Totem Pole Nesting Doll 5pc./8"

The name of totem poles comes from "totem," the symbol of a northwest North American native clan. When westerners first saw totem poles, they thought they were religious symbols and objects of worship.

Symbols on totem poles are primarily the symbols of the clans they belong to. At the highest level, everyone is either of the eagle or raven clan, with subclans such as beaver, fox, bear, and frog. The raven has a straight beak, while the eagle has a curved one. The human figure on top is the village watchman, who warned of approaching danger or a thief in the village.

The original carvers of totem poles lived in the area now known as Alaska's Inside Passage, members of the Tlingit, Haida and other clans.

Production Techniques: Hand Painting. This doll was carved in the Upper Volga region, then delivered to the Golden Cockerel workshop in St. Petersburg, Russia. Our artists painstakingly hand paint every detail, beginning with backgrounds and moving to the finer elements that require a brush of very select Siberian squirrel hair. It is daunting to think of the time and talent invested in each of the nesting pieces! Finally we baptize each doll in multiple layers of non-toxic water-based lacquer to make a marvelous matryoshka that will delight children and collectors. The bottom of the largest doll gets stamped with Golden Cockerel’s “Made in Russia” mark of quality, initialed by the artist, and dated like a true collectible. We can only hope you will give it a good home.