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The Green Man

In modern Wicca the Green Man is often seen as
an aspect of the Horned God, especially in his
Celtic Cernunnos form. Yet is he really an ancient
Celtic figure or a Medieval Christian one?
As presented at Kaleidoscope gathering July, 2010

What We'll Cover (Agenda)
?
What a Green Man is
?
A brief review of the
historical record
?
What we think he may have
represented to those who
carved him
?
A look at the Mysteries of
Dying and Rebirth

The Whitefield Green Man

Things to Remember
? We know almost nothing about the
Green Man
? Now a central figure in Mayday lore &
celebrations throughout North and
Central Europe (from 18th C.)
? Pagans use him as an emblem of life,
death and rebirth

Who is He?
?
Frequently found in
church architecture; also
in municipal buildings
?
Term dates from articles
written in the 30's "The Green
Man in Church Architecture", The
Folklore Journal, 1939 �C Lady Raglan
?
No idea what, if any,
name originally given
?
a.k.a. Robin Hood, King of May,
the Garland & Jack-in-the-Green
?
central figure in N. &
Central European
Mayday celebrations

Types of Green Man
?
Foliate
(the head turning into leaves)
?
Spewing, Uttering or
Disgorging
(spews vegetation from its
mouth)
?
(Blood)Sucker
(branches coming from eyes,
ears & nose)
?
Jack In The Green
(face appearing in a bower of
leaves)

Earliest Records
?
c.100 Viridios, Ancaster 2
inscriptions -
(Proto-Celtic Wirdjos - 'Green Man'?)
?
c.500 Nicetius decorates
cathedral w. Green Man
from a Roman temple
?
Others follow suit
?
Reformation: not seen
?
Now been seen as a
hidden decoration mostly
in churches & cathedrals

Cylenchar, 'the hidden one'

?
disgorging woodland &
meadow spirit of Spring
rebirth & renewal a.k.a.
Jack-in-the-Green, Welsh Gwrddni
?
located high up by the
roof or in dark corners
but also hidden in plain
sight amongst carvings
e.g. leafy designs beside every
doorway just one of which will have a
face

What Might He Represent?
?
Resurrection - hope of new life, green leaves
sprouting from a sometimes obviously dead head
?
Creation - uttering leaves into being
?
Wood Spirits - leaf masks in particular seem to show
beneficent face shining with energy of Nature
?
Protection - if Celtic, its use beside or above doors
may protect the building from evil spirits or luck
?
Fertility - some, especially cat-like ones, seem to be
associated with harvest (cat as corn spirit)

(continued)
?
Portraiture - some have such character it appears to
be taken from life. Are these portraits of clerics,
sponsors, masons etc. involved with the building?
?
Decoration - Renaissance foliate heads merely a
formal decoration & found everywhere
?
Wealth - 19th C. Banks frequently feature Green
Men. Not only is such carving the preserve of the
wealthy, but the lush foliage issuing from a face
symbolises the generation of wealth at that time.

Gawain & the Green Knight,
?
The story-poem of
Gawain and the Green
Knight was written in
the 14th century��a
time when many of the
foliate heads were being
carved on the cathedrals
of Europe.
?
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=13535

Rosslyn Chapel
?
excess of 110 carvings
of Green men in and
around the Chapel
?
progress from E. to W.
young in East (Spring)
aging as we progress
towards the setting sun
in the West & Autumn
of man's years

How We Use Him
?
As an archetype of our
oneness with the earth
hence as a symbol of the Green movement
?
Son of the God of life &
death and of the Goddess
of birth & renewal
?
Some Wiccans see him as
the Ever Returning One as
opposed to the Horned
Lord of death and what
comes after

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The Green Man

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The Green Man