Sheela na gigs are figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. They are architectural grotesques found all over Europe on cathedrals, castles, and other buildings. The highest concentrations can be found in Ireland, Great Britain, France and Spain, sometimes together with male figures. Ireland has the greatest number of surviving sheela na gig carvings; Joanne McMahon and Jack Roberts cite 101 examples in Ireland and 45 examples in Britain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheela_na_gig
So what were our Church fathers thinking? Did they think at all? What other examples of enlightened thought can you think of?
Subscription Note:
Choosing to subscribe to this topic will automatically register you for email notifications for comments and updates on this thread.
Email notifications will be sent out daily by default unless specified otherwise on your account which you can edit by going to your userpage here and clicking on the subscriptions tab.
@Cognostic: So what were our Church fathers thinking?
After years of celibacy, and probably never having seen what a real woman looked like, I imagine that ones who weren't gay were indulging their febrile imaginations with some pretty strange visions.
And now I've got a nightmare image in my mind of a stinking medieval bishop dog-locked into a stone Sharon's quim after following his basic instinct.
@thesupremechimpness
Oh great one, we must not forget that the religious are not capable of critical thought...which forever has led to stupid actions by them. This is just another example.
They were simply depicting the female anatomy as it was described to them by god. Since they were not allowed to look and see for themselves, they found a loophole and asked god to describe it to them. Kinda like Prayer-Porn, I guess you could say... *chuckle*...
@Tin-Man: asked god to describe it to them.
Never ask for sex-ed from someone whose only child was the result of immaculate conception.
@Algebe Re: "Never ask for sex-ed from someone whose only child was the result of immaculate conception."
Ah. Good call. Point taken.... *nodding in agreement*...
“...their purpose was to keep evil spirits away “
‘cause it feels so good.. yet “women” use this in many “evil” ways (?!?!?) luring men... fuck it’s confusing.
For me it’s simple. “Female”, receiver. “Male”, deliverer. “Together” balance, life.
Phallic symbology makes its way into every aspect of our lives. See pic attached (huge penis, wet spot).
Attachments
Attach Image/Video?:
@White: That's a huge penis??? Well, I guess a 747 can fly through the Grand Canyon without scraping its' wings on the walls and 747s are huge/ I saw that and could only think of pencil-dick the bug fucker. But hey..... size isn't everything......... so they say.....
@Cog whew!!! (Re: But hey..... size isn't everything......... so they say.....”
The “Grand Canyon” of vajayjays (my greeat greeat granny had 21 kids...if that does stretch it)
@White
"The “Grand Canyon” of vajayjays "
Most of us here are adults. It's really Ok to write' vagina', to refer to a lady's "front bottom" or use the Indian word yoni. But I'm afraid 'vajaygay' is a bit too Oprah for a grown up.
21kids?
Was she hard of hearing? IE did great grandad say to her in bed "You want to go to sleep or what?' To which she would reply " What?"
Aussie definition of foreplay : Hubby pokes the missus sharply in the ribs and says "you awake?"
Now, we may use “physical” representations...but we all carry “traits” identified as either female or male.
I’m a “Tom-boy” :)
@My vagina itches.
I'm not sure if these Sheela na gigs weren't a form of visual contraception in the days when there were no Playboy magazines, you know, to put off pre-pubescent boys being too curious?
"Keeping evil spirits away", the ones that make you so horny, love you long time?
Could exposure to Sheela na gigs have assisted early recruitment to the priesthood? "If that's a vagina, they don't look much fun. I'm off to the monastery to join up!!"
They certainly illustrate the sort of cultural misogyny that's been a part of nearly all religions and cultures up to the present.
I don recall ever seeing huge threatening penises decorating the outsides of churches...maybe they were all kept in the sacristy by some for special occasions.
@Grin Re: "I don recall ever seeing huge threatening penises decorating the outsides of churches..."
Ummmm.... Might want to double-check with Algebe on this, but I'm pretty sure Japan has many temples across their land adorned with large phallic symbols. Some of them quite life-like, as a matter of fact... *chuckle*...
Quite right Tin I had forgotten about all those temples in India totally covered in graphic sexual activities...which suggests more about my age than anything.
Now if only the Church had rejected the notion that orgasms gave the Devil an opportunity to snatch souls, medieval European architecture may have been infinitely more appealing.
@Tin-Man
"I don recall ever seeing huge threatening penises decorating the outsides of churches..."
Ummmm.... Might want to double-check with Algebe on this, but I'm pretty sure Japan has many temples across their land adorned with large phallic symbols. Some of them quite life-like, as a matter of fact... *chuckle*...
Some branches of Hinduism include penis and vagina (lingam and yoni) in their worship of Shiva and Kali. Often so stylised most people don't realise. Perhaps a circle (yoni) with a stone(lingam ) in the centre .
Of course, the worship of Priapus , with his oversized permanent erection was relatively common in ancient Rome. There was a great example in an excavated villa in Pompeii. . He had his own alcove and was a modest sized chap about 18 inches from memory .Sadly, no penis. I asked why and was told the authorities had stopped replacing it. Seems the tourists kept stealing the poor little god's cock.
Cog, I’d never heard of these. Fascinating! Since your OP, I’ve been reading about them. Terribly interesting. I read a lot of history, particularly Europe during the Middle Ages, so this was right up my alley. Thanks for a wonderful educational tidbit.
