Corn dolly; wheat straw, plaited; shaped like ear of corn with stem end bent over to form loop; tassel of wheat heads at other end, tied with red ribbon bow; length 43 cm.
Donor:
Charlotte A. Johnson, Mrs. M. Lambeth, and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, England
Verbatim coll. place:
England, Cambridgeshire, Fulbourn
Production place:
Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, England
Culture or time period:
English
Maker or artist:
Mrs. M. Lambeth
Collector:
Charlotte A. Johnson
Collection date:
July 1970
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Dolls (figurines) and Plaited weaving
Function:
5.2 Magic: Objects Associated with Practices reflecting confidence in the ability to manipulate supernatural agencies
Accession date:
1971
Context of use:
Traditional craft figure, originally representing a ritual propitiation of the gods for fine weather, prosperity, fertility, and the supply of seed for next year's harvest. One of the oldest designs, derived from the Cornucopia, and is the one which all farmers traditionally hung in the farm house kitchen at each harvest time.
Department:
Europe and western Russia (except Classical Mediterranean)