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A gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque
(sculpture), usually made of granite.
Gargoyles often are combinations of real animals and people, many of which are
humorous.
Gargoyles have 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.
One belief is
that gargoyles
also served as
protectors,
keeping evil
away from the
buildings and
their
occupants.
A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically
exits through the open mouth
The word gargoyle is connected to the French verb
gargariser, which means "to gargle”
Gargoyles can be
traced back 4000
years to Egypt, Rome
and Greece. Water
spouts depicting:
lions, eagles, and
other creatures,
including those based
on Greek and Roman
mythology, were very
common. Gargoyle
water spouts were
even found at the
ruins of Pompeii.
Gargoyles became very popular in the medieval times (1200-
Here is the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France
It is known for it’s many gargoyles
Although the first gargoyles were made out of wood, later gargoyles were
usually carved from limestone or marble, and sometimes lead.
Gargoyles were carved on the ground, from a clay model, and then placed
in position. They were often painted, but the paint on old gargoyles still
surviving today has either been worn off or been removed.
In later times, most of them became mainly ornamental and
served no other purpose than decoration.