History and Politics: Sheela-Na-Gigs: Unravelling an Enigma

James E. Doan

doi:10.1080/09670880500440743

History and Politics: Sheela-Na-Gigs: Unravelling an Enigma

James E. Doan

Department of Humanities and Politics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In this book Barbara Freitag, a lecturer in intercultural studies at Dublin City University, investigates the mystery of ‘sheela-nagigs’—rather bizarre, crudely carved images of women with prominently displayed genitalia, whose exact significance has long puzzled scholars. Since first brought to scholarly attention in Ireland over 160 years ago, sheelas have generated interpretations ranging from origins as pagan fertility figures to representations of the Irish Sovereignty goddess to medieval clerical admonitions against the dangers of lust. In this study Freitag presents all these scholarly views of the sheelas, and more.

Original language	American English
Journal	Irish Studies Review
Volume	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09670880500440743
State	Published - Jan 1 2006

Keywords

"Sheela-Na-Gigs: Unravelling an Enigma"
Barbara Freitag
Sheela-na-gigs
folk deities

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities
English Language and Literature

Access to Document

10.1080/09670880500440743License: Unspecified

https://doi.org/10.1080/09670880500440743

Cite this

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year = "2006",

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AB - In this book Barbara Freitag, a lecturer in intercultural studies at Dublin City University, investigates the mystery of ‘sheela-nagigs’—rather bizarre, crudely carved images of women with prominently displayed genitalia, whose exact significance has long puzzled scholars. Since first brought to scholarly attention in Ireland over 160 years ago, sheelas have generated interpretations ranging from origins as pagan fertility figures to representations of the Irish Sovereignty goddess to medieval clerical admonitions against the dangers of lust. In this study Freitag presents all these scholarly views of the sheelas, and more.

KW - "Sheela-Na-Gigs: Unravelling an Enigma"

KW - Barbara Freitag

KW - Sheela-na-gigs

KW - folk deities

UR - https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_facarticles/182

UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/09670880500440743

U2 - 10.1080/09670880500440743

DO - 10.1080/09670880500440743

M3 - Article

SN - 0967-0882

VL - 14

JO - Irish Studies Review

JF - Irish Studies Review

ER -

History and Politics: Sheela-Na-Gigs: Unravelling an Enigma

Abstract

Keywords

Disciplines

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