Hi Answer Person:
I notice that you answered another question about the crests found on Duke west campus buildings. That addresses only half of my curiosity. What can you tell me about the curious little creatures and people standing on rooftops and partially embedded beside doorways . . . Is there some significance to them? I checked out a book on Duke architecture, but sadly it does not mention these in any depth.
Aren’t they fantastic?! There are two articles in the University Archives digital collection about the construction of Duke University: “Student gets information about stone carving work” and “Sculptors embellish Duke buildings.” The first article implies the sculptors were not using models; the second implies they were: like many things, probably the truth lies somewhere in between.
You should also read the article “The Stonesetters: the men who built the University.” Thanks for your interest and keep looking up!