Gnomes

Gnomes are mythical creatures said to be nature spirits that are closely related to the element of Earth.  For thousands of years, they have been part of legends and other folklore around the world. The word gnomes may be related to two possible origins. One of which is the Latin word "gnomus", or perhaps the Greek word "genomus", both of which have a combined meaning of "earth dweller". Gnomes are believed to have lived in cavernous passageways or underground establishments.  

Gnomes have been referred to in many different ways in history throughout different cultures.  Most of the nicknames for gnomes come from European backgrounds.  For example, the Germans refer to them as ‘erdmanleins’, the Danes and Norwegians refer to gnomes as ‘nisse’, while the British and Poles refer to them as ‘nains’ and ‘gnom’ respectively. Nature spirits consists of a family of four elements. These elements and their creatures are: the sylphs, representing the Air element, fiery salamanders, symbolizing the element of Fire, Gnomes, as mentioned before, are related to Earth, and finally urdines, the spirits of the Water element. All cultures that have depictions of gnomes in their folklore, visualize them in the same manner: tiny bearded men who have an eye for the environment and the Earth in general. Gnomes have a history of caring for trees and plants and all other growing vegetation within their reach. These gnomes have traditionally been "green" in nature and environmentally friendly so that they could live off the land.

Gardening gnomes are by far the best known and the most popular. They are strongly believed to be helping the development and maintenance of all sorts of plant life. Using statues that are representing gnomes started in mid 1800s. The culture today is most prevalent in countries like France, Germany, and England. Dune, house and forest gnomes are other batches of gnomes in legends. In some places the word troll is used in place of gnomes. The most recent Harry Potter book has featured gnomes. Another publication featuring gnomes includes Gnomes by Will Huygen. There are countless computer and video games that feature these little men and women. Some have even claimed openly to have sighted gnomes but they are not proven. 

The portrayal of gnomes as mischievous or even bad tempered is not quite faithful to how they were portrayed in original legendary stories. There were believed to be guardians of the Earth. A gnomes’ chief role is to offset or compensate for conditions that are hazardous which exist on earth.  In a way carefully maintaining important balances of nature. Pelleur and Virgo are the two hierarchs of these little land creatures. They ensure that all gnomes work harmoniously with angelic hierarchs and nature spirits to assuage or ease catastrophic events like earthquakes and tsunamis. They commonly depicted to have created living spaces below earth. Their origins are in modern day Greece. In the past, some people used gnomes to keep certain memories alive, especially of loved ones gone by. Other people treat them as distinct or independent entities that have their own rights. The Granfenroda town of the 1800s was known for its rich ceramics, and was the first to host manufactured yard gnomes. Traditionally, a garden gnome was believed to secure one's yard and as aesthetic structures.

At some point, the gnomes’ the mythological aspect was abandoned and people continued with using the yard figurines for aesthetic purposes on a hobby basis. Heroines who fought in the Second World War were represented by gnomes. At that time, entrepreneurs emerged who made gnomes for a living and helped grow the popularity of the statuettes. In Germany alone, yard gnomes are estimated to be in excess of 25 million pieces.  The second world war halted the production of garden gnomes along with other industries.The number of manufacturers decreased.  These yard gnomes are made traditionally using clay molds and heated in a kiln, a traditional form of thermally insulated chamber or oven. The modern gnome is made from a type of resin known as schwau and other components. These gnomes are used to add intricate detail to your garden or lawn, and if placed properly they will look very exquisite and will give your garden or lawn a unique and unforgettable style.