corn dolly

Maiden made from corn.

A corn dolly is a traditional fertility symbol made to give thanks to the goddess Ceres for the harvest. When the last sheaf was cut from the field it was made into an idol or dolly as a home for the spirit of the corn to live on and to be reborn in the following spring.

The dollies would be taken home and kept warm and dry to safeguard the harvest for the following year. There are many different shapes. The corn maiden represents Ceres; the cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and would be filled to overflowing; the sun dolly reflects the farmer's need for his crop to ripen.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
HC.1999.745
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 500 x 200 x 135 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
grass
CATEGORY
Education Handling Collection: Anthropology
LOCATION
In storage
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Collection Information

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