Heka Naturals Balalaika Nesting Dolls | All Natural Wooden Matryoshka Doll Set of 5 (7 Inch) - Traditional Babushka Home Decor, Wooden Stacking Dolls, Vintage Handmade Shape

🌎 ORIGIN | Nesting dolls originated from China during the Song Dynasty. Chinese craftsmen started with nesting boxes, which gradually evolved into nesting dolls. The concept made its way from China to Japan who made nesting dolls representative of their Seven Lucky Gods. It wasn't until the 19th century that the nesting dolls came to Europe by way of merchants from the East. The dolls were received open-heartedly in Europe and have since been spun into a symbol of folk art and tradition.

🎨 CRAFTSMANSHIP | The Modern Matryoshka dolls are still completely handmade, and over 80% of the dolls worldwide come from a single factory in the city of Semyonov. The dolls are made of only the highest quality Lime wood, as it's light, strong, and flexible enough to endure a lifetime of stacking and unstacking. Blank dolls are first hand lathed by a master craftsman, they are then stacked and primed with potato paste over several days. Finally the dolls are hand-painted by master painters.

⭐ EUROPEAN TRADITION | Since nesting dolls made their way to Europe, they have been openly embraced and spun to represent values and traditions more rooted in Slavic culture than in their Chinese origins. Some of these values include: respect for the elderly, unity of the family, fertility, abundance, and the search for truth and the substance of life. The outermost doll represents the mother, and all the ones within it are her children, with the innermost doll representing a baby.

🪆 VARIANTS | The Semyonov Matryoshka dolls are the traditional nesting dolls as most people picture them. Red, and yellow, with floral patterns, rosy cheeks and a smile frozen in time. However, with new generations even tradition must give way to new ideas and consumer demands. Matryoshka dolls can now be found in an assortment of shapes and sizes, with different colour schemes and themes. From traditional, to animal themes, political satire, you can even get them blank and paint your own!

🎄 TRADITIONAL GIFT | Even with all the new variants available, the Matryoshka dolls are ultimately rooted in tradition, and are generally still gifted as such. These gorgeous handmade dolls have become the stuff of legends among people who value their meaning behind motherhood, family, moral values, fertility and abundance. Gifting one of these beautiful doll sets is not just a gift to simply add to your room decor, it's a gift of love, care and of the heart for your warm hearth.