15 Facts About Green Man

1. Green Man is a legendary being primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring.

2. The Green Man is most commonly depicted in a sculpture, or other representation of a face which is made of, or completely surrounded by, leaves.

3. In Britain, the image of the Green Man enjoyed a revival in the 19th century, becoming popular with architects during the Gothic revival and the Arts and Crafts era, when it appeared as a decorative motif in and on many buildings, both religious and secular.

4. Green Man is beheaded by the Vana Gods for controlling Hœnir, the Asa God chieftain, after the Asa-Vana war.

5. In Sanskrit the Green Man is cognate with the gana Kirtimukha or "Face Of Glory" which is related to a lila of Shiva and Rahu.

6. Kingsley Amis's novel The Green Man is about a modern incarnation of the Green Man, who, in the novel, is portrayed as an ancient pagan monster.

7. Green Man is the sole survivor of a race called the Nym, who were originally entrusted as the gardeners of the world, and who had the ability to manipulate the life and growth of plants around them.

8. The Rotherweird Trilogy by Andrew Caldecott draws heavily on the concept of the Green Man, embodied by the Gardener Hayman Salt who is transformed into the Green Man at the climax of the first book.

9. Green Man is an integral character in Max Porter's novel Lanny, which was longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize.

10. Green Man is depicted to be able to revive spirits.

11. Green Man was a track by early English acid house outfit Shut Up and Dance who entered the UK charts in 1992.

12. Green Man is featured in performances such as the Imbolc festival in Marsden, West Yorkshire or the Green Man Festival in Brecon Beacons, Wales, near Crickhowell.

13. Green Man is part of the inspiration for Alex Garland's 2022 horror film Men, where he features as a character.

14. Many modern pagans, the Green Man is used as a symbol of seasonal renewal and ecological awareness.

15. Green Man painted on 1867 neoclassical ceiling, Bankfield Museum, Halifax, UK.