sheela na gig

nature_spirit earth Middle Ages single tradition · 1

A sheela na gig is a figurative carving of a naked woman displaying an exaggerated vulva. These carvings, from the Middle Ages, are architectural grotesques found throughout most of Europe on cathedrals, castles, and other buildings. The carvings may have been used to ward off death, evil and demons.

When

First attested
1100 BCE
Attested period
500 – 2020
Historical notes
Figurative carvings from the Middle Ages.

Sources

wikipedia (1)

Source passages

“A sheela na gig is a figurative carving of a naked woman displaying an exaggerated vulva. These carvings, from the Middle Ages, are architectural grotesques found throughout most of Europe on cathedrals, castles, and other buildings.”

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