Why were gargoyles carved to look like a grotesque face of a human or animal?
The iconography of a gargoyle derives from the Gorgons of Ancient Greece. These were the sisters of Medusa, and Medusa herself. While they were winged creatures that could turn a man to stone with a glance, their images on a temple meant something quite different. The image of a Gorgon was believed to ward off evil. As a result, not only did it appear on temple facades, but it was also used on shields and other armory of the period. In the Medieval period, people did not draw a distinction between themselves and the past such as we do. When they discovered the temples with Gorgons in relief on the pediments, they assimilated it into their own culture. As a result, the gargoyle was believed to ward off evil. In some instances this was more true than others, as they were occasionally used as spouts to divert rain away from a facade; rain that would have otherwise eroded the limestone sculptures and reliefs. I should also mention that the Gorgons were depicted with wings, fangs, and tongu