@CyberLN
Some of the gargoyles and 'decorative features' high on medieval cathedrals are pretty interesting . Some are vulgar caricatures, some simply vulgar .Eg The waterspout of a gargoyle being the spread cheeks of an arse. I've also seen one with a fully clothed couple embracing. The man has his hand up the woman's dress. Seems medieval masons had an earthy sense of humour. They could also also be a smidge passive aggressive,
Apparently Michelangelo's ceiling has some important people painted in most unflatteringly. Not visible from below.
So interesting! Was able to find ebooks on the subject and they are now in the queue for reading!
...or fun loving atheists lives back then.... :)
(Quietly)
@Cyber: Your're the reason I posted. I ran across them while reading something and began digging into the history myself. Just found it fascinating. I was sure someone around here would take an interest.
@Cognostic
True story:
I once shared a house with a clinical psychologist. In his room he had a sculpture he had made himself, in white plaster. It was of a huge vulva, with a two sets of fingers looking as if there was someone inside trying to get out..
He was great bloke. I liked and respected him. .
That's a bit weird but then all the psychotherapists I know, who are actually good at what they do, are weird. The profession requires thinking outside the box as well as clearly seeing how the client is making sense out of the world he or she lives in. Like any profession, you have about 10 to 20 percent who are the cream of the crop. Another 60 percent tend to be technicians. They believe in this theory or that theory as if they are actually true. Then you have the lower 20 percent who have no business at all practicing but who have somehow managed to pass the exams and complete their internship.
The practice itself leads one to a sense of "ANOMIE" (Normlessness). The fact that he was a "Good Bloke" demonstrates that he was doing it right and had a strong sense of self and well being. These are essential for a person in this profession. Glad to hear you met a good one. Some of them are just way too serious and all caught up in their own little worlds, much like the Christians and their beliefs. Everyone is looking for an answer, even psychotherapists.
Cog, you wrote, “Then you have the lower 20 percent who have no business at all practicing but who have somehow managed to pass the exams and complete their internship.”
That happens in SO many professions...even the in the presidency of the U.S.A.
Silly Cyber... it’s more like only 2% (dropped the 0 that might make a “good” President)
I would support my claim, but I made up the percentage part and it’s only my opinion based on my biased observation (biased because no matter what country, there’s some type of ruler)
LOL: More that 2% lose their licences each year. 40 percent of psychologists will receive a licensing board complaint. Significantly fewer, just under 2 percent, will have a malpractice lawsuit filed against them. 2% Get caught! The level of gross incompetence is significantly higher. (We are not talking legal incompetence but "therapeutic" incompetence.) 1987 4 to 5 percent of therapists were reported to have sexual relations with clients. (Many things are reported to the Ethics Boards and you will not find therapists getting sued but they will be getting sanctioned, forced into therapy themselves, suspension of licenses etc....
In short... Licensing Boards police the industry, not courts.
@Cognostic
"The practice itself leads one to a sense of "ANOMIE" (Normlessness)."
Good grief, Emile Durkheim, 'Suicide' 1976, happy days.
I loved being at university. I got in under a special programme as a mature age student, (10% of applicants were accepted) I was the
first member of my family[ on my father's side] to attend university . I thought it was an honour to be able to attend.
@Cranky: I'm right there with you but without the family. No one in my family has ever gone to university. As I left home at 16, I did it on my own. My first day on campus was amazing. I really felt special.... (Life began again after that.... but that's another story.)
@Cognostic
I left school at 17 in 1964 and have been self sufficient since then. Left home to work interstate at 18.
Had not finished high school when I left. Finished at night. Did a diploma course in Human Management after I got out of the army. (3 years part time) Admitted to university as a mature age student at 29. By design, I was allowed to take 9 years to finish my degree. Graduated in 1985 ,at age 38. Worked full time, bought a house, got married, began travelling etc etc during that time.
Yair, I loved being a university student. I regretted that because of work I was unable to take up more than a fraction of that which was on offer, either free or very cheap. Spent a lot of time in the wonderful library, 'in the stacks' chasing down esoteric magazine articles for papers.
What has not changed in the last 35 years: My curiosity and the recognition of the depth of my ignorance in just about everything. I'm seriously out of date in my chosen discipline. Fortunately I learn stuff here. Some has led to further reading in the history of the bible and of christianity, Fascinating stuff for me. .
@Cranky: Amazing, we could be twins... Dropped out of school at 16. Left home. Wound up bouncing around with some relatives. Failed out of 3 High Schools and one JC.(Junior college.)
Found myself working for the Grant Boys in Costa Mesa, CA as a warehouseman.
I was earning about $8 and hour and that wasn't too bad./ But then I heard all the guys I work with bitching about their families, how much money they didn't make, how it sucked to be in this shit job....... etc...... Then I took a hard look at myself..... I was headed into hell......
I decided to get an education. I went to JC but still had not learned to study, read or write. At 21 I graduated continuation school. I kept going to the JC and applied to a local university. I was put on academic suspension my first quarter, and given the boot in the second.
I went back to JC and began to study for the first time in my life. I took notes, took the notes home, typed them, and read and outlined all my books. I made the Dean's List; Top 2% of the college.
I reapplied to university and sailed through my BA, MA, Licensing, and Internship all while working as a bartender.
I've never looked back..... Life has been one big adventure after another....
The presence of the Sheela na gigs lends credence to my belief that the christian religion did not just completely replace another, but slowly adopted many of the past practices. Easter was borrowed from pagan spring fertility rites, the great flood a stolen tale, and other examples.
Pages