theoddmentemporium:

In Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter.

The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th century chief rabbi of Prague, who reportedly created a golem to defend the Prague ghetto from antisemitic attacks. Depending on the version of the legend, the Jews in Prague were to be either expelled or killed under the rule of Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor. To protect the Jewish community, the rabbi constructed the Golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava river, and brought it to life through rituals and Hebrew incantations. As this golem grew, it became increasingly violent, killing gentiles and spreading fear. A different story tells of a golem that fell in love, and when rejected, became the violent monster seen in most accounts. Some versions have the golem eventually turning on its creator or attacking other Jews.

The Emperor begged Rabbi Loew to destroy the Golem, promising to stop the persecution of the Jews. To deactivate the Golem, the rabbi rubbed out the first letter of the word “emet” (truth or reality) from the creature’s forehead leaving the Hebrew word “met”, meaning dead. The Golem’s body was stored in the attic genizah of the Old New Synagogue, where it would be restored to life again if needed. According to legend, the body of Rabbi Loew’s Golem still lies in the synagogue’s attic. Some versions of the tale state that the Golem was stolen from the genizah and entombed in a graveyard in Prague’s Žižkov district, where the Žižkov Television Tower now stands. A recent legend tells of a Nazi agent ascending to the synagogue attic during World War II and trying to stab the Golem, but he died instead.

[with thanks to the-black-emporium for bringing this particular oddment to my attention and providing the photograph of Rabbi Loew and his Golem at a museum in Prague]

blindmen6:

Art credit: ’La Sainte Hermandad’ (1973) by French Surrealist painter Felix Labisse.

erosart:

triptych by grazapp

gardenofthequeen:

art sources: X X X

Resting besides the pool, he relaxed and listened to the fair folk’s tunes. It was a foolish choice indeed, for he soon fell asleep. The sun set, the full moon rose, and the children of luna soon awakened. 

The maidens of the pool emerged from its depths to dance and play amongst the moon’s light.

One lunar maiden took an interest in the knight sleeping near the water’s edge. She went to investigate and gaze upon his face. It was love’s might strike. Quickly, she shook him. He opened his eyes upon the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen.

And in return, he felt the love strike as well. The man took her hand and pulled her into an embrace. However, she was much stronger than she appeared.

The Lunar maiden pulled him into the water and down and down….

Down into the deep ever blue.

The mortal man struggled, but the lunar maiden held tight. She dragged him deeper and deeper in to her home.

These are the maidens of hidden springs, of moss covered wells, of caverns filled with precious gems and stones. The Lunar Maidens.

They hide from the scorching light of the sun, and they only appear on nights when the moon can shine its light. 

Their skin either is the color of the moon itself or the dark, night sky that surrounds it. Either way, these maidens glow from the light they collect from the celestial body in the sky. They dye their hair with the flowers or berries they find in or around their homes. 

They never speak, but at night they sing when they leave their dark dwellings.

pachipachiworld:

Nataša Ilinčić

http://pachipachiworld.tumblr.com/

The Spiral of Time

tessmunster:

MEOW! New shots exclusively for signed prints available now at:

www.store.tessmunster.com ♥

Ave Babalon