History of Weathervanes
Tower of the Winds, Athens |
Weathervanes are designed to perfectly balance on their rotating
axis and need to be mounted on the highest point of a structure, away from
other tall buildings or structures that may affect wind direction. As the
weathervane spins to reduce the force of the wind on its surface, the end with
the least surface area turns into the wind, and thus indicates the wind
direction.
The earliest vane of which there are records is the “Tower of the
Winds” in Athens (Greece) around 48 B.C. by the Greek astronomer Andronicus.
This weathervane was in the form of a Triton (sea God of Greek mythology), and
was possibly between four and eight feet long.
Around the 9th Century the use of the weathercock
increased greatly due to a papal decree declaring that every Christian church
be capped with the symbol of a “cock” – the emblem of St. Peter. This was in
reference to Christ’s statement on the eve of the Crucifixion. ”I tell thee,
Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt three times deny that
thou knowest Me” and served as a call to worship and a warning to deny Christ
as Peter had done. While these cocks were at first not used as weathervanes but
more as a symbol, they were eventually combined with weathervanes. This is
probably due to the fact that the cocks atop churches were easily visible from
anywhere in town, and so were a logical choice to become communal weathervanes.
Today the cock (I prefer to call it a rooster) is still the most popular ornament.
Also around the 9th Century Vikings, as they began
sailing and trading, started using metal vanes on their masts to predict the
weather. These simple designs were made of bronze and other metals and replaced
traditional cloth flags on Viking ships. During the Middle Ages weathervanes
with heraldic motifs, banners, pennants, flags, etc. began to appear and
remained one of the most popular motifs for centuries.
The early American Colonials, because of their seafaring and
agricultural lives, also needed vanes for weather forecasting. At first they imported the weathervanes from
Europe. The next step, of course, was to handcraft them in America. The vane maker was soon elevated from
craftsman to artist and the weather vane became one of America’s first forms of
sculpture.
Around the 17th Century stationary compass pointers
(directional) were added making it easier to determine the direction of the
wind.
After the Revolutionary War, patriotic themes became popular and
America’s symbol of the eagle became a weather vane subject. America’s first
President, George Washington, commissioned a weathervane in the shape of a
"Peace Dove" for his home at Mount Vernon to commemorate the end of
the Revolutionary War.
Weathervanes were also popular among rural populations of the U.S.
This is probably due to the fact that many farmers were isolated from the local
towns and couldn’t rely on the communal weathervanes located on the church roof
or Town Hall.
As their popularity spread, home owners in the U.S. began to create
unusual designs. People who lived on the coasts enjoyed weathervanes in the
shape of ships, sea creatures, and other nautical designs. Other popular
designs included horses, wild animals, and angels, and patriotic symbols. Weathervanes
at this time were made from wood, copper, or wrought iron, and other materials.
In our modern society, home owners rarely use their weathervanes
for predicting the weather, but weathervanes remain extremely popular as an
adornment.
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