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Sounds like Martian stuff. We can find the strange ?face in the leaves? all over the world. It is a common decorative motif on buildings in the British Isles, many parts of Europe, and was prevalent in ancient Celtic cultures. The [tag]Green Man[/tag] is a name coined by Lady Raglan in 1939 for this strange symbol, and it is a popular name for British public houses whose signs often show a full figure green man.

The origin of this symbol is uncertain. His roots may be from the painters of the Lascaux caves (prehistoric cave paintings in France), although he may be identified more directly with Sylvanus, the Roman god of the oak. The Green Man image was central to the ancient cultures of pre-Christian Europe and is still found in Islamic, Celtic, English, Indian, Russian, and German cultures to name just a few. The Green Giant of the vegetable brand is a modern example of the Green Man and even some American public buildings have carvings of this strange symbol.

The ?meanings? of [tag]symbols[/tag] are peculiar to the cultures they are in, but the images are not. In Borneo this green guy is depicted with wreaths of leaves and branches around his head, and may be the guardian of the woodlands and a protector deity bringing good fortune. There seems to be a great concentration of Green Man images where there are tracts of old woodlands and in the chapels and cathedrals throughout Europe. He is perhaps connected with Robin Hood, and the Wood Kings of antiquity.

In some cathedrals in Europe the images of the Green Man outnumber the images of Christ. In one cathedral there are over one hundred carvings of this mysterious symbol. The reason for the appearance of these predominantly pagan images in Christian churches is of some debate. Perhaps they were carved by Pagan stonemasons to represent the continuation of ancient Celtic beliefs in spite of the Christian era, and perhaps they were carved by church builders as a statement of dominance of Christianity over the Pagan cult. In a few cathedrals there are representations of a green Christ and in another a Madonna and child surrounded by foliage pouring from the mouth of a Green Man. A cathedral in Frieburg depicts Christ in the tomb surrounded by weeping Green Men. There is little information in surviving medieval documents ? this strange image seems to have been used and accepted but not written about.

The Green Man represents irrepressible life, animal fertility, the hope of new crops, and has come largely to represent ?renaissance?, or rebirth, in the sense that the vegetative god is reborn each spring. He is also there to remind us of the relationship humankind has with the plant kingdom ? that of the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide necessary for life. This mysterious and strange image represents a gentle watcher, observing the cycles of birth, death, and resurrection of our most important natural resources. Our co-dependency upon the plant kingdom is his message ? he has the power to bless new growth and bring beauty to our environment with colorful flowers and vegetation. No self respecting garden in Europe would be without a representation of this ancient being.

The questions of who, what, and why ? the search for the meaning behind this symbol ? have no real answers yet. What this character is saying to us is still a matter of individual interpretation; the Green Man is depicted showing a wide range of moods and expressions and is found in a variety of environments. One thing is for certain, his connection with vegetation and life is evident, and the countless number of these symbols found all over the world express the importance he had to the people. Even today artisans who don?t know his ancient story carve the image into wood and stone, sensing something strong and important in the ancient leafy face.

For more information about symbolism classes contact Michelle at studiorv@hotmail.com

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