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moss

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Re: Ballachulish figurine

Mar 05, 2010, 10:03

There is a google book you can read (with pages missing unfortunately) that gives some idea of how the wooden figurines might have been used. Myths & Symbols in Pagan Europe by Hilda R.E.Davidson, which I found yesterday thanks to Faerygirl ;)
http://tinyurl.com/ye7hfzl
But the Ballachulish wooden figure is as Branwen knows found in Ross's book, would have apparently been found in a small open sided wickerwork shrine, though I have read that you could have a central large wooden effigy with all the smaller gods/children of the gods grouped round. The stone equivalent is the Glenlyon small group maybe Tiompan?. Ireland has the Ralaghan figure, and the Sweet track figurine (the god dolly) was found also, which maybe bisexual if I remember, and of course there was a four post probable shrine found at Uley, which has evidence of long use from the time of the longbarrow there to a roman temple.
There is a celtic poem about the Cailleach in Ross's book, which she attributes to the wooden figurines, but I think time has moved on in that interpretation, as male figures are found as well. Ross says that the shrines would have had an annual ritual rethatching?

In reply to:
Ballachulish figurine (baza)

Replies:
Re: Ballachulish figurine (StoneGloves)
Re: Ballachulish figurine (tiompan)
Re: Ballachulish figurine (Branwen)
Re: Ballachulish figurine (Gwass)

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