a purple, starry, six-armed & multi-eyed worm creature with a letter shin crown floats against a black background with gold star of David borders
three gold foil prints of the shamir worm artwork on a light grey background
Shamir Worm, 2021.
the shamir worm is one of Jewish folklore’s “miracles of creation,” made at twilight on the sixth day (along with things like the rainbow and Moses’ staff): a tiny creature that could cut stone - either by its piercing gaze or with its mouth - it was used by King Solomon to build the first temple, due to the fact that no iron tools or other potential instruments of bloodshed could be used to build a holy monument to peace. some say it was also used to engrave the tablets with the 10 commandments, and to engrave the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on the stones in the priestly breastplate. the mystical shamir is a symbol of creative destruction and a reminder that powerful things can come in tiny forms.