The Tandragee Idol is a granite carving dated to c. 2500–3000 BC. It was found in a bog near Tandragee, County Armagh, in Northern Ireland, and is kept in the north aisle of the Church of Ireland St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh town. Its is commonly believed to depict the legendary king Nuadha of the Silver Arm, who successfully lead the Tuatha Dé Danann invasion of Ireland against then dominant Fir Bolg, who were slowly driven westwards and eventually retreated to the Aran Islands. According to folklore, Nuadha lost an arm in battle, a mutilation that threatened his position as a leader as it made him "not whole of body". By ledged the healer Dian Cecht made a silver false arm for him; hence the connection to the Tandragee figure, who seems to cling a detached left arm. It is the best known of a number of Iron Age carved stone head idols found in County Armagh, a number of which are in the crypt of St Patrick's. It is often associated with an earlier double-sided Janisform head from Boa Island, County Fermanagh, which given its similarly dislocated head is also though to represent Nuadha. Description The statue is carved in the round (that is it can be seen from all sides) from granite. The figure is rather sexless and is bisected: his torso and head are positioned on a wide rectangular stone block. Most archeologists associate the figure with Nuadha, the much earlier mythical leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is given a grotesque face and body. In particular he has a vulgar wide and gaping mouth reminiscent of the later Sheela na gig style. He has pierced nostrils, large oval eyes with heavy drooping lids, and a primitive heavily riged brow. Each hand consists of four crudely drawn and oversized fingers that lack knuckles or thumbs. Provenance It was found in a bog near Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and was at the rectory in Ballymore until at least 1932. References Sources Porter, Kingsley. "A Sculpture at Tandragee". The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, volume 65, no. 380, 1934. Rynne, Etienn. "Celtic Stone Idols in Ireland". In: Thomas, Charles. The Iron Age in the Irish Sea province. London: Council for British Archaeology, 1972 Warner, Richard. "Two pagan idols - remarkable new discoveries". Archaeology Ireland, volume 17, no. 1, 2003 Celtic stone heads Irish art Prehistoric Ireland Stone objects Tuatha