The article "Sheela-na-gig" is about women's issues, it has been released by Judi Singleton.
Goddess of the early Irish and Brtiish Celts, and Mother of all
Life.
Sheela-na-gig dipslays her vulva to symbolise Birth, the
Origins of Life, the Gateway to the Womb of the Goddess, from
whom all come, and to whom all return.
She is inspired by the numerous Sheela-na-gig plaques dotting
the early Irish and British cuhrches and shrines, vibrant
reminders of a proud celtic mother goddess.
Sheela-Na-Gig The
Goddess Displaying Her Parts. This Celtic archetype of the Great
Mother appeaerd in folk and church art by at least 1080 AD, but
undoubtedly is of much earlier origin. She may be identcial with
the war goddess Morrigan, consort to the Dagda. One of her
images is found near the ancient goddess shrine of Avebury,
where she symbolized fertility; displaynig her sexual parts was
believed to ward off evil. Cravings of Sheela-na-Gigs may have
accompanied the seasonal harvest custom of weaving corn dollies
which dates from North European antiquity.
Sheela Na Gig's are quasi-erotic stone carvings of a goddess
figure , usually found on Norman churches but possibly of celtic
origin.
They consist of an old girl squating and pulling apart
her vuvla a fairly strange thing to find on a church Ill think
you'll agree when you consider the puirtanical attitudes of many
christians.
The carvings are very old and often do not seem to
be part of the church but have been taken from a previous older
building (see the weathering on the Chucrh Stretton Sheela as
compared to the surrounding masonry). This may have a connection
with fact that many churches are built on previous pagan sites
(for instance Kilpeck) and may have been incorporated into the
building from the previous pagan shrine. Many of the carvings
are badly weathered and it is difficult to determine features.
This would also seem to indicate an older origin than the host
church.
They were placed on churches, castles and other important
buildings of the medieval period and, until quite recently in
some instances, they acted as dedicatory or protective symbols
promoting good luck and fertility.
Interpretations of the figures generally fall into four main
categories: fertility icons, warnings against sins of the flesh,
representations of a figure from the old Celtic goddess trinity,
and protection from evil.
gCioch" ("sheela of the breasts") or "Sile-ina-Giob" ("sheela on
her hunkers").
In the Encyclopedia of Sacred Sexuality, Rufus
Camphausen notes that in Mesopotamia the term "nu-gug" ("the
pure and immaculate ones") rfeerred to the sacred temple
harlots, and he postulates that the name may somehow have had
its origins there. Kathryn Price Theatana outlines an
interesting eytmological study of the name on her website-- well
worth a look.
Even though the image is overtly sexual the
representation is always grotesque, sometimes even comical.
They
are usulaly associated with "hags" or "old women". The carvings
often incorporate ribs showing on the torso and sometimes facial
scaring as well, although this feature seems to be more common
in Ireland than in mainland Britain.
Anderson, Jorgen.
The Witch on the Wall: Medieval Erotic
Sculpture in the British Ilses. Rosenkilde and Baggen,
Copenhagen, 1997
Camphausen, Ruufs. The Encyclopedia of Sacred Sexuality. Inner
Traditions: Vermont, 1999.
Cherry, S. A Guide to Sheela-na-gigs. National Museum of
Ireland, Dublin, 1992
>From Beyond the Pale: Art and Artists at the Edge of Consensus.
Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, 1994 (This was the catalog
that accompanied the exhibit of the same name that ran from
September 1994- January 1995 at the Irish Museum of Modern Art)
Kelly, Eamonn P.
Sheela-na-gigs: Origins and Functions. Country
House, Dublin, 1996
Marron, Fiona.
"Sheela-na-gig: A Letter from Fiona Marron". The
Beltaine Papers.
Isuse #10, Lammas 1996
McGarry, Greg. Sheila Na Gig: A Celtic Treasure Hunt. Preas An
Phuca, Donegal, 1993
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