Terminology
GARGOYLE
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building.
The term originates from the French gargouille, originally "throat" or "gullet" and similar words derived from the root gar, "to swallow", which represented the gurgling sound of water (e.g., Spanish garganta, "throat"; Spanish gárgola, "gargoyle").
GROTESQUES
When used in conversation, grotesque commonly means strange, fantastic, ugly or bizarre, and thus is often used to describe weird shapes and distorted forms such as Halloween masks or gargoyles on churches. More specifically, the grotesque forms on Gothic buildings, when not used as drain-spouts, should not be called gargoyles, but rather referred to simply as grotesques, or chimeras.
DEATH HEAD STONES
The gravestones that are featured in this site are ones that remind man of their mortality. These will invariably have a human skull on them, as well as other symbolism such as an hour glass to mark the passing of time.
Very often, the skull or hourglass will have wings. Occasionally the figure of Father Time will be carved on to the grave or tomb.
Sometimes there will just be a single skull on a grave, sometimes two, and once I have seen three skulls on a single grave. In more "recent" graves a human skull is occasionally set aside a grieving widow.
