The Smallest Relic

After almost a year off I have decided to revisit The Relics.

This is my smallest relic.

I bought this little guy way back in the early 1980s when I use to play D&D pretty often.

It came from a little shop in Foley Alabama.

--The shop is still there.

The Guardian

Guan Yu

This Relic is a bronze statue of Guan Yu.

There are many origin tales of Guan Yu. Most often he is said to have been a great General in the Chinese army that was invincible, made so by his incongruous Buddhist beliefs. All his skills, his power, was only brought forth to protect and defend.

Click image for detail

In Chinese Buddhism, Guan Yu is revered by most practicing Buddhists as Sangharama Bodhisattva a protector of the Buddhist principles.

His statue is usually located on the far left of the main shrine, quietly, subtly, on guard.  opposite his counterpart, another guardian known as Skanda.

What I always loved about this figure is that he was a warrior AND a devout Buddhist. With no conflict inside. A true Buddhist that is bristling with weapons.

--Look for him guarding the monasteries and gardens of Buddhist temples, as well as, my den!

The Found Helmet

The very first house where I lived together with Brenda was a townhouse in Northern Virginia.

We purchased the house from a friend that was living in Arkansas at the time. The house was full of renters and was left in bad shape. It was full of trash, and tons of other things left behind. They even left an abandoned car in the driveway.

Not everything left behind was total garbage. There were lots of tools, a 30' extension ladder and even a fridge full of beer. The cigarette burns and wax in the rugs was not so much fun!

One of the things left behind is now a Relic in my collection. This helmet is specifically for Heavy Fighting in the SCA. I am a long standing member of the SCA and happened to be able to recognize exactly what it was.

--Plus this puppy is rusted to the point of being so ugly it looks evil in an excellent Mad Max sorta way...