Since Google Answers got shut down, this is the next best thing.
I will pay $20 to the first person that can bring me two or three good citations explaining the significance of the lobster that is carved into the Notre Dame Cathedral. It’s on the outside, to the top right of the exit. It is very prominent. What’s up with it?
You can see it in this other shot as well in the top left.
Yes, I’ve tried googling for the answer. I’ve also asked historians and the few French people who I personally know. None of them have any clue as to why it is there.
Help me, Internet. You’re my only hope.
I can confirm they were there in March 2005, they aren’t particularly new, but that is all, here are two pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imbiat/4997335641
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imbiat/4997940636
Thanks for the extra photos. I hope that prevents any claims that this is photoshopped.
oh, it may represent the cancer sign of the zodiac:
“The possibly oldest picture of a crayfish representing “Cancer” in the Zodiac is in the rose window on the western front of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral. On the medieval astronomical clock in the Lund cathedral, south Sweden, a lobster replaces the crayfish.”
http://www.onema.fr/BFPP/bfpp/Article/372_373/372p243.pdf
not a reference to the carving but that may give them more of an excuse to be there
I found the same thing Michael found. It looks like it represents the Cancer Zodiac sign http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/paris-notre-dame-cathedral-photos/slides/xti_9890.htm
That’s actually a Claw Shrimp, but it’s a common mistake.
You can read about it here: http://bit.ly/ryyZQ