If you’re an American of a certain age you probably rushed home after school to watch a TV show called GARGOYLES. It had half the Star Trek TNG cast as voice actors and featured a Latina detective in New York City trying to stop crime and not catch feelings for a gargoyle named Goliath. There was probably a crossover episode with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or the X-Men at some point.
But, despite what you might think if you were educated in the USA in the 1990’s, that’s not the origin of gargoyles.
The original European-style gargoyles were glorified water spigots. The GAR of Gargoyle comes from the Latin Gar (to swallow) and Gurgulio/Gula/Gargula (gullet or throat). It’s easy to see how a word like GURGULIO would become GARGOYLE.
As for the shape-shifting legends, that was cemented in the public imagination by 640CE with the legend of a French monster that flew around, spat fire, and generally did draconic damage before being stopped by the Bishop of Rouen (who later was sainted by the Catholic church for this feat of daring).
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Europeans were not the only ones fond of adorning their churches, houses, and other buildings with fierce protectors. In Korea (Republic of Korea/South Korea) you will often see gargoyles. Some of them are the classic water-spigot gargoyles (look for them on old bridges) and some are more like the guardian monsters you think of from cartoons.
Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to be talking about gargoyles, the history of Korea, and all the little bits of living abroad that wound up in ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A GARGOYLE.
Buy It Now | Inkprint Press
🖤 American Abroad
🖤 Bad Boy Loves The Good Girl
🖤 Kdramas
🖤 You Had Me At Hello
🖤 Secret Identities
