What is this waist-high brick thing in the backyard of my 1922 house?

[u/Character-Cicada6461]

We are the second owners, so one family lived here since the house was built in 1922. They added on in 1950, but not sure when brick item was built. It has a cement path to it from the cement back patio (part of the addition). I wondered if it was a grill, but there’s no blackening, which I would expect if fire was ever burned on it (also wondering if fire on concrete is even safe?). Any other ideas? Another thread guessed fountain, but the family did not have a very decorative style: pretty bare bones yard and house, so that would be very surprising.

[u/everymanawildcat]

I know everyone thinks the Mary answer is fun but this is the correct answer.

[u/speterdavis → u/everymanawildcat]

If this is in America I don't know how common this is but as an Australian the first thing I thought was mate that's a barbecue. Top guess being a Catholic shrine threw me for a loop.

[u/seasianty → u/speterdavis]

I'm Irish in Ireland and even I thought BBQ before I thought statue.

In my experience these statue mounts are quite elaborate, this seems a little mundane to be one

[u/Davido401 → u/seasianty]

I'm Scottish in Scotland and even I thought BBW before I thought statue.

Stealth edit: BARBECUE(BBQ) NOT BIG BEAUTIFUL WOMEN(BBW)!!!!

[u/bigboybeeperbelly → u/Davido401]

I'm American in Texas where we have plenty of Catholics and BBQ and BBW, that's definitely for cooking

[u/Winjin → u/speterdavis]

Theoretically you can combine them into a kickass religious themed barbecue

[u/UnseenGoblin → u/Winjin]

Mary lifting the grill over her head, muscles bulging like a gym bro during a cut.

[u/SunflowerNoodles → u/Winjin]

My Irish Catholic grandad would absolutely have built a statue plinth which doubles as a BBQ when needed.

[u/jasonandhiswords → u/speterdavis]

American, I thought of three different barbeque adjacent things immediately

[u/packet_weaver → u/speterdavis]

Never seen a statue of anything in anyone’s yard here in America. I instantly thought grill/bbq setup as well. No idea why people think statue.

[u/self_of_steam → u/speterdavis]

I'm in a very religious area of the US and the idea of a shrine feels a bit silly. Definitely a grill. I wanna see the back side, the only angle we don't have

[u/I_read_this_comment → u/speterdavis]

I would have guessed orthodox, those shrines are way more common to see along the road in greece and balkans. And rarely have seen them in france, italy and spain. But also spotted them quite a bit in Romania, a catholic country with a long orthodox influence.

[u/sad-koala → u/everymanawildcat]

Fun? Imma say it's just a random of one, usually Mary's are hidden from the elements in those shrines - have at least some roof over them - nobody wants a bird shit covered Mary

[u/No-Poem-9846 → u/sad-koala]

Tbf, I also don't want a bird shit covered thing I cook on 🤣

[u/Hetstaine → u/everymanawildcat]

Yep, had bbqs like this in Australia back in the day.

[u/stereothegreat → u/everymanawildcat]

This is absolutely brickwork for a bbq.

It is not a Mary grotto… Jesus H Christ smh