Gargoyles and Grotesques - Crystalinks Gargoyles ~ Grotesques Gargoyle In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building. Preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls is important because running water erodes the mortar between the stone blocks. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. When Gothic flying buttresses were used, aqueducts were sometimes cut into the buttress to divert water over the aisle walls. The term originates from the French gargouille, originally "throat" or "gullet"; cf.

Latin gurgulio, gula, gargula ("gullet" or "throat") and similar words derived from the root gar, "to swallow", which represented the gurgling sound of water (e.g., Spanish garganta, "throat"; Spanish g�rgola, "gargoyle"). It is also connected to the French verb gargariser, which means "to gargle." The Italian word for gargoyle is doccione o gronda sporgente, an architecturally precise phrase which means "protruding gutter." The German word for gargoyle is Wasserspeier, which means "water spewer." The Dutch word for gargoyle is waterspuwer, which means "water spitter" or "water vomiter." A building that has gargoyles on it is "gargoyled." Gargoyles are said to scare off and protect from any evil or harmful spirits. A grotesque figure is a sculpture that does not work as a waterspout and serves only an ornamental or artistic function.

These are also usually called gargoyles in layman's terminology, although the field of architecture usually preserves the distinction between gargoyles (functional waterspouts) and non-waterspout grotesques. Chimera Chimeras are creatures that are mixes of different types of animal body parts to create a new creature. Some of the more notable chimeras are griffins , centaurs, harpies , and mermaids. Chimeras often served as a warning to people who underestimated the devil. Grotesques Grotesques are often confused with gargoyles, but the distinction is that gargoyles are figures that contain a water spout through the mouth, while grotesques do not. This type of sculpture is also called a chimera. Used correctly, the term gargoyle refers to mostly eerie figures carved specifically as terminations to spouts which convey water away from the sides of buildings. In the Middle Ages, the term babewyn was used to refer to both gargoyles and grotesques. This word is derived from the Italian word babuino, which means "baboon".

History of Gargoyles The term gargoyle is most often applied to medieval work, but throughout all ages some means of water diversion, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. Lion Gargoyle at Dendera In Ancient Egyptian architecture, gargoyles showed little variation, typically in the form of a lion's head. Similar lion-mouthed water spouts were also seen on Greek temples, carved or modeled in the marble or terracotta cymatium of the cornice. An excellent example of this are the 39 remaining lion-headed water spouts on the Temple of Zeus. There were originally 102 gargoyles or spouts, but due to the heavy weight (they were crafted from marble), many have snapped off and had to be replaced. Many medieval cathedrals included gargoyles and chimeras. The most famous examples are those of Notre Dame de Paris. Although most have grotesque features, the term gargoyle has come to include all types of images. Some gargoyles were depicted as monks, or combinations of real animals and people, many of which were humorous.

Unusual animal mixtures, or chimeras, did not act as rain spouts and are more properly called grotesques. They serve more as ornamentation, but are now synonymous with gargoyles. Both ornamented and unornamented water spouts projecting from roofs at parapet level were a common device used to shed rainwater from buildings until the early eighteenth century. From that time, more and more buildings employed downpipes to carry the water from the guttering at roof level to the ground and only very few buildings using gargoyles were constructed. In 1724, the London Building Act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain made the use of downpipes compulsory on all new construction. Gargoyles and the Church Gargoyles were viewed two ways by the church throughout history. Often gargoyles were used to assist the Church in conveying messages to the common people. Due to literacy being uncommon, images were the best way to constantly convey ideas. Gargoyles were used as a representation of evil. It is thought that they were used to scare people into coming to church, reminding them that the end of days is near.

It is also thought that their presence assured congregants that evil is kept outside of the church�s walls. However, some medieval clergy viewed gargoyles as a form of idolatry. In the 12th century a church leader named St. Bernard of Clairvaux was famous for speaking out against gargoyles. "What are these fantastic monsters doing in the cloisters before the eyes of the brothers as they read? What is the meaning of these unclean monkeys, these strange savage lions, and monsters? To what purpose are here placed these creatures, half beast, half man, or these spotted tigers? I see several bodies with one head and several heads with one body. Here is a quadruped with a serpent's head, there a fish with a quadruped's head, then again an animal half horse, half goat... Surely if we do not blush for such absurdities, we should at least regret what we have spent on them." Animal Gargoyles The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans all used animal-shaped waterspouts. During the 12th century, when gargoyles appeared in Europe, the Roman Catholic Church was growing stronger and converting many new people.

