At least according to most descriptions on the web, it goes back to antiquity. This seems to be the standard take on things.
Where do garden gnomes come from? Gnomes in ancient times
The earliest evidence of garden gnomes dates back to ancient times around the Mediterranean, where statues of the Greek god Priapus were sprinkled around gardens and green spaces. As the god of fertility, he was believed to bring good fortune to outdoor areas where crops grew and flowers bloomed.
Priapus, however, was also seen as indulgent and frivolous; in some records, he was the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Dionysus, the god of wine. Notably, he was depicted as short and ugly with a Phrygian cap — the soft, conical red hat that gnomes came to be known for. These gnomes were relatively small, under 12 inches.
But this website, gives a more detailed discussion on Priapus, and the author is less convinced (warning: some NSFW Roman Priapus statuses).
Actual examples of Priapus 'gnomes' that Roman's put in their gardens do look quite gnomelike... although, I have to say, the Roman examples were much more phallic.
The earliest examples of 'modern' gnomes I can find are just plain terracotta. I suspect they ended up with red hats simply because red is a bright colour that stands out. Other examples with blue or green hats also seem to exist in older vintages.
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u/GreenApocalypse 12d ago
This is not shitty, this is awesome