Places to go > County Fermanagh > Boa Island Figures < Landmarks < Things to do

Landmarks & Monuments: Ardboe High Cross, N. Ireland Beaghmore Stone Circles, N. Ireland Boa Island Figures, N. Ireland Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber, Wales Caerleon Roman Fortress, Wales Capel Garmon Burial Chamber, Wales Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, N. Ireland Chysauster Ancient Village Devenish Monastic Site, N. Ireland Dolaucothi Gold Mine, Wales The Eden Project, England Giant's Causeway, N. Ireland Giant's Ring, N. Ireland Legananny Dolmen, N. Ireland Marble Arch Caves, N. Ireland Navan Fort, N. Ireland Nendrum Monastic Site, N. Ireland Ossian's Grave, N. Ireland Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber, Wales Scottish Parliament, Scotland Segontium Roman Fort, Wales Stonehenge, Southwest England Tre'r Ceiri Hillfort, Wales ................................................. _________________________________

County Fermanagh attractions: Boa Island Figures Castle Coole Devenish Monastic Site Enniskillen Castle Florence Court Marble Arch Caves White Island Figures ................................................. _________________________________

Boa Island Figures Boa Island, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, UK.

Boa Island is situated in Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, and is famous for the strange carved figures that stand at its west end, in the overgrown Caldragh cemetery.

The island's double-faced Janus figure is the most well known. It is a pagan stone statue, believed to date from the 4th or 5th century, although there have been some suggestions that it is a few hundred years older. Carved back-to-back, with clearly incised symmetrical features and interlacing hair between the heads, the statue has a somewhat Byzantine appearance. The figures have large pear-shaped heads, while the features are expressionless and blank. It appears that one side is female, while the other is male, with a phallus below the crossed arms and warrior's belt.

Alongside the Janus figure stands a smaller squat figure known as the 'Lusty Man', which was moved to the graveyard in the 19th century from nearby Lusty More Island. It is thought to represent a Celtic war goddess known as Badhbh, from whom the island derives its name - 'Boa' being an anglicised version. Not a lot is known about the purpose of these enigmatic idols. They could have been fertility symbols, and the cavity on top of the heads may have been meant as a receptacle for offerings to the gods.

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UK Landmarks & Monuments in our Historical monument section:

Ardboe High Cross
Beaghmore Stone Circles
Boa Island Figures
Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber
Caerleon Roman Fortress
Capel Garmon Burial Chamber
Carrick a Rede Bridge
Chysauster Ancient Village
Devenish Monastic Site
Dolaucothi Gold Mine
Eden Project
Giant's Causeway
Giant's Ring
Legananny Dolmen
Marble Arch Caves
Navan Fort
Nendrum Monastic Site
Ossian's Grave
Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber
Scottish Parliament Building
Segontium Roman Fort
Stonehenge
Tre'r Ceiri Hill fort

Other Northern Ireland travel related links:

Northern Ireland hotel
Northern Ireland tour
Northern Ireland cottage
Northern Ireland hostel