Nature Influence
During the Roman development greater variety was introduced in the treatment of leaves and flowers which in many instances display evidence of natural suggestion. The main stems are sometimes twisted, a characteristic of some strongly growing natural types, but this was only a variant of the earlier treatment of decorating the scrolling stem with channels or hollow flutes.
Birds and animals were also used in antique ornament—grotesque combinations of foliage with human and animal forms, and such symbolic monsters as the Gryphon and the Sphinx, were employed with little regard to the original significance. Other symbolic elements, such as wreaths, garlands, festoons, altars, tripods, and urns were also introduced merely for their decorative value and to afford variety.