“A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of
a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may
sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face
and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly used as a
decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently
found on carvings in churches and other buildings (both secular
and ecclesiastical). “The Green Man” is also a popular name for
English public houses and various interpretations of the name
appear on inn signs, which sometimes show a full figure rather
than just the head. The Green Man motif has many variations.
Found in many cultures around the world, the Green Man is often
related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different
cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a
symbol of rebirth, or “renaissance,” representing the cycle of
growth each spring. Some speculate that the mythology of the
Green Man developed independently in the traditions of separate
ancient cultur