Some very old examples of the Green Man

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Some very old examples of the Green Man

by tylluanpenry @ Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 – 22:20:45

As I mentioned in my previous post, the Green Man and his female counterpart, the Green Maiden (or Green Woman, if you prefer) appear down the centuries in many parts of the world. Here are a few from England, which I thought you might be interested in seeing.....

This one is from Worcester Cathedral... a strange place to find such a curiously pagan figure, isn't it?

And this next one is from another ecclesiastical setting, Winchester Cathedral:

Finally, here is one from Woodchester Park Mansion....

Nowadays of course, you can buy all sorts of 'Green Man' plaques, but it's still rather wonderful to look at these old ones and wonder what was the thinking behind making them.
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21 Comments to Some very old examples of the Green Man

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- Mrs_F
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 22:28:13
There are some excellent examples in Yorkminster Cathedral.
- - tylluanpenry
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:45:07
  Thanks, Mrs F, I shall see if I can find some images and post them here.
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- jackfrost ^Pro
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 22:29:39
In his A Little Book of The Green Man, as well as his website, Mike Harding gives examples of similar figures in Borneo, Nepal, and India: the earliest is a foliate head from an 8th century Jain temple in Rajasthan. He also notes that heads from Lebanon and Iraq can be dated to the 2nd century and that there are early Romanesque foliate heads in 11th century Templar churches in Jerusalem. He tentatively suggests that the symbol may have originated in Asia Minor and been brought to Europe by travelling stonecarvers.
- - jackfrost ^Pro
  - Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 22:31:41
  http://druidnetwork.org/reviews/books/little_green_man.htm
  - - tylluanpenry
    - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:46:13
    Thanks for the link, Jack. I've always liked Mike Harding, and I've read his Little Green Man book. As you say, there are many examples of the Green Man right across the world and almost all ancient civilisations had a vegetation god of some sort.
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- miramaze
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 22:33:22
BEAUTIFUL !

Mrs and Mrs Nature. They survived . Thank you for sharing these pictures , Mrs P.

What date would you put on them ?

It is said that the Goddess survived in the Christian church as the Virgin Mary

X
- - tylluanpenry
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:47:55
  I like the idea of mr and Mrs Nature, Mira. They are so irrepressible! I don't know the exact dates for the examples I've given, but some point in the Middle Ages for the Cathedral ones.
  
  I've heard the theory that the Goddess survived as the Virgin Mary - it's a controversial claim for some people, but there's quite a bit of evidence to back it up.
  - - miramaze
    - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:56:58
    I believe in the power of myth and symbols for teaching and getting points across.
    
    Many great teachers have taught in parables , analogies using symbols. All these things have a language of their own which is closer to the language of the soul.
    
    The ESSENCE is there in The Green Man and The Green Maide, Mr and Mrs Nature .. it cam be experienced .. felt.. their PRESENCE can be felt and that is VERY real.
    
    Thanks for the information - just curious.
    
    X
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- EllieGant
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 22:36:07
WOnderful. I particularly like the Woodchester one - it has really expressive eyes.
- - tylluanpenry
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:48:27
  He does, doesn't he?
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- wendlane
- http://www.moondustandangels.co.uk
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 23:38:32
Whatever next, a pagan symbol on a church?? Huh!
- - tylluanpenry
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:49:09
  Wait til you see the Sheelnagig! I'll try and do a post on that soon!
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- wendlane
- http://www.moondustandangels.co.uk
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 23:40:20
PS I like your new avatar -one of your paintings? He has such a gentle face, it's lovely and looks fresh as a daisy.
- - tylluanpenry
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 10:49:51
  Glad you like the avatar - yes, he's one of my paintings and he's going to be appearing on the cover of my book, Seeking the Green
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- la_spice
- Monday, 31. Mar, 2008 @ 23:59:26
I wonder if I can find any in France?
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 05:34:33
  You will if you look for them...
  - - la_spice
    - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 07:06:07
    Oh and I will now!
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- - loiswakeman
  - http://lois.co.uk
  - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 09:32:10
  Où sommes les hommes verts?
  
  (If I remember my schoolgirl French, and paraphrasing the poem by François Villon)
  - - la_spice
    - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 18:07:09
    I'll have to find the poem too now!!!
    - - lunadraconis
      - Tuesday, 01. Apr, 2008 @ 22:27:57
      I believe Chartres has much pagan symbolism attached, as does Notre Dame de Paris. In fact, I would say that most cathedrals do have pagan symbolism - oh dear, I feel a blog on the sacred feminine coming on....
      - la_spice
        
        Wednesday, 02. Apr, 2008 @ 06:33:39
        
        That would be interesting
        
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