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Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

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New News is Old News so it's Not News
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FourWinds
FourWinds
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Re: No need to dis that ...
Jul 30, 2003, 10:05
I quite agree. The French one isn't that grotesque, in fact she's quite realistic - hence Shestu's pornographic comment - this was probably more grotesque to the monks than a gargoyle! We look at it now with modern eyes while pretending to look at it with ancient eyes. We simply can't do that. We are stuck in a mindset that poorer means older. Not true. Of all the High Crosses it is the oldest ones that are the finest. Techniques were forgotten. Knowledge lost. In fact, many of the high crosses are older than the sheelas and are far superior in execution.

The crudeness of the sheelas comes not from a crudeness of some pagan goddess, but of the lack of ability of the stone masons. Many of the carvings can be dated to after 1000ce. The written history of Ireland goes back 400 years before that and yet there is no mention of her. It just doesn't tie up.

If you look at the Baubo figures for instance they are lovingly made and beautifully formed. They are not rough or crude figures.

To suggest that the crudeness of the sheelas makes them old and pagan is giving too much credit to the Xtian church being 'really good at it'.
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Re: No need to dis that ... (Rhiannon)
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