Editing Gaper (section)

{{short description|Type of figurehead, often used in storefronts of some drug stores in the Netherlands}}
[[Image:Van-der-Pigge-Haarlem.jpg|thumb|Gaper on the front of "{{ill|Van der Pigge|nl}}", a pharmacy in [[Haarlem]]]]
[[File:Gaper Zuiderzeemuseum 1.png|thumb|Gaper in Zuiderzeemuseum]]
A '''gaper''' (Dutch pronunciation: [[Help:IPA/Dutch|[ˈɣaːpər]]]) is a stone or wooden [[figurehead]], often depicting a [[Moors|Moor]], [[Muslim]], or [[North Africa]]n. The figurehead first appeared in the late 16th century as a hangout sign used outside the storefronts of [[Pharmacy (shop)|drug stores]] in the [[Netherlands]]. The meaning of ''gaper'' is the same in English; the figurehead is always displayed with an open mouth, sometimes with a pill resting on his tongue.  

The gaper's gaping tongue could represent the intake of medicine and grimace represents the bitter taste of the medicine. The gaper takes on various appearances that are symbolic of the origin for the [[Pharmacist|pharmacist’s]] practice or medicinal ingredients. There are stories of the gaper as a symbol of the pharmacist’s traveling [[Quackery|"quack"]] or helper.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://natuurtijdschriften.nl/download?type=document&docid=643804|title=DE GAPERS|last=Hoof|first=Peter}}</ref> Recently, gaper figureheads have been stolen or removed from storefronts. Now, few remain within public view in the city of [[Amsterdam]]. Outside museum collections, fewer than 50 can be seen on buildings. Some have now lent their names to cafes, such as ''De Vergulde Gaper'' in [[Amsterdam]].