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Post  Admin 10/27/2008, 12:44 am

Gargoyle

by Micha F. Lindemans
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Gargoyles are the grotesque carvings of faces and bodies of humans and animals. Serving originally as water spouts to direct the water clear of a wall, they can often be found on (Gothic) buildings and churches. In medieval times, the function of Gargoyles changed. They became representations of religious events, created for the illiterate population to "read".
From the fact that Gargoyles are such hideous creatures stems the notion that they were created to avert evil. Placed on the outside of buildings supposedly kept evil out. In later times, most of them became mainly ornamental and served no other purpose than decoration.

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Gargoyle Empty Re: Gargoyle

Post  Admin 10/27/2008, 12:44 am

Gargoyle


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.





This article is about gargoyles, the statues. For the animated series, see Gargoyles (animated series). For the University of Michigan humor magazine, see Gargoyle Humor Magazine. Gargoyle 180px-Gargoyle.600px Gargoyle Magnify-clip
A gargoyle on the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, Paris showing the water channel



In architecture, gargoyles, or gurgoyles (from the French gargouille, originally the throat or gullet, cf. Latin gurgulio, gula, and similar words derived from root gar, to swallow, the word representing the gurgling sound of water; Ital. doccione; Ger. Ausguss), are the carved terminations to a spout which conveys water away from the gutters.Gargoyle 180px-Himeji_Castle_gargoyle Gargoyle Magnify-clip
A Japanese gargoyle adorning Himeji Castle



Gargoyles are mostly grotesque figures. A local legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus ("Romain") (631641 A.D.), 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, having had the creature captured by a liberated prisoner. The gargoyle's grotesque form was said to scare off evil spirits so they were 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.).Gargoyle 180px-Notre_dame-paris-view Gargoyle Magnify-clip
View of Paris from the Galerie des Chimères



The term gargoyle is applied most often to medieval work, but throughout all ages some means of throwing the water off roofs, when not conveyed in gutters, was adopted. In Egypt gargoyles eject the water used in the washing of the sacred vessels which seems to have been done on the flat roofs of the temples. In Greek temples, the water from roofs passed through the mouths of lions whose heads were carved or modelled in the marble or terra cotta cymatium of the cornice. At Pompeii many terra cotta gargoyles were found that are modelled in the shape of animals.
Gargoyles, or more precisely chimerae, were used as decoration on 19th and early 20th century buildings in cities such as New York (where the Chrysler Building's aluminum gargoyles are celebrated), and Chicago.
Statues representing gargoyle-like creatures are popular sales items, particularly in goth and New Age retail stores. Gargoyles as a distinct race have featured in several works of fantasy fiction, such as Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. They were also prominently featured in a Disney animated series, Gargoyles, and played a role in that company's adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Actress Adrienne Barbeau played a violent gargoyle in the TV series Monsters. Gargoyles are also mentioned many times in the Harry Potter series.[edit]


See also



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