THE HISTORY OF BELARUSIAN DOLLS

Through the story of Belarusian dolls you can learn customs, ancient foundations, ceremonies and other parts of our culture. The doll was one of the first toys which were created by people. In ancient times the Slavic people made dolls of any improvised materials: straw, corn, flowers, flax, grass, rags, threads and wood.

The doll was created and developed together with traditional holidays and customs of the Belarusian people. Natural materials of which the Belarusian doll is made, together with the kind soul of the people allowed to create real beauty. Dolls from flax gradually turned into amulets or special things to protect houses; they were created after seasonal harvest.

One of such dolls is Lesovik. Lesovik the owner of the forest and animals who live there, existed in ancient beliefs of the Belarusians. It is represented in the form of a huge old man with white hair, big eyes, dressed in animal skins. It was said that Lesovik could show mushroom and berry places, also it could show some hunters the way to animals and birds, and also Lesovik could force the person to wander round the same place or even get lost. To find the right way for those who got lost people tried to leave in the forest some salt, bread specially for Lesovik. It way the way to coax him.

After gathering crops and all other work in the fields, it was possible to be busy with quiet and creative work. At this time also doll masterpieces were created. Such an unusual doll was given not only to a small child, but also to young girls. Depending on the craft peasants went in for in this or that area, dolls were made of such materials as: wood, flax and straw. Giving dolls from these materials as presents is still popular in Belarus.

The image of a doll has become over time more and more popular. Preparations for seeing in New Years Day needed special attention. Every hostess tried to make as many small dolls for decorating the fir-tree as possible. In the middle of the seventeenth century the tradition of using dolls as fir-tree decorations became very popular. It was accompanied by national dances and songs.

So, the Belarusian doll had its own holiday. By the Day of the Belarusian doll every girl tried to make the most beautiful doll Zabavushka.

Another Belarusian doll is Alesya. This doll is made from wood, as well as the first toys of the Belarusian people. It is ruddy and smiles. It has long braids of the color of ripe wheat just a real beauty! And the dress of our doll is wonderful: a magnificent dress made from light flax with the Belarusian ornament, which is presented by bright embroidery on a festive apron.

And do you know that the Belarusian ornament is not just a beautiful combination of colored elements, but letters used in old times. People expressed their ideas, feelings and desires with the help of embroidery, because writing was unavailable for them. They even expressed difficult laws of the nature in a simple and clear way. So, rhombs with sprouts inside and outside were the symbols of the earth and the sun, but rhombs with stars inside symbolized peoples dreams about a good harvest of