Baba Yaga's Hut Pendant in Sterling Silver and Gold-Toned Brass: Handmade Witch House Necklace, Verdant Mythos

Seller's description

Baba Yaga's Hut necklace is hand-carved by Moon and Serpent. This jewelry piece is sterling silver and gold-toned brass. You can also keep this pendant as a figurine, small statue as it stands on its own. It's a wearable sculpture. Baba Yaga is a witch who lives deep in the forest in a house that rests on giant chicken legs that can move around. Although she is portrayed as a terrifying old crone, Baba Yaga is also a helper and a wise woman. Those who seek her wisdom, truth, and knowledge must first complete several tasks. In some stories her house doesn't have any windows or doors. In some it has windows but no door. It is said that windows serve as eyes to watch over her domain. The fence post around the hut is built out of human bones and is topped with human skulls. The Bone Mother is an old woman with bony legs, a very long crooked nose, piercing cold eyes, and iron teeth. Also called Baba Yaga Boney Legs, because, in spite of a ferocious appetite, she is as thin as a skeleton and sometimes described as having one leg, reference to her link to snakes.

Heavy piece. The cabin is sterling silver, feet are gold-toned brass. Silver part is not plated, it is made of 925 sterling silver.
2.4 inch (6 cm) x 0.8 inch (2 cm)

Baba Yaga (Ба́ба-Яга́) is one of the most famous witches in Slavic folklore.
{Baba has been translated as old woman, hag, or grandmother. There isn't a consensus on Yaga, it means horror and shudder in Serbian and Croatian, anger in Slovenian, witch in old Czech, wicked wood nymph in Modern Czech, witch and fury in Polish.} [It is said that Yaga may have come from the feminine name Jadwiga (Hedwig).

A supernatural being who appears as a grotesque ferocious-looking woman. She has spooked and scared little children across Eastern Europe for many centuries. Her origin is part of her mystery. The first written reference to her was in 1755 in Mikhail W. Lomonosov’s book, where she is listed amongst ancient figures from pagan tradition.

Baba Yaga's cabin may be an interpretation of a construction popular among hunter-gatherer nomadic peoples of Siberia of Uralic (Finno-Ugric) and Tungusic families, invented to preserve supplies against animals during long periods of absence. A doorless and windowless log cabin is built upon supports made from the stumps of two or three closely grown trees cut at the height of eight to ten feet. The stumps, with their spreading roots, give a good impression of "chicken legs." The only access into the cabin is via a trapdoor in the middle of the floor.

A similar but smaller construction was used by Siberian pagans to hold figurines of their gods. Recalling the late matriarchy among Siberian peoples, a common picture of a bone-carved doll in rags in a small cabin on top of a tree stump fits a common description of Baba Yaga, who barely fits in her cabin, with legs in one corner, head in another one, her nose grown into the ceiling. There are indications that ancient Slavs had a funeral tradition of cremation in huts of this type.

Baba Yaga's legacy is derived from several Eastern European cultural groups and her character differs depending on who tells it. The outcome of the story, however, usually emphasizes a purity of spirit and polite manners. Baba Yaga can also be a source of guidance when approached correctly. When Baba Yaga is approached without good preparation, sincerity, and due respect, she is dangerous.

Various versions of the Baba Yaga story state that she is either a single witch or a trio of witches who all have the same name. She rides around the forest in a giant mortar. She also uses her mortar and pestle to grind up the bones of the people she eats. When flying, she uses the huge pestle like a rudder. She holds it in her right hand while she holds a broom in her left hand to wipe away her trail. A few tales have her using the traditional witches’ broom for transportation. The baba witch can remove her hands from her body so she can have them do her bidding. Whenever she appears on the scene, a wild wind begins to blow, the trees around creak and groan and leaves whirl through the air. Shrieking and wailing, a host of spirits often accompany her on her way. She has the power to help or hurt anyone who crosses her path. Those who seek her wisdom, truth, and knowledge must first complete several tasks. If the tasks are completed, she will give her help. If the tasks are not fulfilled, and the seeker has not found a way to escape, she will cook and eat them.

Baba Yaga is a popular subject of films and cartoons. Some of the works featuring Baba Yaga are the animated film Bartok the Magnificent and the film Vasilissa the Beautiful by Aleksandr Rou.
One story in the Jungian author Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book 'Women Who Run With the Wolves' is about "Vasilisa the Wise" and her encounter with Baba Yaga. In this case, both characters are symbols for the different phases of women. Baba Yaga has also made several appearances in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.
Recently, we heard Baba Yaga in John Wick movie but unfortunately it seems the screenwriters confused two mythological creatures: a babayka (a bogeyman) and the Baba Yaga. In Neil Marshall's Hellboy (2019), Baba Yaga was an important character and creature design and special makeup artists have done a great job on her. She also appeared on the original comic book series by Mike Mignola. And Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp movie contains a little reference to Baba Yaga.

Jewelry Care and Points to Consider

-Remove your jewelry while swimming, salty water or the chemicals on a pool would damage them.

-Remove your rings while you are washing dishes or cleaning something using cleansers other than soap.

-Keep your jewelry in a zip bag, (preferably wrapped in a cloth or a paper napkin within a zip bag) while you are not wearing them. To place a jewelry in open air or in a drawer without covering it will accelerate the darkening.

-Silver and brass do gain patina with time. Sweat, creams etc. accelerate it. The lasting of the polish on the jewelry piece depends on your skin type and whether or not you pay attention to aforementioned tips. With time your jewelry will gain a nice patina, but paying attention to these tips will slow the process and make the patina nicer.

-Some of my jewelry contain pointy parts, not all jewelry are for daily wear, some of them are fine art pieces. Please be careful when wearing this kind of jewelry while taking care of children or pets.