A Rustic Garden Blog

Weathervanes get their names from the Old English word fane, which means flag or banner. They are one of the oldest forms of weather prediction, and their use is documented all the way back to Mesopotamian writings. They began as simple strings and flags being used to read wind direction.

The first weathervane is thought to be a bronze statue of the Greek god Triton, erected on top of the Tower of the Winds in Athens in 48 B.C. by Greek astronomer Andronicus. The tower was octagonal, with a different deity on each of the eight faces. When the wind blew, Triton would turn to point at who would control the weather that day.

Tags: metal garden art, weathervane