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| This Figure is reported in C.P.J. Cave's
book 'Roof
Bosses in Medieval Churches'
. Of all Cave's reported Sheela Na Gig figures South Tawton is probably
the best candidate for actually being a sheela. The figure has been
described as headless but as you can see from the above photograph the
head is bent upwards. Unusually for a female exhibitionist the figure
is made from wood. There appears to be a cross marked on the figures
chest originally I thought this was down to cracking but after having
visited the figure it appears to be deliberate scratching (see
below). The figure also has two breasts lightly scratched on the
chest which are faintly visible in the photograph. There appears to be
a vaginal cavity with a small round ball beneath the opening. Without
having seen the figure I thought this may have represented a ball of
dung. As it turns out the pellet is in fact the head of a very large
nail. This would seem to negate the "man at stool" interpretation of
the figure. Two other nails can be seen near the elbows of the
figure As Cave is a source for this figure I'm inclined to be
suspicious but of all his figures this one is the most "sheela" like. |
|
Close up of the Chest  |
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The lightly scratched breasts are more evident in this picture | |
A
close up of the groin area clearly showing the definite cavity between
the legs. Note the "dog leg" joints on the legs. This makes the figure
less human an more animal. The "pellet" between the legs is in fact a
large nail Picture copyright Rachael Harding |
