Embarking on a spectacular journey along the renowned Jurassic Coast, fossil hunters were met with an extraordinary surprise on Charmouth Beach—a perfectly preserved 40-foot dragon skull, seemingly a relic from a prehistoric era.
However, the astonishing truth behind this remarkable find was unveiled as a meticulously crafted sculpture. The sculptors, dedicating two months to their craft, had masterfully constructed the dragon skull, which mysteriously appeared overnight on Lyme Regis beach, adding a touch of fantasy to the region celebrated for its fossils and paleontology.
The grand unveiling of the dragon skull was orchestrated by Blinkbox, a creative endeavor designed to promote the third season of HBO’s epic series, “Game of Thrones.” The sculpture’s strategic placement along the Jurassic Coast, steeped in fossil-rich history, aimed to captivate the imaginations of passersby and spark reactions.
Ben Ayers of Blinkbox expressed, “‘Game of Thrones’ is an epic TV series. As dragons are such a key theme within the series, we thought we’d create a giant dragon skull, plunk it on the beach down here in Lyme Regis [in West Dorset], which is famous for fossils and paleontology, and see what kind of reactions we got in the morning.”
The whimsical installation specifically alludes to a memorable scene from the series, where Arya Stark, portrayed by Maisie Williams, stumbles upon a dragon skull in the dungeons under King’s Landing during the fifth episode of the first season.
The surreal sight left onlookers in awe, with one woman remarking, “Well, they look like real bones, but I don’t know.” The project successfully brought a touch of the fantastical world of “Game of Thrones” to life, providing a dramatic spectacle to mark the arrival of the series on Blinkbox.
In summary, this captivating journey along the Jurassic Coast turned into an unexpected encounter with a dragon’s skull—an artful creation that seamlessly blended fantasy with the rich history of the region, leaving both locals and tourists enchanted by the magic of imagination.