The Matryoshka Russian Dolls

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The first set of dolls was made of linden wood, and painted in subtle earth tones by Maliutin himself, the dolls were dubbed, "Matryoshka." The popular female name of the time Matryona, which was derived from the Latin root "mater" or mother, was the inspiration for the dolls title. It was a fitting name for a round motherly figure wearing a sarafijin and an apron from which other dolls emerged.

Inside the largest doll were a set of 7 others, six girls and a boy all carrying symbols of Russian peasantry such as scythes, hens, or bowls. The female dolls all wore babushkas, or kerchiefs on their head, and the smallest doll was a baby wearing a diaper. The dolls were all decorated in a way which formed themes still found on many nesting dolls today. This set of pioneering matryoshki are still on display at the Museum of Toys in Zagorsk. (Source)

Let’s continue - Symbolism of the Matryoshka Dolls

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