What is recorded here

Mistaken for a sheela-na-gig, the small lozenge-cut figure on the Clonmacnoise chancel arch has no body, arms or hands. Upturned legs embrace a grinning pear-shaped face and reveal a broad oval vulva, turning the stone into a naked joke rather than a warning.

Located on voussoir in outer order on N side of chancel arch in Nuns' Chapel (OF005-029001-). Small figure cut in a lozenge; pear-shaped face with grinning mouth; without body, arms or hands; biggish, oval slit of a vulva revealed by upturned legs embracing head (Freitag 2004, 129). Described by Cherry as an exhibitionist figure that has been mistakenly identified as a sheela-na-gig (Cherry 1992, 10). See attached screenshots of 3D model of carved figure created by Digital Heritage Age. 3D model of figure and chancel arch can be accessed on the Sketchfab website at: https://skfb.ly/6szLC Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload/revision: 5 June 2012

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