Gnomes are fantastic beings of small size. Their origin comes, probably, from small people that inhabited the Carpathian Mountains, and used to be miners. Thus, Gnomes are linked to mines, metals, caves and precious stones.
The troops of the Roman Empire reached the Carpathian Mountains. The word "gnomes" comes from latin "gnomus". The roman sergeant Publius Octavus wrote in 470 AC : "Today I saw a tiny person with my very eyes. He wore a red hat, and a blue shirt. He had a white beard and was wearing green trousers. I talked to him several times. He said he was descendant of a race called kuwalden. He used to heal diseased animals and liked to drink milk".
The Swedish Frederic Ugarph found, in the house of a Norwegian fisher, a wood statue that was 15 centimeters tall. In the pedestal, these words were marked: "Nisse Riktig Storrelse". Which is something like "Actual size of the Gnome". Ugarph was several days discussing the purchase of the figure. It was in the house of the sailor for many generations. But at last, he sold it. Today, that statue is in the hands of a private collector. The statue was analyzed and it has more than 2,000 years. But the markings were sculpted hundreds of years later.
The alchemist Paracelsus included Gnomes in his catalog of elemental creatures: Sylph (Air), Salamander (Fire), Undina (Water) and Gnome (Earth).
Some locate the Gnomes living in hundreds-year-old trees. They are described as mischievous and familiar beings, that love music, and are able to build their own musical instruments. The musical instruments linked to Gnomes are: the 8 strings violin, flute, harp...
Gnomes have filled books, tales, and legends of fantasy. In these, Gnomes master the deepest secrets of the Earth, as they live in the most hidden caves and the deepest grottoes, guarding mines of silver and gold.
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