Most of the population at this time were illiterate, and therefore images were very important to convey ideas. In the medieval world many creatures had mystical powers attributed to them. Also, human qualities were sometimes ascribed to specific animals - that is, the animals were anthropormorphized. This was especially common for pagans, and using these ideas helped conversion to Catholicism. Some animals (such as the rhinoceros and the hippopotamus) were unknown in western Europe during the Middle Ages so gargoyles of these species (such as the ones at Laon Cathedral) are modern gargoyles and therefore did not have symbolic meaning in Medieval times. Below is a list of some animals commonly used as gargoyles, and some of the meanings behind them. Lion Gargoyle in form of a lion Cathedral Saint-Etienne de Meaux. Lions were the most common non-native animal crafted as a gargoyle in the medieval period. In ancient times, the lion was linked to the sun, most likely due to its golden mane bearing similarity to the solar wreath of the sun. Lion gargoyles were popular with the ancient Greeks and were frequently used on houses in Pompeii during Roman times.

During the medieval period lions became the symbol of pride, one of the 7 deadly sins. Cats other than lions were rare among gargoyle carvings because of their dark nature and association with Satanism and Witchcraft. Both lions and their female counterparts were a favorite choice for the makers of gargoyles. The lion was by far the most popular non-European animal to be used on churches and cathedrals in the middle ages. They were popular as gargoyles during older times (Pompeii is full of them) and they had symbolized the sun, with the golden mane representing the solar wreath of our life giving star. Dog Dogs were the most common native animal crafted as a gargoyle. Dogs were seen as faithful, loyal, and intelligent, making them excellent guardians. They were, however, not without their faults. Their well-known hunger and tendency to steal food from kitchens showed that even dogs were vulnerable to the Devil's temptation. This gargoyle above is found at the top of the Philippe le Bel tower in the ducal palace of Dijon again in France. As popular then as they are now, dogs were rarely kept simply as pets and were often given guardianship of a home at night.

As such they were seen as clever, loyal and faithful. So on one point they can be seen as those stone animals given the role of protecting these buildings but there was another reason for their presence too. Dogs are always hungry and were often common thieves during these times and so were included on the sides of cathedrals to show that even such a faithful animal as the dog can fall prey to the temptation of the devil and commit the sin of greed. Wolf Although the wolf was a feared creature in medieval times, it was also respected. Wolves have the ability to live and cooperate as a pack which gave rise to the metaphor that a wolf could be a leader of a pack and protect the members. This was linked to priests who would fight off the evil of the Devil for the common folk. The wolf was also linked to the deadly sin of greed. Returning to Paris and this time the Sacr�-Coeur, here is a fine example of the wolf as gargoyle. Although wolves too were linked to greed they were respected as an animal that lived through cooperation with its peers � and they gave rise to the ancient metaphor �the leader of the pack�.

They were also linked to priests whose responsibility it was to protect the people from the devil � so the wolf was the protector of the lamb of God, as it were. Gargoyles come in packs too � and this was because the architects needed to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof. A single gargoyle would not be much good in a ferocious storm. Their strange elongation is also deliberate as the extra length will ensure that the water cascades as far away from the wall as possible. Eagle Large eagle as gargoyle on the Saint Rumbolds Cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium A powerful bird who was said to be able to slay dragons. Eagles were respected for their ability to see far away objects, and were also said to renew themselves by looking into the sun (accounting for the glint always seen in the eagle�s eye in paintings). These were protectors of the buildings, particularly against dragon as it was said that they were one of the few animals capable of destroying a winged serpent. They were also highly respected for the vision (which was again used as a metaphor and seen as foresight) and legend had it they had Phoenix like qualities.

They were, it was said, able to heal themselves by looking directly in to the sun which itself is an ancient symbol of deity. Snake Krakow, Poland From the story of Adam and Eve, the serpent represents a struggle between good and evil. The serpent was related to the deadly sin envy. They were also thought to be immortal due to the shedding of their skin. This gave rise to the symbol for immortality being the Ouroboros , a serpent with a tail in its mouth. The serpent is associated with original sin and as such can be found (most often winged) all over the cathedrals of Europe. From the days of Adam and Eve the serpent has been the symbol for the continual struggle between good and evil. In terms of the seven deadly sins, the serpent represented envy. Scarily enough they were also thought to be immortal which meant that the daily struggle against the sins of the flesh would carry on for all eternity. Goat Barcelona Cathedral he goat had two viewpoints in medieval times. One perspective was that the goat was equated with Christ due to its ability to climb steep slopes and find edible food. On the other side it was seen as a symbol for lust and even linked to Satan.

