| Introduction:
During the ninties, we have seen an increasing interest in stone creatures called Gargoyles. T-shirts, books, and little recreations can be found at almost any mall. You can even buy little gargoyles that supposedly protect your computer from viruses. Even with this surge of popularity many people still do not know the history of these grotesque statues. Many scholars still argue over it even to this day. What was the purpose? What do they represent? How do you compare gragoyles to one another? Here is some information I have collected but is it still not certain where these mysterious creatures came from. |
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Where Did They Come From?
The word "gargoyle" comes from the french word, "gargouille", meaning "gurgle". Legend has it that long ago, in Rouen near the Seine, there lived a great dragon named La Gargouille who terrorized the nearby town. It devoured men and ships who passed by until one day, when St. Romanus arrived. He defeated the beast and sold the idea of Christianity. After the battle the creature was set ablaze. The body burnt away in the fire but the head and neck survived. They were mounted on a building to ward off other evil spirits. Many scholars believe that most gargoyles were used in this way. They brought a security that most of the populace did not have during the time of the Middle Ages. |
| Grotesques, and Chimeras, and Gargoyles! Oh My!
Now that we know a little history, let's get a little bit technical. Many of the statues you see today are not considered gargoyles. According to the code of architecture, a gargoyle is really a waterapout that directs water away from a building. Meanwhile, a creature stone carving that does not carry water is called a "grotesque". Some grotesques and gargoyles have bodies that combine many different creatures. These are defined as "Chimeres". The picture to the left was taken by my sister in Germany, Neuwanstein. It's not a gargoyle, but a chimere. |
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