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 The Maharal of Prague and the Golem by Mikoláš Aleš, 1899. | |
| Grouping | Monster |
|---|---|
| Similar entities | Frankenstein's monster, Robot, Automaton |
| Folklore | Jewish folklore |
| First attested | Talmud |
| Other name(s) | Gōlem (גּוֹלֶם) |
| Country | Czechia |
| Region | Prague |
| Habitat | Typically resides in attics or temples |
| Details | Protector of the Jewish community, created from clay or mud, animated through mystical rituals. |
A golem (/ˈɡoʊləm/ GOH-ləm; Hebrew: גּוֹלֶם, romanized: gōlem) is an animated anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century rabbi of Prague. According to Moment magazine, "the golem is a highly mutable metaphor with seemingly limitless symbolism. It can be a victim or villain, man or woman—or sometimes both. Over the centuries, it has been used to connote war, community, isolation, hope, and despair."[1]
In modern popular culture, the word has become generalized, and any crude anthropomorphic creature devised by a sorcerer may be termed a "golem".[citation needed] There may be metal golems, such as Talos, or stone golems, e.g., in Dungeons and Dragons.
- ^ Cooper, Marilyn. Jewish Word | Golem". Archived 25 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine Moment. 17 July 2017. 24 August 2017.