Although the ancient beginnings of the weathervane are unknown, we do know that as early as 48 B.C. a weathervane depicting the Greek god Triton adorned the Tower of Winds in Athens, and judging by the elaborate detail on this and other examples, they were significant to their relative cultures as more than predictors of weather.
Ancient Weathervanes
From their ancient beginnings to the middle of the 20th century, weathervanes were symbols of affiliation and marks of wealth as well as tools for determining wind direction. At one time, like clock faces on public buildings today, weathervanes adored high towers, public buildings, and churches as precursors of the public service announcement. Knowing which way the wind was blowing, both literally and metaphorically, was an important aspect of daily life in the culture of most towns.
The Lore of the Weathervane
Adopted by the Vikings in as early as the ninth century, weathervanes adorned their ships and also assumed much of their religious symbology. Also common on Catholic churches as far back as the 13th century, weathervanes in the shape of roosters or weathercocks, in part to symbolize the apostle Peter’s betrayal, adorned what must have been the tallest towers in most towns, while later weathervanes began to reflect the influence of the nobility with the appearance of coats of arms and other heraldic symbols.
Weathervanes in America
Weathervane styles in America first imitated common British designs, and then began to reflect the changing culture of a new nation. As a result, the oldest weathervanes in the Americas were of foreign manufacture, and examples of these weathercocks can still be found dating as far back as the middle of the 17th century.
From imitation to innovation, the colonists used common materials and images to bring weather predicting to their steeples rooftops. From traditional themes of roosters, banners, and arrows, new images started to emerge. Indians, horses, and nautical motifs as well as fish and ships could be seen twirling in the breeze. A resurgence of patriotism after the Revolutionary War resulted in the popularity of eagle weathervanes, and westward expansion and the Industrial Revolution in America opened up a new world of images, ideas, and materials for weathervanes.
At one time it would have been hard to pass a fence, barn, or tall building without encountering a weathervane of some sort, even if it was a child's interpretation constructed of a nail and an aluminum can or shingle.
Weathervanes Today
If you've never seen a weathervane up close, or seldom seen one on a rooftop, they are built to turn easily on a vertical rod and always point into the wind. Now experiencing a resurgence of interest, antique weathervanes are high art, garnering top dollar at auction, and a new generation of weathervane artists are bringing weathervanes into the 21st century with their own unique materials and themes.
Placing a weathervane on your roof will not put you in control of the weather, but it will make you a part of a long tradition of weather watchers who used that selfsame tool to decipher the world around them before the days of television and computers. A silent reminder of which way the wind blows, weathervanes are a tool for any age.
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