The theme of foliage and faces has appeared within many religious and cultural traditions, but all explanations of its origin have been lost in the mists of time.
The Greenman appears to represent fertility and regeneration. The Greenman's ability to survive in churches as a recognised pre-christian symbol of fertility gives testimony to the fact that people knew and respected the cycles of nature. Early Christian missionaries would often adopt local gods alongside imposed Christian images in an effort to strengthen the growth of the church in the community.
The image has only become known as the Greenman since 1939 when Lady Raglan, a member of the Folklore Society, needed to describe the recurring symbols that she found visiting churches in Wales.We do not know what earlier people would have called these figures. |
