Ever since mankind learned to make fire, it has treated it with reverence and very carefully. Therefore, the torch, which in Russia was used as a light source, was considered not only a household item, but also a practically magical attribute. So, a splinter. What is it?
Value
The meaning of the word “ray” is inextricably linked with the meaning of the word “ray”. Just as the sun's rays illuminate the space, this folk device served as a source of light in the homes of our ancestors.
Luchina was called a thin long sliver that was set on fire and replaced people with electricity for many centuries in a row. Even after the mass introduction of the latter in the remote villages of Russia, they used this good old method for a very long time.
Luchina was made from different types of wood: pine, birch, oak, maple, ash, aspen. It all depended on a particular region. The only mandatory requirement: the splinter was made exclusively of dry wood.
Features of use
From the ninth century until the beginning of the twentieth, people could not do without their wooden helper. After all, a torch is not just an invention. It provided our ancestors with the opportunity to calmly walk along the street at night and rekindle a samovar, and most importantly, it illuminated homes on dark winter evenings.
To have more light, the owners of the hut lit the torches with whole bundles. And for fixing used the so-called Svets. They were metal products with pointed ends, which were driven into some kind of stand - in a block of wood, for example. You can see how a splinter looks in the photographs in this article.
And in order to ensure fire safety, they placed a basin or a plate of water under the lights with arches. Sparks poured into this container, and besides, the water reflected the fire and made the lighting brighter.
Luchina is also a magical item
From time immemorial, light and objects associated with it have caused awe among people. Ancestors were also anxious about the torch, considering it almost a magic wand. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that it was reflected in folklore. Songs were written about her, the torch appeared in various beliefs, it was used during magical rites - such as fortunetelling (a torch burns for a long time - this is for a long life, etc.). And only respectable people of advanced age often trusted to kindle a wooden chip.
Legends, epics and traditions are still alive, where a simple but ingenious invention of the Slavs appears, which helped them overcome darkness and illuminate their lives with light.