| Actual Image
Beware the Basilisk (32)
Silke
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2847 W: 263 N: 5947]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (23588) | I present to you my first shot of a whole new city in my travelogue, and one that I hope to return to another year (without this year’s overcast skies and drizzle and for more than my all-too-short 3 ˝ hours).
This delightful fountain dates back to the 1920’s and is one of the few of the original 30 that still exists today. For a full view of the fountain and the attached dainty fluted drinking bowl for dogs, please see the workshop.
Basel's heraldic animal is the Basilisk, a mythical creature born of a yolkless egg laid by a seven-year-old rooster and hatched by a toad! It was reputed to be the most poisonous of animals, able to kill with but a single breath or glance. In medieval art, the basilisk symbolized the devil and the antichrist. After the Reformation, the Protestants used it as a symbol of the papacy, a deliberate slight against the traditional church.
Why Basel should have chosen this horrifying creature as its “mascot” is a bit of a mystery! There are many fanciful tales connected to the choice. One story, for example, says that the Basilisk holding the city’s coat of arms can be traced back to an early 15th century monument (whose present whereabouts unknown) commemorating the fatal 1356 earthquake that almost levelled the city: "Basilisk, you poisonous worm and fable, now you shall hold the shield of the dignified city of Basel". The historian on altbasel.ch (http://www.altbasel.ch/fragen/basilisk.html) suggests that the most plausible theory is connected to the similarity between the names of the creature and the city. Basilea, the original name of the city is derived from the Greek Basileus (king or ruler) and means “the royal one”, while the name of the animal means “little king.” The relationship between the names of the city and the animal is obvious: Basilea - basilisk.
Tech: shot in RAW, converted to jpg, cropped here and there, resized for TL and sharpened edges
Please forgive my inability to critique as fully as I did earlier. Both of my hands have become temporarily incapacitated, but I am hopeful that I will be back in full swing by the beginning of August. In the mean time, I would like to continue sharing my photos with you. These images were processed before my hands got bad. I do hope that you will take time to critique them honestly, knowing that I will be able to do the same once I am back in full swing.
Many thanks for the good wishes for recovery that many members have sent me off-list.
Blessings, Silke |
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