Animal Decorations

Animal Decorations. Some speak of animal symbolism but much restraint should be exercised in that regard lest some credulous persons start the theory that Freemasonry is descended from animal worship. The use of animal or monster decorative features on Gothic buildings has often been pointed out and some dark significance hinted, but the explanations or the proof appear trite or absurd. No Masonic allusion could be worked out of unicorns, griffins, gargoyles, dragons, birds, snakes, lions, horses, etc. If Gothic structures were more ornamented by such items than other types of architecture, it is doubtless due to the simple fact that that type lent itself better to such treatment.

Macoy Collector's Note: Coil’s trademark pragmatism strikes again, dismissing overly mystical interpretations of Gothic architecture in favor of practical stonemasonry.