Chalkydri ( ''khalkýdrai'', compound of ''khalkós'' "brass, copper" + ''hýdra'' " hydra", "water-serpent" — lit. "brazen hydras", "copper serpents") are mythical creatures mentioned in the

apocryphal Apocrypha () are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture, some of which might be of doubtful authorship or authenticity. In Christianity, the word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to ...

Second Book of Enoch from the 1st century CE, often seen as an

angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

ic species.F.I. Andersen. (1983) ''2 (Old Bulgarian Apocalypse of) Enoch, a new Translation and Introduction'' in ed. James Charlesworth ''The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol 1''. p. 94. . In the narrative, chalkydri dwell near the Sun and ran its course around the Earth with it bringing heat and dew to the Earth. The chalkydri and phoenixes are described as creatures 900 measures in size with the head of a crocodile and the feet and tail like that of a lion, each having twelve wings, and are empurpled like the color of the rainbow. Both the chalkydri and phoenixes are referred to as "flying elements of the Sun" in the Second Book of Enoch. At sunrise, all the chalkydri break into song with their counterparts, alerting the birds of the world for a new day to rejoice. The name has been interpreted as a translation of Nehushtan, the bronze serpent constructed by

Moses In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...

to protect the Israelites from attacks by fiery flying serpents, and destroyed by King Hezekiah as idolatrous, from Hebrew into Greek. Similarities to the story of the chalkydri and phoenixes mentioned in the Second Book of Enoch can be found in the

Greek Apocalypse of Baruch 3 Baruch or the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch is a visionary, pseudepigrapha, pseudepigraphic text written some time between the Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE), fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the third century. Scholars disagree on whether it was wr ...

, which mentions a story of Baruch seeing a large bird flying around the Sun said to guard the Earth who an

identifies as a phoenix.

References

Angels Book of Enoch Jewish legendary creatures Phoenix birds {{legendary-creature-stub Dragons

See also

References