What is recorded here

Martin Fitzpatrick found the upside-down woman in 2002, hidden above a window on Merlin Castle’s south wall. She sits inverted beneath a decorative motif, arms straight, hands joined at a long vertical slit, while a six-petal marigold balances the corner. The carve does not warn like a typical sheela-na-gig; it plays with gravity, turning exposure into geometry.

Discovered in 2002 by Martin Fitzpatrick (Freitag 2004, 138), this sheela-na-gig figure is carved onto the spandrel of singe-light ogee-headed window on the second floor of the S wall of Merlin Castle (GA094-023----). Described by Freitag (ibid.) as an ‘unusual figure because sitting upside down, below decorative motif; in opposite corner there is a six-petal marigold. Round head with facial features discernible; breasts indicated; both arms straight and in front of body, hands joined to touch long vertical slit indicating vulva’. See attached screenshot of 3D model of Sheela-na-gig created by Digital Heritage Age. 3D model can be accessed on the Sketchfab website at: https://skfb.ly/68uyw Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 29 May 2012

This Sheela-na-gig carving likely dates to the medieval period, associated with themes of fertility, childbirth, or apotropaic symbolism. Such figures were often incorporated into ecclesiastical or domestic architecture to ward off evil or signify the presence of a holy site.

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