Like many of the animals featured here it had a duality of nature in the eyes of medieval Christians. On one side they were thought to be Christ-like because of their ability to find food on steep mountainsides and nourish themselves from almost nothing (the Feeding of the Five Thousand springs immediately to mind as a parallel). On the other hand they were seen as quite venal creatures and were often seen as a symbol of lust � yet another one of those seven deadly sins. Plus, of course, which animal would you associate with Satan? Monkey Monkeys were seen as what happened to humans when nature went awry. They were thought to be stupid creatures, and their intelligence was misrepresented as cunning. The monkey was linked to the deadly sin of �sloth�. 19th and 20th Centuries Although not designed to drain water and therefore technically not gargoyles, the grotesques on modern structures are still considered by most people to be gargoyles. Grotesques were used as decoration on 19th- and early 20th-century buildings in cities such as New York (where the Chrysler Building's stainless steel gargoyles are celebrated), Minneapolis, and Chicago.

Gargoyles can be found on many churches and other buildings. One extensive collection of modern gargoyles can be found in Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The cathedral, begun in 1908, is encrusted with the limestone demons. This collection also includes Darth Vader, a crooked politician, robots and many other modern spins on the ancient tradition. The 20th Century collegiate form of the Gothic Revival produced many modern gargoyles, notably at Princeton University, Washington University in St. Louis, Duke University, and the University of Chicago. 'GARGOYLES, GREEN MEN AND GROTESQUES' - YouTube 'GARGOYLES, GREEN MEN AND GROTESQUES' Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Sep 1, 2011 Photographic architectural works of art in the Diocese that covers Wakefield and Huddersfield West Yorkshire, Gargoyles In architecture the forms on buildings and churches not used as drain-spouts are known as grotesques and when used for drain-spouts are known as gargoyles. The term gargoyle originates from the French gargouille, translated as ''throat or gullet''. In Dutch and German it is a word for '' water spitter '' or ''water spewer''. A gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from the roof and away from the side of the building, preventing rainwater from running down walls and eroding the mortar between the stone blocks. The length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall and foundations. Green Men A green man is a sculpture, drawing or other representation of a face surrounded by leaves and branches, or may be flowers or fruit sprouting from the nose, mouth or other parts of the face. Green Men are commonly used as decorative architectural ornaments or carvings and are found in churches, chapels, abbeys, cathedrals and other buildings.

The green man motif has many variations and is found in many cultures around the world. It is perceived as a natural vegetative symbol of rebirth representing the cycle of growth each spring and perhaps a fertility figure of a nature spirit. Grotesques The word grotesque comes from the Latin root word ''Grotto'' meaning small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of ancient Roman decorative art, rediscovered and then copied in Rome in the 15TH century. Since the 18th century in France, Germany and England, the term grotesque has generally come to be used to describe something which is strange, ugly, unpleasant or disgusting and is also used to describe weird shapes and forms. Examples can be found from the 11th century through to the 20th century. However there are no examples of grotesques on any buildings or pre-dating the 11th century.

1000+ images about GARGOYLES, GROTESQUES & CHIMERA, GUARDIANS OF CATHEDRALS AND CASTLES on Pinterest | Prague, Stone statues and Gothic Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas GARGOYLES, GROTESQUES & CHIMERA, GUARDIANS OF CATHEDRALS AND CASTLES "...Very old am I, bones stiff with cold. Grey rock is my soul, creature carved from stone..." - taken from (Poem for a Gargoyle) by Marijke Mahieu ~ Gargoyles are usually carved from granite with a spout to convey water away from the roof. ~ Grotesques are ludicrous distortions of human or animal forms. ~ Chimeras are forms of fanciful animals. ~ GRUMPIONS AND SNARKS - OUCH! ~ 306 Pins1.11k Followers Gargoyle Interpretation Translation Gargoyle Gargoyle Gar"goyle, n. [OE. garguilie, gargouille, cf. Sp. g['a]rgola, prob. fr. the same source as F. gorge throat, influenced by L.

gargarizare to gargle. See {Gorge} and cf. {Gargle}, {Gargarize}.] (Arch.) A spout projecting from the roof gutter of a building , often carved grotesquely . [Written also {gargle}, {gargyle}, and {gurgoyle}.] [1913 Webster] The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000. Synonyms: Gargyle Look at other dictionaries: Gargoyle — bezeichnet: Wasserspeier (englisch Gargoyle, französisch Gargouille) Gargoyle Island, eine unbewohnte Insel im Nordpazifik, die zu den Fox Islands gehört Gargoyleosaurus, ein Vogelbeckensaurier des Oberjura eine Spielfigur aus dem… … Deutsch Wikipedia gargoyle — ► NOUN ▪ a grotesque carved human or animal face or figure projecting from the gutter of a building, usually as a spout to carry water clear of a wall.

