Gargoyles, Grotesques & Green Men: Ancient Symbolism in European & American Architecture

by Gary R. Varner

The symbols and strange images that we find in our cemeteries, religious structures, banks and in our parks are the same symbols that have been part of the framework of the human psyche for thousands of years. While contemporary man may think that they are simply decorative manifestations of a by-gone era, they represent the fears, dreams, ideas, beliefs and struggles that humankind has endured since we began to walk upright. This book surveys many of these icons and will give a meaning for them both in the context of ancient history and folklore as well as a meaning that is suitable for our contemporary times. Illustrated with dozens of photographs, this book will be of interest to anyone interested in historic preservation, ancient symbolism, the Green Man and the universal application of imagery. Gary R. Varner has written numerous books on ancient traditions, folklore, the environment and contemporary issues. He is a member of the American Folklore Society and the Foundation for Mythological Studies.

180 pages, Paperback

First published February 29, 2008

Reviews

[Clay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was light and fun.
The kindle edition has some semi-serious formatting issues. Somehow paragraphs would sometimes get split and their other halves would be inexplicably injected in a place pages from the original.