Distaff



Distaff is a special wand, which holds a tow of fabric. From it the thread which is pulled manually and rolled on a spindle.

The folk songs often mention silver distaff and golden spindle. In fact, the spindle is made of wood, usually maple, ash, elm, hornbeam, dogwood. This tool is decorated with various carved ornaments - plant, zoomorphic, geometric.

Distaff and spindle have the power to keep the woman from evil eye, from meeting with bad people, and most of all - the love of a dragon ... So every girl or bride before leaving the house, had to take a distaff. Even when walking through the woods, meadows or go to work in the field, she had to be able to spin.

On the wedding the groom's brother gave to the bride a distaff. One of the main woman's tasks is to make clothes for her family, so she needs a spindle. But in folklore the distaff had also another meaning - it would spin the thread of life ...


// Rosica Topalova, curator in department "Ethnography"