The really interesting thing to me about these ornamentations is that their exact purpose is unclear. There is no historical agreement as to what they are intended for. Why decorate a cathedral with demons ? Is that to scare off what they imagined to be the “real” demons ? Was it to remind churchgoers what fate awaits them if they stray from their faith ? If thats the case, then why would they be so high up and out of view most of the time ?
And what of heads like these that appear to be of normal townsfolk- are these an homage to patrons, or people cast into hell ?
Why such gorgeous detail in places where they would be unnoticed or unseeable ?
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