ORIGIN Old French gargouille throat , also gargoyle … English terms dictionary gargoyle — grotesque carved waterspout, late 13c., gargurl, from O.Fr. gargole throat, waterspout (see GARGLE (Cf. gargle)) … Etymology dictionary gargoyle — [gär′goil΄] n. [ME gargule, throat &LT; OFr gargouille: see GARGLE] 1. a waterspout, usually in the form of a grotesquely carved animal or fantastic creature, projecting from the gutter of a building 2. a projecting ornament (on a building) that… … English World dictionary Gargoyle — In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building. The term originates from the French gargouille, originally throat or gullet ;cite book|author=Houghton … Wikipedia gargoyle — gargoyled, adj. /gahr goyl/, n. 1. a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal. 2.

a spout, terminating in a grotesque representation of a human or animal figure with open mouth, projecting from the gutter of a building for throwing rain… … Universalium gargoyle — UK [ˈɡɑː(r)ɡɔɪl] / US [ˈɡɑrˌɡɔɪl] noun [countable] Word forms gargoyle : singular gargoyle plural gargoyles a stone statue of an ugly creature, used mainly on old churches for directing water away from the roof … English dictionary gargoyle — noun /ˈɡɑː.ɡɔɪl,ˈɡɑɹ.ɡɔɪl/ a) A carved grotesque figure on a spout which conveys water away from the gutters. From between set teeth came now a flow of oaths and imprecations as steady as the flow of water from the gargoyle overhead. b) Any… … Wiktionary gargoyle — [15] The ancient root *garg , *gurgoriginated as an imitation of throat sounds.

From it were derived such guttural words as Greek gargaraaizein ‘gargle’ (whence Latin gargarizāre ‘gargle’) and Latin gurguliō ‘gullet’ (Latin gurges, source of… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins gargoyle — [[t]gɑ͟ː(r)gɔɪl[/t]] gargoyles N COUNT A gargoyle is a decorative stone carving on old buildings. It is usually shaped like the head of a strange and ugly creature, and water drains through it from the roof of the building … English dictionary 16+ 1000+ images about Hunky Punks, Gargoyles & Sheela Na Gigs on Pinterest | Morning dew, Christmas markets and Somerset Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Hunky Punks, Gargoyles & Sheela Na Gigs 57 Pins118 Followers Hunky Punk is a local term used in areas of Somerset to refer to carved grotesques used as an ornamental feature on towers and exterior friezes of churches.

A gargoyle is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. Gargoyles partners, photos, videos, stories, links, information: LifeKnot Gargoyles Information In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building. Preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls is important because running water erodes the mortar between the stone blocks. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. When Gothic flying buttresses were used, aqueducts were sometimes cut into the buttress to divert water over the aisle walls.

The term originates from the French gargouille, originally "throat" or "gullet"; cf. Latin gurgulio, gula, gargula and similar words derived from the root gar, "to swallow", which represented the gurgling sound of water . It is also connected to the French verb gargariser, which means "to gargle." The Italian word for gargoyle is grónda sporgente, an architecturally precise phrase which means "protuding gutter." The German word for gargoyle is Wasserspeier, which means "water spitter." The Dutch word for gargoyle is waterspuwer, which means "water spitter" or "water vomiter." A building that has gargoyles on it is "gargoyled." A grotesque figure is a sculpture that does not work as a waterspout and serves only an ornamental or artistic function. These are also usually called gargoyles in layman's terminology, although the field of architecture usually preserves the distinction between gargoyles and non-waterspout grotesques.

Wikipedia, Gargoyles, (as of Apr 1, 2010) Gargoyles Books Log in or join now now to suggest Gargoyles books. Gargoyles Videos Log in or join now now to suggest Gargoyles videos. Loading... Gargoyles is in LifeKnot's Collecting category. See more Collecting activites . Click an activity below to see that activity's info page. Log in or join now now to suggest Gargoyles links. Gargoyles Tweeps Log in or join now now to suggest tweeps the tweet about Gargoyles. Gargoyles Gear Log in or join now now to suggest Gargoyles gear. Gargoyles Gurus gu · ru [goo-roo] : one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and experience in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others. Log in or join now now to designate yourself or someone you know a Gargoyles guru. Thanks for designating yourself a Gargoyles guru. You may describe your experience below if you'd like. What you write here will be displayed on your activity profile and guru pages.

Experience: gargoyle - definition - What is ? What is ? gargoyle definition : gargoyle In architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. When Gothic flying buttresses were used, aqueducts were sometimes cut into the buttress to divert water over the aisle walls. ==Etymology== The term originates from the French gargouille, which in English is likely to mean "throat" or is otherwise known as the "gullet"; cf.

