The knocker is used to knock on the door
A knocker is a metal piece that is installed on a door to knock . In this way, if an individual wants to notify that he has arrived at the entrance of the house , he can take the knocker and knock with it .
door knockers
The term is used as a synonym for knocker , which comes from the Hispanic Arabic aḍḍabba . This word in turn derives from the classical Arabic ḍabbah , translated as “lizard” . This is because, in the beginning, the knockers or knockers were shaped like a reptile .
The knockers, in short, are callers . When placed on an exterior door of a home, they allow the occupants to be called by knocking .
Origin and variety
These elements emerged in the Middle Ages . The simplest were hoops or rings made of iron, often linked to a head made of bronze.
The heads of the knockers usually represented different mythological or real creatures. In the first group we can find figures of chimeras , dragons or griffins; in the second, however, of felines, reptiles and even human hands.
It is possible to find knockers in castles , churches and stately homes of ancient origin. Anyway, since the rise of doorbells , their usefulness has diminished.
The Labyrinth knockers
In 1986, the film titled Labyrinth was released, directed by the legendary puppeteer Jim Henson , who also worked on The Muppets (or The Muppets , in Spain), The Dark Crystal and Sesame Street (also known as Sesame Street ) and starring Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie . Like Henson's other great works, we can find a large cast of puppets with the most diverse designs; Among them are two chatty knockers .
Broadly speaking, we can say that the story focuses on the peculiar adventures of the protagonist, a teenager named Sarah Williams, who must overcome a confusing labyrinth full of dangers in less than thirteen hours to rescue her younger brother, who is kidnapped by the evil king of the goblins . Along the way she meets different creatures, some more hostile than others, and makes new friends that help her in her difficult mission. The knockers are part of a pair of doors that, like many other elements in the film, suddenly appear in front of her and represent a turning point in the plot: depending on her decision, she can move forward or detour.
At first, Sarah wonders which of the two doors she should choose to move forward. However, things get complicated when the knockers explain that they don't know where each one leads . After talking for a while with one of the knockers, he decides to open his door so as not to be rude. Behind her you can see an imposing forest, where the surprises and the king's tireless attempts will not stop to prevent Sarah from reaching his castle in time to save her brother.
This pair of knockers is part of that select group of memorable film characters , who may not be created with this intention, but remain in the public's unconscious and generate a smile when remembering them or seeing them again. The secret lies in the mastery with which the creators were able to give each one its own personality, despite being door accessories .
The lion is one of the animals that were represented on the knockers
Other meanings
Another meaning of knocker recognized by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary refers to a large handle . These knockers can be part of a trunk, a drawer, a chest or other similar container.
Aldabón , finally, is the name of an association of mothers and fathers of people with disabilities that has its headquarters in Puertollano ( Spain ). Its purpose is to assist children who suffer from different disabilities and accompany their families.