A brief history of gargoyles   Originally "true" gargoyles were large gutter spouts on cathedrals that served to send falling rainwater away from the foundation of the building. More recently it has been loosely translated to be any creature that looks like it is related to those architecturally functional creatures.  The term was derived from the Latin word "gargula", which literally means "throat". The French term "gargouille" is loosely translated to mean "gargle", and is perhaps the closest link to the English term of "gargoyle". Can you imagine the sound of the water gurgling through the gaping mouths of such outrageous carvings during a medieval downpour?   Our "Wachter Vogel" or "Guardian Raven" and "Wasser Lowin" or "Water Lioness" (pictured above) are the only real gargoyles we make. Though they are not functional gargoyles (for indoor use only), they do have the trough running down their backs into a hole in their mouth, to suggest that they would send water sailing off the roof and away from the cathedral that they might have adorned if I had been the stone carver working on such an imaginary place. The only cathedrals that I know are still being built in the traditional ways are the Washington Cathedral and the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City. Both are well worth the visit.

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