Latin gurgulio, gula, gargula ("gullet" or "throat") and similar words derived from the root gar, "to swallow", which represented the gurgling sound of water (e.g., Portuguese and Spanish garganta, "throat"; gárgola, "gargoyle"). It is also connected to the French verb gargariser, which shares a Latin root with the verb "gargle" and is likely imitative in origin. The Italian word for gargoyle is doccione or gronda sporgente, (but also gargolla o garguglia, when it has a grotesque shape) an architecturally precise phrase which means "protruding gutter." When not constructed as a waterspout and only serving an ornamental or artistic function, the correct term for such a sculpture is a grotesque, chimera, or boss. Just as with bosses and chimeras, gargoyles are said to frighten off and protect those that it guards, such as a church, from any evil or harmful spirits. However, in common usage, the word "gargoyle" is generally used to describe any monstrous sculpture, whether intended as a waterspout or not.

==Legend of the Gargouille== A French legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus (; fl. 631 – 641 AD), the former chancellor of the Merovingian king Clotaire II who was made bishop of Rouen, relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille or Goji. La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with batlike wings, a long neck, and the ability to breathe fire from its mouth. There are multiple versions of the story, either that St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix, or he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each, the monster is led back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not burn due to being tempered by its own fire breath. The head was then mounted on the walls of the newly built church to scare off evil spirits, and used for protection. In commemoration of St. Romain, the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day that the reliquary of the saint was carried in procession (see details at Rouen).

== History == The term gargoyle is most often applied to medieval work, but throughout all ages some means of water diversion, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. In Ancient Egyptian architecture, gargoyles showed little variation, typically in the form of a lion's head. Similar lion-mouthed water spouts were also seen on Greek temples, carved or modelled in the marble or terracotta cymatium of the cornice. An excellent example of this are the 39 remaining lion-headed water spouts on the Temple of Zeus. There were originally 102 gargoyles or spouts, but due to the heavy weight (they were crafted from marble), many have snapped off and had to be replaced. Many medieval cathedrals included gargoyles and chimeras. The most famous examples are those of Notre Dame de Paris. Although most have grotesque features, the term gargoyle has come to include all types of images. Some gargoyles were depicted as monks, or combinations of real animals and people, many of which were humorous. Unusual animal mixtures, or chimeras, did not act as rainspouts and are more properly called grotesques.

They serve more as ornamentation, but are now synonymous with gargoyles. Both ornamented and unornamented water spouts projecting from roofs at parapet level were a common device used to shed rainwater from buildings until the early eighteenth century. From that time, more and more buildings bought drainpipes to carry the water from the guttering roof to the ground and only very few buildings using gargoyles were constructed. This was because some people found them frightening, and sometimes heavy ones fell off, causing damage. In 1724, the London Building Act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain made the use of downpipes compulsory on all new construction. ==Gargoyles and the Catholic Church== The primary use of the gargoyle was to illustrate evil through the form of the gargoyle. In the 12th century, St.

Bernard of Clairvaux was famous for speaking out against gargoyles: According to Lester Burbank Bridaham, writing in Gargoylaes, Chimeres and the Grotesque in French Gothic Sculpture, "There is much symbolism in the sculpture of the Gothic period; but we must be wary of reading in too much meaning." ==Animal gargoyles== The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans all used animal-shaped waterspouts. During the 12th century, when gargoyles appeared in Europe, the Roman Catholic Church was growing stronger and converting many new people. Most of the population at this time were illiterate, and therefore images were very important to convey ideas. Many early gargoyles depicted some version of a dragon, especially in France. In addition to serving as spouts for water, the gaping mouths of these gargoyles evoked the fearsome destructiveness of these legendary beasts, reminding the laity of the need for the church's protection. Human qualities were sometimes ascribed to specific animals—that is, the animals were anthropomorphized. This was especially common for pagans, and using these ideas helped conversion to Catholicism.

Some animals (such as the rhinoceros and the hippopotamus) were unknown in western Europe during the Middle Ages so gargoyles of these species (such as the ones at Laon Cathedral) are modern gargoyles and therefore did not have symbolic meaning in Medieval times.

==Gallery== Image:Gargoyles-StPartickFlagstaf.jpg|Chimera of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel in Flagstaff, Arizona Image:Gargoyle Sacre Coeur.jpg|A gargoyle on the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, Paris, France, showing the water channel Image:Mausoleum(05).jpg|Gargoyle at the St.-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk, Ostend, Belgium Image:Dragon grotesque on Peace Tower.jpg|One of four gargoyles atop the Peace Tower, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Image:ND Amiens - gargouille.JPG|Gargoyle Notre-Dame d'Amiens, France Image:GargoylesNotreDame-Dijon.jpg|Notre Dame Church in Dijon, France Image:Lakenhalle-dakgoot met waterspuwer.JPG|Gargoyle at the Cloth Hall, Ypres, Belgium File:Gargoyle on Zagreb Cathedral.jpg|Gargoyle on Zagreb Cathedral, Croatia File:Dombauhütte am Kölner Dom - Figur im Innenhof.jpg|Gargoyle from Cologne Cathedral under reconstruction File:Roger Morigi

 gargoyle, National Cathedral, Washington DC, USA.jpg|Gargoyle showing carver Roger Morigi with carver's tools, Washington National Cathedral, Washington D.C., USA File:Rosslyn Chapel Gargoyle.JPG|Gargoyle from Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, Scotland.

