It appears that the function or meaning of these is not well-understood. Of course, both might have changed with time and place.
Nonetheless, it is a nice reminder that Medieval Europe (and Britain) was a much stranger and more complicated place than the what is usually imagined in popular entertainment.
There are a couple of other common church carvings: the green man, and the imp (or devil ) - the meaning of the former is obscured in the mists of time, some claim it to be a pre-Christian fertility symbol but it doesn't appear to be pre-Christian.
It's certainly true that masons had their fun: though, unlike some 'green men' the images of Sheela-na-gigs seem quite rough and amateurish suggesting to me they were not necessarily authorised adornments.
In addition to the normal grotesques and gargoyles. Any other common forms?
This is hilarious, and makes me think humans have been entertained by dumb depictions of genitalia for as long as we’ve been human. I can’t help but think these works are the Norman equivalent of a bored teenager’s notebook drawings.
Sounds about right, though I would guess way earlier than Norman. Probably goes back to some Celtic or Viking goddess long before the nailed tree god was forced upon us. That goddess probably came from some bored doodles centuries before that.
I never knew these things gained a specific, and very odd, name. I wonder if there is a taxonomy of gargoyles. :)
Theres one at Eglwysilan Church in wales, locals say that it dates back to the 5th century I have no idea if thats true, its very old and I used to go look at it as a kid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglwysilan
Nonetheless, it is a nice reminder that Medieval Europe (and Britain) was a much stranger and more complicated place than the what is usually imagined in popular entertainment.