gnome

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Gnome

A gnome (or "Nisse") hiding behind a toadstool
Grouping	Fairy
Sub grouping	Earth spirit
Country	Worldwide

A gnome [noʊm]^[1] is a fictional humanoid creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle.^[2] The word gnome is derived from the New Latin gnomus. It is claimed to descend from the Greek γνώσις gnosis, "knowledge", but more likely comes from genomos "earth-dweller", in which case the omission of e is, as the OED calls it, a blunder.

Paracelsus includes gnomes in his list of elementals, as earth elementals. He describes them as two spans high, and very taciturn.^[3] It is possible that Paracelsus simply made the name up. Sometimes they are seen as a type of fairy, though at other times are seen as a distinct species in their own right.

History

The gnome is one of similar but subtly different creatures in European folklore; mythical creatures such as goblins and dwarves are often represented as gnomes, and vice versa. A fairytale describes little brownie-like creatures called "Heinzelmännchen" as nocturnal helpers for mundane tasks dwelling in the city of Cologne, they may have set the paradigm for the garden gnomes with all their gardening tools. In the Book of Lost Tales by JRR Tolkien a race of Elves (the Noldoli) are also referred to as Gnomes.

Gnomes feature in the legends of many of central, northern and eastern European lands by other names: a kaukis is a Prussian gnome, and barbegazi are gnome-like creatures with big feet in the traditions of France and Switzerland. Further east, tengu are sometimes referred to as winged gnomes.

According to certain medieval beliefs, Gnomes were deformed, usually with a hunchback, and were led by their king, Gob, who ruled with a magic sword.^[4]

Today, Gnomes are traditionally thought of as being small, bearded and wearing pointed, colourful, conical hats. They live in natural areas close to the Earth and care for wildlife. They are more benevolent than other folkloric creatures such as goblins. This traditional view is supported in such fictional works as The Secret Book of Gnomes.

Garden gnomes

German garden gnome Wendelin.

The first garden gnomes were made in Gräfenroda,^[5] a town known for its ceramics in Thuringia, Germany, in the mid-1800s. Philip Griebel made terracotta animals as decorations, and produced gnomes based on local myths as a way for people to enjoy the stories of the gnomes' willingness to help in the garden at night. The garden gnome quickly spread across Germany and into France and England, and wherever gardening was a serious hobby.

The manufacturing of gnomes spread across Germany with numerous other large and small manufacturers coming in and out of the business, each one having its own particular style of design. World War II was hard on the industry and most producers gave up then. Griebel's descendants still make them and are the last of the German producers, all others having moved production to Poland or China. Currently, there are an estimated 25 million garden gnomes in Germany.^[5]

Gnomes may be made from terracotta clay slurry poured into molds. The gnome is removed from the mold, allowed to dry, and then fired in a kiln until hard. Once cooled the gnome is painted. More modern gnomes are made from schwau resins and similar materials.^{[citation needed]}

A replica of Lampy the Lamport Lamp

Garden gnomes were first introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy, as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds.^[6]

A more recent notable manufacturer of Garden Gnomes was Tom Major-Ball, father of former UK Prime Minister John Major. Folklore has it that Tom Major-Ball's favorite personal gnome was named Dennis Kaese as it was one of the shortest gnomes he created.

Garden gnomes have become a popular accessory in many gardens. They are often the target of pranks, known collectively as gnoming: people have been known to return garden gnomes "to the wild", most notably France's "Front de Liberation des Nains de Jardins" and Italy's "MALAG" (Garden Gnome Liberation Front). Some kidnapped garden gnomes have been sent on trips around the world (the travelling gnome prank; this later became the basis for Travelocity's "Roaming Gnome"). In 2008, a 53-year-old French man in Brittany was arrested on suspicion of stealing upwards of 170 garden gnomes.^[5]

Some communities have public gnome hunts. A special gnome is hidden under specific guidelines and clues or riddles must be solved before the gnome can be found. Most notable hunts in North America include Helena Alabama USA and Sault Ste Marie Ontario Canada.