File:Blain - Château de Blain (gargouille 4).jpg|Gargoyle from the Château de Blain, France File:Duomo di firenze, fianchi, doccione 03.JPG|Gargoyle from Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy (sometimes called "il Boccalone") File:Paisley Abbey gargoyle 13.jpg|Paisley Abbey gargoyle File:Old City Hall Gargoyle.jpg|Original Old City Hall, Toronto gargoyle File:Gargoyle peering down on Queen Street.jpg|Replica gargoyles at Old City Hall, Toronto File:GorgoyleSharp.jpg|A 1st century BC Hellenistic gargoyle representing a comical cook-slave from Ai Khanoum, Afghanistan |Gargoyle in Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain.

==See also== * Architectural sculpture * Dragon * Golem * Grotesque in architecture * Hunky punk * Onigawara * Rainhead * Shachihoko * Sheela na Gig * Nightmares in the Sky ==References== ==Further reading== *Guide to Gargoyles and Other Grotesques (2003) Wendy True Gasch, ISBN 0-9745299-0-7 *The Stone Carvers: Master Craftsmen of the Washington National Cathedral (1999) Marjorie Hunt, ISBN 1-56098-829-0 *Mailands Monster / Milan's Monsters. Wasserspeier und Grotesken in Mailand / Gargoyles and Grotesques in Milan (2010) Regina E.G. Schymiczek, ISBN 978-3-8391-8256-7. ==External links== Gargoyle : Wikis (The Full Wiki) The Full Wiki Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it!

See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics Chicago Did you know ... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about the statues on buildings. For other uses, see Gargoyle (disambiguation) Gargoyle of Waza Chapel, Wawel Cathedral In architecture , a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building. Preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls is important because running water erodes the mortar between the stone blocks. [1] Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. When Gothic flying buttresses were used, aqueducts were sometimes cut into the buttress to divert water over the aisle walls. The term originates from the French gargouille, originally "throat" or "gullet"; [2] cf.

Latin gurgulio, gula, gargula ("gullet" or "throat") and similar words derived from the root gar, "to swallow", which represented the gurgling sound of water (e.g., Spanish garganta, "throat"; Spanish gárgola, "gargoyle"). It is also connected to the French verb gargariser, which means "to gargle." [3] The Italian word for gargoyle is grónda sporgente, an architecturally precise phrase which means "protuding gutter." The German word for gargoyle is Wasserspeier, which means "water spitter." The Dutch word for gargoyle is waterspuwer, which means "water spitter" or "water vomiter." A building that has gargoyles on it is "gargoyled." A grotesque figure is a sculpture that does not work as a waterspout and serves only an ornamental or artistic function. These are also usually called gargoyles in layman's terminology, [2] although the field of architecture usually preserves the distinction between gargoyles (functional waterspouts) and non-waterspout grotesques.

Gargoyles are said to scare off and protect from any evil or harmful spirits. Contents 10 External links Legend of La Gargouille A French legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus ("Romain") (AD 631–641), the former chancellor of the Merovingian king Clotaire II who was made bishop of Rouen , relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille or Goji. La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with batlike wings, long neck, and sprouts fire from its mouth. There are multiple versions of the story, either that St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix, or he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each, the monster is lead back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not, due to being tempered by its own fire breath. The head was then mounted on the walls of the newly built church to scare off evil spirits; they were used for protection. [4] In commemoration of St.

Romain the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day that the reliquary of the saint was carried in procession (see details at Rouen ). History A 1st century BC Hellenistic gargoyle representing a comical cook-slave from Ai Khanoum , Afghanistan The term gargoyle is most often applied to medieval work, but throughout all ages some means of water diversion, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. In Ancient Egyptian architecture, gargoyles showed little variation, typically in the form of a lion's head. [5] Similar lion-mouthed water spouts were also seen on Greek temples , carved or modeled in the marble or terracotta cymatium of the cornice . [6] An excellent example of this are the 39 remaining lion-headed water spouts on the Temple of Zeus . There were originally 102 gargoyles or spouts, but due to the heavy weight (they were crafted from marble), many have snapped off and had to be replaced. [7] Many medieval cathedrals included gargoyles and chimeras. The most famous examples are those of Notre Dame de Paris .

