Ralaghan Man


Ralaghan Man is an anthropomorphic, carved wooden figure found in the bog of Ralaghan, County Cavan, Ireland, which dates back to the late bronze age. As of 2016, it was held in the collections of the National Museum of Ireland.

Discovery

, keeper of Irish Antiquities in the National Museum in Dublin wrote in 1930; "The figure was found, while cutting turf, under 3 to 4 feet of peat....It is made of yew, its height being 3 feet, 8 and five eighths inches". It was found in Ralaghan bog, which has since been drained, on a boundary. It is therefore currently regarded as a boundary marker, though it has also been referred to as a votive offering.

Description

Although covered in cracks, the figure has strongly incised facial features. The left eye is slightly higher than the right, with the nose off-centre and possible damage to the left of the face. The pubic area features a gouged out hole with some theorising that the figure was female. Some other theories identify the figure as male, suggesting that the hole may have been used to hold a 'carved phallus'.

Display

As of 2016, Ralaghan man was displayed as part of the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland.