Sheela na Gig (Sile na gcioch), Co. Wicklow

Dimensions - 4.5" high, 3" wide.

Plaster/acrylics

The Sheela na gig, which translates as Julia of the Breasts', is believed to represent the surviving Pagan Goddess, interrelated with fertility and protection against evil. Some theories propose that these carvings were the work of unruly sculptors paying homage to 'The Old Ways' in a time when Christianity was firmly taking hold. These enigmatic grotesques have been found throughout Western Europe, though the greatest number have been discovered in Ireland. They are often found over doorways, in order to convey safe passage within. Some academics believe the exaggerated vulva represents the Primordial Gate between life and non-life in this respect. This representation is based on the artefact discovered at Cloran, Westmeath, in 1859. It is believed to have been carved in the 12th Century and now resides among the Witt Collection at the British Museum in London.