Although most have grotesque features, the term gargoyle has come to include all types of images. Some gargoyles were depicted as monks, or combinations of real animals and people, many of which were humorous. Unusual animal mixtures, or chimeras, did not act as rainspouts and are more properly called grotesques. They serve more as ornamentation, but are now synonymous with gargoyles. Both ornamented and unornamented water spouts projecting from roofs at parapet level were a common device used to shed rainwater from buildings until the early eighteenth century. From that time, more and more buildings employed downpipes to carry the water from the guttering at roof level to the ground and only very few buildings using gargoyles were constructed. In 1724, the London Building Act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain made the use of downpipes compulsory on all new construction. [8] Gargoyles and the Church Gargoyle located in Paris on Notre Dame Gargoyles were viewed two ways by the church throughout history. Often gargoyles were used to assist the Church in conveying messages to the common people.

Due to literacy being uncommon, images were the best way to constantly convey ideas. Gargoyles were used as a representation of evil. It is thought that they were used to scare people into coming to church, reminding them that the end of days is near. It is also thought that their presence assured congregants that evil is kept outside of the church’s walls. [9] They were also used to integrate parts of pagan worship into the Church to make conversion to Catholicism easier. However, some medieval clergy viewed gargoyles as a form of idolatry. In the 12th century a church leader named St. Bernard of Clairvaux was famous for speaking out against gargoyles. [10] What are these fantastic monsters doing in the cloisters before the eyes of the brothers as they read? What is the meaning of these unclean monkeys, these strange savage lions, and monsters? To what purpose are here placed these creatures, half beast, half man, or these spotted tigers? I see several bodies with one head and several heads with one body. Here is a quadruped with a serpent's head, there a fish with a quadruped's head, then again an animal half horse, half goat...

Surely if we do not blush for such absurdities, we should at least regret what we have spent on them. Animal gargoyles The ancient Egyptians , Greeks , Etruscans and Romans all used animal-shaped waterspouts. [11] During the 12th century, when gargoyles appeared in Europe, the Roman Catholic Church was growing stronger and converting many new people. [12] Most of the population at this time were illiterate, and therefore images were very important to convey ideas. In the medieval world many creatures had mystical powers attributed to them. Also, human qualities were sometimes ascribed to specific animals—that is, the animals were anthropormorphized . This was especially common for pagans, and using these ideas helped conversion to Catholicism. [10] Some animals (such as the rhinoceros and the hippopotamus ) were unknown in western Europe during the Middle Ages so gargoyles of these species (such as the ones at Laon Cathedral ) are modern gargoyles and therefore did not have symbolic meaning in Medieval times. [13] Below is a list of some animals commonly used as gargoyles, and some of the meanings behind them.

[10] Lion Cathedral Saint-Etienne de Meaux . Lions were the most common non-native animal crafted as a gargoyle in the medieval period. In ancient times, the lion was linked to the sun, most likely due to its golden mane bearing similarity to the solar wreath of the sun. Lion gargoyles were popular with the ancient Greeks and were frequently used on houses in Pompeii during Roman times. [14] During the medieval period lions became the symbol of pride , one of the 7 deadly sins . Cats other than lions were rare among gargoyle carvings because of their dark nature and association with Satanism and Witchcraft . [15] Dog Dogs were the most common native animal crafted as a gargoyle. Dogs were seen as faithful, loyal, and intelligent, making them excellent guardians. They were, however, not without their faults. Their well-known hunger and tendency to steal food from kitchens showed that even dogs were vulnerable to the Devil's temptation. [16] Wolf Although the wolf was a feared creature in medieval times, it was also respected.

Wolves have the ability to live and cooperate as a pack which gave rise to the metaphor that a wolf could be a leader of a pack and protect the members. This was linked to priests who would fight off the evil of the Devil for the common folk. The wolf was also linked to the deadly sin of greed . [17] Eagle A powerful bird who was said to be able to slay dragons. Eagles were respected for their ability to see far away objects, and were also said to renew themselves by looking into the sun (accounting for the glint always seen in the eagle’s eye in paintings). [18] Snake From the story of Adam and Eve , the serpent represents a struggle between good and evil. The serpent was related to the deadly sin ‘ envy ’. They were also thought to be immortal due to the shedding of their skin. This gave rise to the symbol for immortality being the Ouroboros , a serpent with a tail in its mouth. [19] Goat The goat had two viewpoints in medieval times. One perspective was that the goat was equated with Christ due to its ability to climb steep slopes and find edible food.

