Green Woman - Wood Watch

A Green Woman carved in wood with paint applied to the oak leaves and hair. Also known as a foliate head, the Green Man/Wild Man, is a motif in architecture and art, a face composed of, or completely surrounded by, foliage, most often spreading out from the centre of the face. Apart from a purely decorative function, the Green Man is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring. Found in many cultures from many ages around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetation deities. The female equivalent of the Green Man is often referred to as the Green Woman or the Sheela-Na-Gig. These figures. often depicted with a leafy crown or luxuriant hair, symbolising her connection to the natural world, are associated with fertility, nature, and the wild. In some contexts, the "Wild Woman" or the "Glaistig" (a type of sea spirit in Scottish folklore) can also be considered female equivalents of the Green Man, representing different aspects of nature's wildness and power.