Hoarse's head - ceremonial item

Animal effigies, including horses, are ritual props used by carol groups, which visited homesteads during the Christmas and carnival period and wished their inhabitants good luck and a rich harvest. This custom, whose roots can be found in Slavic beliefs, was still practised in the first half of the 20th century. The presented ceremonial horse effigy is an amateur, unique product. It comes from Damnica village (Słupsk poviat). Made of wood, the realistically depicted horse head is painted white, which is a distinctive feature of ceremonial horse effigies, as the white horse is a symbol of life. In folk beliefs of many cultures, a horse is an animal associated with fertility, strength, bravery, and pride. This symbolism was the reason for including the horse in the carol groups – a horse, happily jumping around the room and, together with other characters, wishing the inhabitants good fortune, was meant to pass on these qualities to the viewers. In some regions, it was customary to go carolling with a living horse, decorated with ribbons and paper flowers.

Agnieszka Słowińska