
Sheela-Na-Gigs: Women Adorning Britain's Churches - pmoriarty
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-45116614
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jonnycomputer
It appears that the function or meaning of these is not well-understood. Of
course, both might have changed with time and place.

Nonetheless, it is a nice reminder that Medieval Europe (and Britain) was a
much stranger and more complicated place than the what is usually imagined in
popular entertainment.

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pbhjpbhj
There are a couple of other common church carvings: the green man, and the imp
(or devil _) - the meaning of the former is obscured in the mists of time,
some claim it to be a pre-Christian fertility symbol but it doesn 't appear to
be pre-Christian.

It's certainly true that masons had their fun: though, unlike some 'green men'
the images of Sheela-na-gigs seem quite rough and amateurish suggesting to me
they were not necessarily authorised adornments.

_ In addition to the normal grotesques and gargoyles. Any other common forms?

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rlyshw
This is hilarious, and makes me think humans have been entertained by dumb
depictions of genitalia for as long as we’ve been human. I can’t help but
think these works are the Norman equivalent of a bored teenager’s notebook
drawings.

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rhizome
"Public-works joker" is the third-oldest profession, after sexworkers and cab
drivers.

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stuart78
How many times have I listened to that song and never once thought those words
meant something... Nice to join the party, even if a bit late.

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caiocaiocaio
Relevant song: [https://youtu.be/FgoC15Lom-M](https://youtu.be/FgoC15Lom-M)

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tptacek
That whole album is pretty excellent.

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termau
Theres one at Eglwysilan Church in wales, locals say that it dates back to the
5th century I have no idea if thats true, its very old and I used to go look
at it as a kid.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglwysilan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglwysilan)

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bitwize
They remind me of the sand woman Joaquin Phoenix's character in _The Master_
sculpts for himself, then has sex with.

