Beloved in gardens, gnomes bring blessings of the Earth. Once thought to dwell in underground tunnels, caverns and the rocks, soil and substance of Earth itself, chthonic gnomes came into being in Renaissance times. They were held responsible for natural disasters such as rockslides. They could also bring wealth and prosperity.
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The word gnome comes from Renaissance Latin gnomus. It's first used in A Book on Nymphs, Sylphs, Pygmies, and Salamanders, and on the Other Spirits by Swiss polymath Paracelsus, published posthumously in 1566.
Paracelsus rose to worldwide prominence as a physician, alchemist, lay theologian, and philosopher of the German Renaissance. His discoveries were an important part of the medical revolution of the time. For pivotal ideas such as adding minerals to medicine, he's known as the father of toxicology.
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Paracelsianism is the early modern medical movement inspired by the study of his works. He was admired among the Rosicrucians of the 17th century and had influence as a prophet or diviner. During the German Renaissance, Paracelsus also reintroduced opium to Western Europe.
According to Paracelsus there are four elemental beings, each corresponding to major elements: Salamanders to fire; Gnomes to earth; Undines to water; and Sylphs to air. Paracelsus uses Gnomi (gnomes) as a synonym for Pygmæi (pygmies).
He describes them as two handspans high and gives them the ability to move through solid earth as humans move through air. The term gnome is thought to come from Latin gēnomos (from Greek γη-νομος or "earth-dweller").
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The gnomes of Switzerland were considered the reason for a disastrous landslide of 1618. They poured gold down a vein for the humans. Upset when the humans got greedy, the gnomes destroyed the village.
In nature gnomes echo the concept of dwarfs and other chthonic figures. Unlike dwarfs who can stand the height of a human, the original gnomes were created small as described by their maker. By that time, entities such as dwarfs and elves had already assumed miniature stature in tales and literature, although once they could be up to the height of human.
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During the Renaissance the idea of gnomes caught on like syphilis, or the "French disease" but with a better reception. Paracelsus spent much time and energy trying to find a cure for syphilis. To treat it he recommended mercury in its inorganic compound form. Mercury fascinated metallurgists and alchemists, as it's the only metal to be liquid at room temperature.
Meanwhile gnomes found their way into literature and mythology. They appear in Pope's 'Rape of the Lock', a satirical work of the early 18th century. Soon they began popping up as house spirits instead of wild earth beings. House spirits such as Kobolds and chicken entities play important roles in Germanic mythology. With their ties to the Earth, gnomes are at home in the garden.
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They first came into use as lawn ornaments in the 19th century. It was a passing fad, but a gnome resurgence after the Second World War had them grinning from gardens throughout the land. The first plastic garden gnomes allowed mass manufacture in the 1960's and 70's, and the little guys were modeled after the Seven Dwarfs prototype of Disney's Snow White (1937). Today this is the popular image of gnomes.
As for Paracelsus, he dove further into medical research and study. His radical ideas were at first discouraged then outright banned. Bitter and alone, he died in Salzburg at the age of 48. His legacy of science, medicine and gnome culture lives on.
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