| The weathervane is most often thought of as a | | | | and crafted. Weathervanes have been made by |
| metal rooster on the top of a barn that points in | | | | hand. The hands of a metalworker are usually |
| the direction of the blowing wind. That is a | | | | course and calloused, from the fires and hot coals |
| weathervane point in the direction of the origin of | | | | of the blowing forge. Billows would be used to |
| the wind. A compass rose is fixed below the | | | | heat the raw material (bronze, copper, iron, steal, |
| rooster and points in the direction of the eight | | | | silver, gold) or any combination of raw materials |
| cardinal points of the earth. North, South, East, | | | | until such time as the forge was no longer |
| West and the four in betweens. Once long ago, it | | | | necessary. But till this very day, the forge and |
| was believed that the winds were gods and in | | | | anvil are used by blacksmiths to mold and carve |
| that ancient time, flags were used to tell archers | | | | the general shape and desired balance of a |
| the direction of the going wind. Aiming against the | | | | weathervane. |
| wind in archery and in favor of the wind in sailing | | | | Sculpting a weathervane however once shaped, |
| are important things for civilizations at their birth. | | | | can be one of the most detailed and subtly |
| A genius astronomer and architect from Greece | | | | elegant aspects of the art. It takes a lot of time |
| built the oldest weathervane from those myths | | | | and energy to sculpt a piece of solid metal into a |
| and legends, to immortalize them in stone and | | | | detailed figure, and unless a smith has these skills, |
| bronze. That was more than 2000 years ago, but | | | | she or he will spend great portions of their time |
| just a little over a thousand years ago, the | | | | on it. Metal sculpting in fine detailed chiseling work |
| rooster became an immortalized sculpture upon | | | | is restricted to only a precious few, and those in |
| the tops of domes and cupolas in all the world of | | | | America that do so are slowly disappearing. One |
| Christendom, when the pope proclaimed that in | | | | of the greatest metalworking artesian of the 20th |
| honor of the apostle Peter, each church should | | | | century said on many occasions before departing |
| have a rooster weathervane to remind followers. | | | | from this world; Mine is the art of the dinosaur, I |
| In Luke 22:34 at the last supper, Christ prophecies | | | | will not have my son learn it. Grizzly Lee Burton in |
| that Peter will deny he is a follower or even | | | | Portland, Oregon Highland Games, while forging a |
| knows who Jesus is exactly three times before | | | | Scottish sword. |
| the rooster will crow, and as he denies for the | | | | The weathervane for this reason is a prize |
| third time that night, the rooster crows. The Holy | | | | possession. The weathervane is a possession |
| Roman Empire of the church passed this legacy | | | | crafted by the human hand with emotion. |
| onward and influenced culture the world over. | | | | Weathervanes are symbolic of a time when |
| Even the metal working Vikings would craft | | | | things were simpler and far less stressful than |
| weathervanes of roosters, both for spiritual as | | | | they have become in the 21st century. The |
| well as artistic reasons. | | | | peaceful life on a farm seems to make life slow |
| Ever since the very first Merman Warrior | | | | down somewhat. Even though time still passes, |
| weathervane known as a Triton. The careful | | | | the sun rises and sets, the rooster is immortalized |
| melting down or softening of different metals | | | | upon the roof tops of churches, barns and homes |
| kept at constant temperatures while mixed with | | | | as a reminder of peace and harmony, like that of |
| other elements, pounded, sculpted into weapons | | | | times gone by. |