petitepointplace:I have never seen a Motanka with a head like this. Love it. For others: Motan
petitepointplace:I have never seen a Motanka with a head like this. Love it. For others: Motanka is a Ukranian folk tradition, a protective talisman. Similar to the Russian Bereginya, these dolls were made without faces, believing that a face would inspire a soul within (possibly a malevolent one). They were given to children, newlyweds, and pregnant women to safeguard against disease, insomnia, and misfortune. Bereginya was made by female relatives, and was more potent if made by more than one. The fabric to make it must be torn, not cut, from the clothes of the makers. -- source link
#bereginya#russian folklore#slavic folklore#slavic paganism#motanka