Image search for "biblically accurate angel". It's nightmare fuel, like the hallucinations of early image generation neural networks. Or, more historically, migraine or seizure visualizations. The snake probably would be less frightening.
They were probably originally based on optical illusions caused by unusual reflections/refractions in the atmosphere. They would have been like mirages that you can't approach to realize it's not really an object. Kinda like a rainbow. Biblically accurate angels come from people trying to make sense of seeing light doing weird shit.
Though I bet there was also improvisation of those for some of them. Like "oh if this is possible for angels, they must also be able to do x!"
Image search for "biblically accurate angel". It's nightmare fuel, like the hallucinations of early image generation neural networks. Or, more historically, migraine or seizure visualizations. The snake probably would be less frightening.
They were probably originally based on optical illusions caused by unusual reflections/refractions in the atmosphere. They would have been like mirages that you can't approach to realize it's not really an object. Kinda like a rainbow. Biblically accurate angels come from people trying to make sense of seeing light doing weird shit.
Though I bet there was also improvisation of those for some of them. Like "oh if this is possible for angels, they must also be able to do x!"