Today, the meaning of many words is forgotten, we use them without thinking about what they mean, how they were used a hundred, two hundred, three hundred years ago.
Origin of the word
The word "head over heels" is usually used in the phrase "roll head over heels." This phrase means to slide down the mountain. Why head over heels?
The meaning of the word and its history go back to antiquity. In ancient Russia there was such a toy - kubar. The adverb “head over heels” is a derivative of the word “head over heels". The oldest such toy found dates back to the 10th century. During the excavations in Novgorod, 52 kubars belonging to that era were found. This is a toy carved with an ax or knife from a wooden cylinder until it is shaped like a cone. The diameter of the workpiece was from 4 to 8.5 centimeters, and the height was from 5 to 11 centimeters. Some kubars were given a more interesting shape, for example, a groove was cut in the middle of the height of the kubar, decorated with carvings. True, few people suspected that the phrase "roll head over heels" is a reference to an ancient toy? It turns out that this game was the most popular among our ancestors.
What are the rules of the game?
The ancient head over heels game is an analogue of the game known to us with a spinning top, yule. Yula has a mechanism by which she unwinds. To play head over heels you need a rope or a stick with a rope. They wrapped the kubar with a rope and pulled it by the end, which made it spin. To maintain rotation, he was spurred on with a rope. At the same time, the kubar did not fall, but spun and bounced, spinning even faster. The most dexterous players can drive him in a certain direction, skillfully overcoming various obstacles. Also, the toy can be launched by spinning between the palms. Head over heels are a great space for ideas. You can compete with others for time, distance and the complexity of the route.
Try it yourself or invite your child to play kubar. This can be no less fun than playing with modern and fashionable toys. You can play at home and outdoors, in winter and summer. You can get acquainted with this game at ethnic fairs and festivals.