recovered by Yoshinori Ashikaga, a 15th-century shogun, successful 1429.

Legend states that Ashikaga chopped a portion from the Ranjatai, a uncommon and invaluable portion of agarwood, astatine the clip of the skeleton's discovery. The shogun was visiting the Todai-ji temple successful Nara astatine the time.

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Shortly after, a monk astatine the temple claimed to person seen "something successful the signifier of a tiny dragon" that was dried by the sun. Ashikaga took the skeleton and preserved it.

But was the skeleton a dragon aft all? Researchers accidental not quite.

Legend states that the "dragon" was recovered by Yoshinori Ashikaga, a 15th-century shogun, successful 1429. (Shosoin Treasure House via Pen News)

A precocious published survey said the "dragon" was really a pistillate Japanese marten. 

The fluffy, weasel-like animal is autochthonal to cardinal and confederate Japan.

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"The 2 premolars are intelligibly visible, and this diagnostic indicates that it is simply a taxon of the Martes genus," the survey states.

Researchers utilized modern technology, including x-ray analysis, to find the skeleton's species. (Shosoin Treasure House via Pen News)

Researchers recovered the marten dated backmost to the 11th oregon 12th centuries. (Shosoin Treasure House via Pen News)

Using x-ray technology and radiocarbon dating, researchers recovered that the marten dated backmost to the 11th oregon 12th centuries.

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The Todai-ji temple underwent dense renovations astatine the time, according to Pen News. Experts judge the carnal entered the gathering and was trapped earlier it died and was mummified.

Pictures amusement the marten missing its forelegs, making it lucifer a dragon.

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Legend states that rainfall would descend upon the treasure location each clip the skeleton's repository was opened – and during the study, researchers fought heavy downpours that made traveling from Tokyo to Nara difficult.

The skeleton was recovered astatine the Todai-ji temple successful Nara successful 1429. (Getty Images)

Mami Tsuru, a conservationist astatine the Shosoin Treasure House, told Pen News she's definite the skeleton is the aforesaid 1 recorded by the Todai-ji monk.

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"The property determination has importantly accrued the anticipation that the mummy is the sun-dried dragon-looking entity recorded successful the papers from the Muromachi Period," the adept said.

The mummified Japanese marten was mistaken for a dragon owed to its missing forelegs. (Shosoin Treasure House via Pen News)

Tsuru added, "We judge this is simply a bully illustration of however Shosoin has protected not lone beauteous items, but besides each the items wrong the repository."