Gnomes are often depicted as having beards and are typically males, and usually wear red hats and are known to smoke pipes. They are made in various poses and pursuing various pastimes, such as fishing or napping.^[7]

Gnomes have become controversial in serious gardening circles in the UK, and have been banned from the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show as the organisers claim that they detract from the garden designs. Gnome enthusiasts accuse the organisers of snobbery because they are popular in working class and suburban gardens.^[8]

It has been suggested by some scholars that the garden gnome is a descendant of the Greco-Roman fertility god Priapus, whose statue was often found in ancient gardens. ^[9] Welsh rugby union centre Jamie Roberts has the largest collection of gnomes in South Wales.

There is a humorous^{[citation needed]} style of garden gnome which incorporates garden implements, specifically gardening forks and spades. The fork gnome lies on the ground, face down, with the fork sticking out of his back, as though dead and impaled. The spade gnome is available in two forms, one similar to the fork gnome, but lying face up with an expression of anguish with the spade resting in his stomach, again as if impaled and stabbed. The other variant sees the gnome in the pose of someone trying to climb a fence, looking over its shoulder with an expression of agony mixed with fear, as the garden spade in its back. There is a similar variant for the garden fork.

Spain, 1989

The gnome sightings in Spain circumscribe almost exclusively to a being that has been called the Gnome of Girona, which was purportedly captured by some campers in Gerona, Spain in September 1989. The event gained some degree of popularity and even the interview with the alleged captors in a TV program specialized in parapsychology and akin subjects. The alleged gnome was said to have died after several days of captivity when it refused every kind of food offered. The body was adquired by Spanish parapsychogist Ángel Gordon, who preserved it in formaldehyde. Examination of the available pictures by zoologists from the Barcelona Zoologic Park revealed that althought the body itself seems not to be a fake, it is probably the fetus of some ruminant animal, leading to the conclusion that the whole issue was a fake organized by an uncertain party.

Gnomes in popular culture

Gnomes are used in fantasy stories for their cunning roles, normally as an inventor. Other reasons that gnomes are used in games and stories are because of their funny nature, appearance, and awkward behaviors, so Fantasy authors sometimes use gnomes, as elementals, in their fiction.^[10]

The French Space rock band Gong released a series of concept albums entitled the Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy, which featured gnomes as a major plot element.

In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, gnomes, or "Earthmen", live in the Underland, a series of subterranean caverns. They do not look like small humans; instead, they can have a wide variety of physical features, so that they resemble aliens (the name "Earthmen" is kind of ironic in this aspect). They are used as slaves by the Lady of the Green Kirtle.

The main mascot for Travelocity is a blue gnome with a red pointed cap and a white beard. In The Amazing Race, sponsored by Travelocity, some seasons feature teams searching for a Travelocity gnome.

See also

From a catalogue of garden ornaments. 1910.

• Dwarf
• Fairy
• Elf
  • Christmas elf
• Elemental
• Erdgeist
• Gargoyle
• Germanic folklore
• German folklore
• Gnoming
• Goblin
• Hobgoblin
• Heinzelmännchen
• Imp
• Kallikantzaroi
• Pixie
• Puck
• Troll
• Vaettir/Wight

Household

• • Leprechaun (Ireland)
• Gigapopian Gnomes
  • Brownie (Scotland and England)
  • Hob (England)
  • Tomte/Nisse (Scandinavia)
  • Domovoi (Slavic)
  • Lares (Roman)
  • Duende (Spainish, South American)
• Tonttu, aka Haltija (Finland)
  • List of Lithuanian household gods
• Kikimora, aka Shishimora
• Kobold, Kabouter (German, Dutch)
• Legendary creature
• Ovinnik
• Sprite
• Ev iyesi or ev sahibi

Other

• Plastic flamingos
• Garden Gnome
• Travelling Gnome Prank
• Gnome Liberation Front
• Gnomes of Zürich

Fiction

• Gnome, D&D
• Gnorc
• Kaliko
• Nome King
• The Secret Book of Gnomes
• The Smurfs

Notes

References

• Lewis, C. S.. The Discarded Image. ISBN 0-512-47735-2. 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gnomes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Garden gnomes

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