This page groups mythical creatures by whether anyone has ever claimed they were real. Wikipedia defines a legendary creature as one that "may be featured in historical accounts before modernity, but has not been scientifically shown to exist." Browsing by historicity lets a visitor separate a creature once treated as a real animal from one always understood as symbolic.
Facts
Overview
What Defines This GroupingBeings made rather than born, brought to life by formula or craft. Unlike most of the bestiary these are learned, textual creations with datable origins: the golem grows out of practical work on the Sefer Yetzirah's letter-combinations. 2 Learn More
The constructs
This small group holds a construct, a being made rather than born, animated by craft or magic, such as the golem of Jewish legend, formed from clay and brought to life by sacred words.
The browser will find the figure the atlas classes here. The entry describes its nature and the tradition that tells of it.
Historicity
Sources
1. Divinity Atlas Directory Taxonomy, First Edition Category Tree
2. Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism
Gershom Scholem, Schocken Books, 1961on the Hasidei Ashkenaz and the golem traditionView the Source Divinity Atlas Directory Prose, First Edition Category Descriptions
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