What Are Gargoyles To Us?

Solar Gargoyles Statues

What Are Gargoyles To Us?

The Legend Of the Gargoyle

The legend of the gargoyle developed around 631 A.D. 

Its the French story of a how the town of Rouen had been protected by St. Romanus from a fire-breathing bat like creature, a dragon. 

He slayed the gargoyle, some say with a crucifix  then the head of the gargoyle was hung on the side of a newly built church to ward off evil keeping the church protected.

What Are Gargoyles To Us?

We see gargoyles in movies, in art, but mostly in the architecture of buildings throughout history.

Gargoyles usually make you think of medieval times and myths of gargoyles.

Gargoyles have been around for centuries and are mostly known for their use in the architectural designs of buildings.

Gargoyles had been used by architects for many centuries as means for which to disperse of rain water from the tops of buildings until in the 18th century.

This is one reason that when you think of gargoyles and where you have seen them, its most likely on the top or side of a building. 

There Are 2 Groups Of Gargoyles

You can find gargoyles in many cultures as far back as in ancient Egypt in the form of a lion gargoyle. I think that is important that you understand that there are 2 groups of gargoyles and that each serves different purposes.

The first is Gargoyles that are in the form of an animal. 

These animal forms of the gargoyle served as good looking storm drains as well as religious symbols of different sins , dependent on the species of gargoyle animal. 

There are some animal gargoyles that are symbols of loyalty and intelligence. 

There are many different animal forms of the gargoyle.

They range from the most popular forms of the dog and lion to monkeys as well as to that of the forms of these gargoyles: wolves, eagles, goats and snakes.

These animal forms of the gargoyle served as both 

There is one other group of gargoyles called chimeras.

Chimeras are gargoyles that are a mixture of different animals and myths such as mermaids and centaurs.

But this does not the answer our question, What are Gargoyles to us?

Gargoyle incense oil warmer

The answer to;" what are gargoyles to us?" is not that man kind invented gargoyles to merely act as storm drains or drainage for our buildings. 

If that were the answer to what gargoyles are to us, I don't think that they would have influenced so many cultures like the gargoyle has.

This question leads to more questions that need to be answered.

The Roman Catholic Churches Influences On The What Gargoyles Are To Us?

In the 12th century the roman catholic church used gargoyles to influence the growth of their religion. Gargoyles helped the Roman Catholics to communicate the evils of the devil through the gargoyles statues and gargoyle images. Many common folk were illiterate, thus this led to an effective means to scare people into converting and going to church, especially with the pagans.

Chimeras Gargoyles made it easy to convert pagans because they were versions of different creatures.

Gargoyles statues were believed to be signs of evil but also, some held the belief that gargoyles kept evil away, so the Roman Catholic Church had incorporated gargoyles statues into their architecture because they were able to get many common folks to believe that this was a sign that evil could not enter into the church. 

Thus the influence of the gargoyle legend being an instrument for influencing religious beliefs.

This led to various forms of the gargoyle and myths being spread and popularizing the use of gargoyle statues during the middle ages, although some of the gargoyle species were unknown to middle age Europeans and thus had no meaning.

This also as you see led to gargoyles serving as more than just a very fancy means of draining rain water off a roof and away from a building.

Gargoyles Statues

Gargoyles Have Been Popularized In The Modern World For Mostly Financial Gain

Gargoyles were popularized in the past due to religion and architectural influence. 

Today Gargoyles have been popularized in the modern world by cartoons like the popular children's cartoon "Gargoyles" and movies like "Rise Of The Gargoyles" and "The Gargoyle".

Gargoyles statues are more common, affordable due to the commercialization of the gargoyles history by our modern culture.

Gargoyle toys and play action figures are every where for the same reason.

You can still find gargoyles being implemented into modern day architecture. But these days you will find Chimeras being used, the purpose is more for decorative purposes then anything else.

It is our need as a modern society to generate an income off of anything we possibly can, thus making the history of the gargoyle a financial gold mine.

What Are Gargoyles To Us?

What are gargoyles to us? I have found that it seems Gargoyles have been everything from a legendary French story influencing religious growth to a fancy means for diverting water away from the foundations of our buildings. Gargoyles have been a means of entertainment and a source of creativity. 

Gargoyles, in my opinion, are merely mythological creatures that like many other mythological creatures have captured the human imagination, generating beliefs that they could both protect us from evil but yet are reflections of evil.

Gargoyles are just one of many legends that from generation to generation has kept us connected to our past, allowed us to profit technologically and financially, grow our cultural beliefs.

Until Next Time:

 

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