Vol. 76 No. 08 (2021): The South African Dental Journal

The Green Man
A Green Man is a representation of a face surrounded by a mask of leaves, shoots, flowers or fruit. He is found in many cultures and is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, renewal and growth. It is likely that Green Man pillars were originally erected on the sites of sacred trees where he signified irrepressible life which seems to die and then come back to life after long forgotten periods. The archetype often re-emerges in Spring, perhaps acting as a symbolic challenge for us to heal our relationship with nature and with each other.