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De Soto’s expedition through the southeastern United States in 1539–43 was one of the earliest of the early contacts between Europeans and native peoples. Research on the expedition has contributed in no small way to the “quantum leap” in our understanding of the age. In a cluster of related projects that have drawn on an unusual cross-fertilization between historical and archaeological research, a group of scholars in the Southeast is attempting to plot the route that de Soto took, as a way of understanding the “social geography” of the native societies he met. The work on the de Soto expedition offers a revealing snapshot of the growing body of research on the earliest encounters between the civilizations of Europe and the Americas.

Hoping to find the riches that other Spanish explorers had discovered in Central and South America, de Soto landed in May 1539 near Tampa Bay, Fla., with about 600 men, a few hundred horses, packs of dogs, and a large herd of pigs. The army set out north and west through Florida.

"the latin word porticus, or the greek word portico, both of which signify the columned entry to a Classical temple"

Yet, the first time that the front porch overtly appeared in the modern world was in Ancient Greece and Rome, whose dwellings often "placed columned verandas as shaded walkways around an interior garden"

Gargoyles were usually carved in the form of a grotesque face, figure or frightening creature projecting from a roof gutter. Gargoyles were painted and some were even gilded. Gargoyles might depicted any number of grotesque images including:Ugly human facesAnimalsMythical creaturesImaginary creaturesGargoyles combining several animals are also referred to as chimeras

?What is the purpose of Gargoyles? The first is a practical purpose - gargoyles provided a method of drainage which protected the stones and the mortar of churches, cathedrals and castles from erosion. The number of Gargoyles added to buildings were numerous because dividing the flow of water minimized potential water damage.  The second purpose of gargoyles was as 'guardians' of the buildings in the form of abstract symbols designed to represent, and to ward off evil.

Gargoyles all have a common theme, they are carved with big wide-open mouths. Whilst this was a practical, functional and necessary requirement of gargoyles creatures and images with mouths wide open are symbolic of devouring giants. And lets be honest, how could Medieval stone masons make anything look beautiful when it has to be displayed with a big wide-open mouth!