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Kara-Dag: Legends, Sea Serpent, and Propaganda Myth of St. George the Dragon Slayer

The Kara-Dag mountain massif on the southeastern coast of Crimea (between Sudak and Feodosia) as a subject of folk legends (the sea serpent) and as an arena of mythmaking by russian imperial propaganda attempting to anchor the peninsula's "sacredness" by appropriating the image of Saint George the Dragon Slayer.

Overview

Kara-Dag (meaning "Black Mountain") is the remnant of an ancient volcano on the southeastern coast of Crimea, roughly halfway between Sudak and Feodosia. Its formation and erosion spanned approximately one hundred million years; today it is one of the most prominent gems of the Crimean coastline — a geological, avian, and botanical paradise. Beyond scientific interest, Kara-Dag possesses its own legends and tales, primarily concerning a giant sea serpent said to inhabit underwater caves near the Golden Gate of Kara-Dag.

In an article in Krymska Svitlytsia (2018, No. 7), Ihor Svitlychanyn debunks the propaganda myth asserting that Saint George slew the dragon specifically at Kara-Dag. The author notes that this "sensation" has been actively promoted in russian media space since the occupation of Crimea, functioning as an instrument of imperial propaganda to fabricate an illusion of the peninsula's "eternal" belonging to the "russian World."

Key Details / Subtopics

  • Geology of Kara-Dag: remnant of an ancient volcano that emerged, erupted, became extinct, and was eroded by waves, earthquakes, and winds over ~100 million years; today it is a geological, avian, and botanical reserve attracting scientists, artists, and tourists.
  • Legend of the Sea Serpent: folklore places the lair of a giant sea serpent in underwater caves near Kara-Dag's Golden Gate. Artist Maximilian Voloshin mentioned the Kara-Dag serpent in correspondence with Mikhail Bulgakov — which reputedly inspired Bulgakov's screenplay for The Fatal Eggs. According to accounts, the monster was sighted along the entire Crimean coast — from the Azov Sea to Tarkhankut. Geologist Promtov reportedly observed a serpent-like creature in Serdolikova Bay in 1952.
  • Myth of St. George the Dragon Slayer: russian Wikipedia lists Kara-Dag as one of the possible sites of Saint George's victory over the dragon — albeit under "Interesting Facts" (as an unverified curiosity rather than fact). Saint George is the patron saint of Moscow, so claiming him for Crimea serves propaganda purposes.
  • Propaganda Toolkit: the myth of St. George the Dragon Slayer fits into an array of false claims ("Crimea as a sacred russian territory," "primordially russian land," "baptism of Prince Volodymyr," "free expression of Crimean will," etc.). Culture and religion become tools to "steal others' heritage and claim it as one's own"; the author also references the appropriation of Voloshin and "russian imperial sabbaths" in Ukrainian Crimea.