Dactyls - Limited Edition 1 of 10 Photograph

This work is part of a series inspired by Greek Mythology. Not the common and most known myths, rather I get inspiration by less known stories. I used original photo of palms, as visual and symbolic reflection of the myth because I think that Ancients were strictly connected with the realm of nature while it still keeps nowadays a deep connection with the realm of archetypes, with which we have few conscious relations. It's like an Ariadne's thread. Every photo is related to a specific myth. This is about the Dactyls, Ancient Greek: Δάκτυλοι Ιδαῖοι, daktyloi Idaioi = Idaean fingers. The Dactyls were the archaic mythical race of male beings associated with the Great Mother, whether as Cybele or Rhea. Their numbers vary, but often they were ten spirit-men so like the three Curetes, the Cabiri or the Korybantes that they were often interchangeable. The Dactyls were both ancient smiths and healing magicians. In some myths, they are in Hephaestus' employ, and they taught metalworking, mathematics, and the alphabet to humans. When Rhea, the mother of the gods, knew her time of delivery was come, she went to the sacred cave on Mount Ida. As she squatted in labor she dug her fingers into the earth (Gaia), which brought forth these daktyloi Idaioi (Δάκτυλοι Ἰδαῖοι "Idaean fingers”), thus often ten in number, or sometimes multiplied into a race of ten tens. Three is just as often given as their number. They are sometimes instead numbered as thirty-three. When Greeks offered a most solemn oath, often they would pess their hands against the earth as they uttered it. It is print on archival acid free photographic paper, and accompanied by a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. For mounting options and suggestions, please contact Saatchi Art team.