On the other side it was seen as a symbol for lust and even linked to Satan. [20] Monkey Monkeys were seen as what happened to humans when nature went awry. They were thought to be stupid creatures, and their intelligence was misrepresented as cunning. The monkey was linked to the deadly sin of ‘sloth’ . [21] Chimeras Chimeras are merely carvings of faces (usually grotesque) or mixes of different types of animal body parts to create a new creature. Some of the more notable chimeras are griffins , centaurs , harpies , and mermaids . Chimeras often served as a warning to people who underestimated the devil. [22] 19th and 20th centuries A view of Paris from the Galerie des Chimères on Notre Dame de Paris Although not designed to drain water and therefore technically not gargoyles, the grotesques on modern structures are still considered by most people to be gargoyles. Grotesques were used as decoration on 19th- and early 20th-century buildings in cities such as New York (where the Chrysler Building 's stainless steel gargoyles are celebrated), Minneapolis , and Chicago .

Gargoyles can be found on many churches and other buildings. One extensive collection of modern gargoyles can be found in Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The cathedral, begun in 1908, is encrusted with the limestone demons. This collection also includes Darth Vader , a crooked politician, robots and many other modern spins on the ancient tradition. [4] The 20th Century collegiate form of the Gothic Revival produced many modern gargoyles, notably at Princeton University , Washington University in St. Louis , Duke University , and the University of Chicago . See also Notre Dame Church in Dijon , France. Gargoyles in Popular Culture see Gargoyles References ^ Janetta Rebold Benton (1997). Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings. New York: Abbeville Press. pp. 6-8. ISBN 0-7892-0182-8. ^ a b Houghton Mifflin (2000). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.). Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 725.

ISBN 978-0-395-82517-4. . ^ Janetta Rebold Benton (1997). Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings. New York: Abbeville Press. pp. 8. ISBN 0-7892-0182-8. ^ a b Cipa, Shawn (2008). Carving Gargoyles, Grotesques, and Other Creatures of Myth: History, Lore, and 12 Artistic Patterns. Petersburg, PA: Fox Chapel Publishing Inc.. ISBN 978-1-56532-329-4. ^ Clarke, Somers; Engelbach, Reginald (1930). Ancient Egyptian Masonry: The Building Craft. The Book Tree. ISBN 1-58509-059-X. ^ Dinsmoor, William Bell (1973). The Architecture of Ancient Greece: an account of its historic development. New York: Biblo and Tannen. ISBN 0-8196-0283. ^ Swaddling, Judith (1999).

The Ancient Olympic Games. British Museum Press. ISBN 0-292-77751-5. ^ "Holy Horrors", The National Trust Magazine: 66–68, Autumn 2007 ^ Camille, Michael (2009). The Gargoyles of Notre-Dame: Medievalism and the Monsters of Modernity. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-09245-3. ^ a b c Pesznecker, Susan (2007). Gargoyles: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry. Franklin Lakes NJ: Career Press. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Janetta Rebold Benton (1997). Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings. New York: Abbeville Press. pp. 11. ISBN 0-7892-0182-8. ^ Varner, Gary (2008). Gargoyles, Grotesques & Green Men: Ancient Symbolism in European & American Architecture. United State: Lulu Press, Inc..

ISBN 978-1-4357-1142-6. ^ Janetta Rebold Benton (1997). Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings. New York: Abbeville Press. pp. 20. ISBN 0-7892-0182-8. ^ Janetta Rebold Benton (1997). Holy Terrors: Gargoyles on Medieval Buildings. New York: Abbeville Press. pp. 11. ISBN 0-7892-0182-8. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 23-24. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 25-26. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 26. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 26-27. ISBN 1-56414-911-0.

^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 31. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 27-28. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 30-31. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. ^ Pesznecker, Susan. pp. 35-38. ISBN 1-56414-911-0. Guide to Gargoyles and Other Grotesques (2003) Wendy True Gasch, ISBN 0-9745299-0-7 The Stone Carvers: Master Craftsmen of the Washington National Cathedral (1999) Marjorie Hunt, ISBN 1-56098-829-0 External links help | file info or download ) Information about this edition I SAW a mouth jeering. A smile of melted red iron ran over it. Its laugh was full of nails rattling. It was a child’s dream of a mouth.

A fist hit the mouth: knuckles of gun-metal driven by an electric wrist and shoulder. It was a child’s dream of an arm. The fist hit the mouth over and over, again and again. The mouth bled melted iron, and laughed its laughter of nails rattling. And I saw the more the fist pounded the more the mouth laughed. The fist is pounding and pounding, and the mouth answering.

Question: What word is used to describe a grotesque stone carving with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building?
Answer: Gargoyle