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Gargoyles have sat on lofty perches for centuries looking down on mankind. These stone creatures in fact had one main purpose, to divert rainwater away from the walls of buildings. In fact their very name comes from the French word "Gargouille" meaning throat or pipe. The english word Gargoyle comes in part from the French verb Gargarniser, meaning "To Gargle" The very sound they make as they drain water off the rooftops contributed to their name. Some Historians believe this sound was also hoped to scare off evil spirits. This by no means makes the Gargoyle French in it's origins, they have been in use as far back as ancient Greece.



With this in mind, only the creatures who lean over the rooftops spewing water from their mouths on rainy days can be truley called Gargoyles.

The Gargoyle and the other monsterous stone creations found on buildings are all called Grotesques.

This art form, popular in the 12th and 13th century, traces it's origins back to the earliest of medieval times. Many of the symbols and creatures came from the religions of the Celts, Druids and other European Tribes.

So how did such horrifying images become popular and widespread as the decortions of some of the world's Oldest and cherished Cathedrals?

When Christianity first began to convert the pagen people to it's ways, it was felt that using some of the gods, demons and symbols of the Pagen religions would help ease the conversion of the masses. Such thinking is evidenced by this quote from Pope Gregory to St. Augustine concerning converting pagen people.

"Destroy the idol. Purify the temples with holy water. Set relics there, and let them become temples of the true God. So the people will have no need to change their place of concourse, and, where of old they were wont to sacrifice cattle to demons, thither let them continue to resort on the day of the sint to where the Church is dedicated, and slay their beasts, no longer as a sacrifice but for social meal in honor of Him whom they now worship."

Other historians believe that along with the church's ideas that these creatures may make conversion easier, that to the common man, such stone creations would drive away evil spirits. Perhaps third on a list of reasons would be the role the Cathedral took in the life of Medieval people. As the focus of village life, everyone took part in the creation of these Holy temples. Many people would work on a single sculpture, adding to it's unique apperence. The stone carvings and images also help teach the teachings of the church to iliterate commoners. On the walls of many cathedrals stone carved panels displayed biblical stories. All of these reasons paved the way for the Gargoyle to sit atop Churchs, Temples and Universities across Europe. Perhaps the most well known Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris is home to hundreds of Stone creatures.

SYMBOLISM IN STONE
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