In most depictions of the legendary Golem of Prague, there is a large crack on his chest, covered with a metal band. I've spent hours searching, and I've found nothing, aside from the scroll of life being inserted into it's head. What is the reason/origin of this part of the legend?
The depiction of the Golem with a cracked chest originates from the 1950's Czech film "The Emperor's Baker/The Baker's Emperor" (in the US the movie was released as "The Emperor and the Golem"). The Golem in this version was designed by the scupltor Jaroslav Horejc. If you look at depictions prior to the 1950s film, such as the 1920s or 1930s films, the Golem had no crack across his chest.