The Green Man —by Míchealín Daugherty The Green Man is a symbol pre-Christian in his origins, but later adopted by Gothic carvers and placed in thousands of churches and cathedrals throughout Europe, from Ireland and Scotland to Russia. He is usually shown as a male head formed as a leaf mask. He stands for humanity's kinship with trees and woods, irrepressible life, and the cycle of renewal and birth. His significance in various cultures includes Robin of the Wood, the Green Knight of Arthurian legend, Jack in the Green and the Celtic Gods, Cernunnos (although Cernunnos has horns as stag, rather than leaves) or Herne. Lughnasadh is also sometimes known as The Green Man and by other names, including the “Wicker Man,” “Corn Man” or just the “Spirit of Vegetation”. Native Americans celebrate an almost identical ritual — the Festival of Green Corn. Page last
updated 2 Dec 2006
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