Dream—Craig Hamilton

I can’t get over the symbolism in this one. The poppies stand for themselves of course, but the obelisk!

No matter if you look at ancient Egypt or Greece, it is so loaded with connotations to creation, gods and kings (especially sun gods like Ra and Apollo, and many pharaos and kings used obelisks as a symbol of divine power), connecting earth and sky, often symbolising a ray of sun. And that connection is also so beautifully mirrored in Morpheus himself, with his hair basically becoming one with the night sky.

The positioning of an obelisk was either east-facing (rising sun/rebirth) or west-facing (setting sun/death and afterlife). The capstone (the pyramidion/benben stone) stood for Ra’s first emergence because the original benben stone was believed to have risen from the primordial waters: a symbol for the literal birth of life/creation and renewal. And since the ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife, an obelisk also meant safe passage and ascension of the soul.

I particularly like the myth of Bennu (a heron-like bird) that would sit on the benben and cry/sing one last time when all Gods die (and it would be told to sing by Ra himself because it was basically connected to/a part of his soul). The Bennu might also have been the ancient inspiration for the legend of the Phoenix.

And while there are no birds to see in here, the mythology surrounding obelisks dnd their capstones is honestly so fitting—including the connections to sun gods and Phoenix-like birds.

And it is so interesting to me that the Sandman in general makes so many references to Morpheus/Dream getting mixed up with Apollo, be it by worshippers, be it as Calliope’s consort/Orpheus’ father, be it through Aristeas (who was Apollo’s raven), be it through putting Orpheus out of his misery (there’s that part of mythology, too—it’s complicated). There’s some strange balance in replacing the epitome of sun/light with its (seemingly) opposite. And of course an obelisk stands for balance, too…