Marauders from the Republic of Pisa seized the artifact from North Africa during a raid. Once placed atop a pillar in a now-sacked city, the great bronze dragon was rumored to ward off bad luck and the machinations of the devil. The Pisans took it as a prize ad because of a local legend that claimed its interior was filled with gold.

The dragon was displayed in Pisa for some time, but as the Republic’s fortunes began to decline, the citizenry became more and more adamant that it be cut open and its golden contents shared. Warnings in Arabic had been etched into the dragon’s bronze, cautioning against the dire consequences of opening the statue, which would release all the misfortunes that it had absorbed over the years.

Eventually the pressure was too great, and the authorities ordered the dragon smashed. It turned out to be hollow, with most of the weight being in the form of lead weights ornately etched. Only a small golden cup was found, barely larger than a thimble, and not enough to offset the cost of dismantling the dragon statue and its plinth.

Ten days later, the Pisan fleet was decisively defeated–annihilated–by the Genoans. Within a few years, the city had lost its independence and ceased to be a port of major importance.

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