Julian Cope presents Head Heritage | The Modern Antiquarian Forum

Branwen

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Edited Mar 05, 2010, 21:22

Re: Ballachulish figurine

Mar 05, 2010, 20:19

moss wrote:

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

This is a pdf of the account of the finding of the Ballacullish goddess.
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_015/15_158_178.pdf

I wondered if she was a representation of a malignant spirit, witch, or goddess.

It has nothing to do with how warped and twisted and creepy looking she became when dried out, or the shadowy display case she is in at the NMS in Edinburgh, which is also deliciously creepy. I've seen pictures of her as she was when found before before the wood warped.

It was more how she was found. Laid on her face, covered in wicker. Sounds similar to certain bog bodies and the roman description of the triple death the celts gave to the worst of criminals (presumably so even their spirit could not be reborn or reach the afterlife). She had a detached phallus held on her stomach, that was more obvious before she dried out. The Roos Carr figures had detachable phalluses. It never added up to the same thing as the Cailleach and her family in Glen Lyon for me, somehow. They seem more a celebration of the turning seasons, family, life cycles.

The Roos Carr figures are always decribed as being with a boat, but the assembled collection reminds me of saami symbols and artwork I've seen which relate to sleds, as well.
http://www.assemblage.group.shef.ac.uk/3/3melroo.htm

Then again, I may have a warped way of looking at things. I've got that book you mention as a partial on Googlebooks if you need me to look anything up, BTW.

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Re: Ballachulish figurine (moss)

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Re: Ballachulish figurine (StoneGloves)

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