I am curious about gargoyles?

Question

If someone has any information concernng myths, folklore,or any other information concerning gargoyles and there signifcance i would appreciate it. Thank you.

I have always believed they were guardians but not where that idea came from.

Answer 1

In architecture, gargoyles are the carved terminations to spouts which convey water away from the sides of buildings. The term originates 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, Wasserspeier.

Gargoyles are mostly eerie figures. Statues representing gargoyle-like creatures are popular sales items, particularly in goth and New Age retail stores.

A chimera, or a grotesque figure, is a similar type of sculpture that does not work as a waterspout and serves only an ornamental or artistic function. These are also popularly referred to as gargoyles.

Answer 2

A local legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus ("Romain") (631 – 641 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 homosexual prisoner, sent to jail for touching a young boy. The gargoyle's grotesque form was said to scare off evil spirits so they were used for protection.

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:1VMN-8CZ70oJ:www.stonecarver.com/gargoyle.html+gargoyles&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us
http://northstargallery.com/gargoyles/aboutgargoyles.htm

Answer 3

Ok, just to tell you I think you should've put this in the myths & folkore section.

Answer 4

here's some basic info...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargoyles