Bird of Happiness (toy)
Encyclopedia
Bird
of Happiness
is the traditional North Russian
wooden toy
, carved in the shape of a bird. It was invented by Pomors
, the inhabitants of the coasts of the White
and Barents Sea
s. The Bird of Happiness is made without glue or other fasteners, by carving thin petals for the bird’s wings and tail and then using a special method of spreading and curving them, also found in other products of the North Russian handicraft. The amulet is usually made of pine, fir, spruce, or Siberian
cedar. It is suspended inside a house, guarding the family hearth and well-being.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
of Happiness
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
is the traditional North Russian
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
wooden toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
, carved in the shape of a bird. It was invented by Pomors
Pomors
Pomors or Pomory are Russian settlers and their descendants on the White Sea coast. It is also term of self-identification for the descendants of Russian, primarily Novgorod, settlers of Pomorye , living on the White Sea coasts and the territory whose southern border lies on a watershed which...
, the inhabitants of the coasts of the White
White Sea
The White Sea is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of...
and Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
s. The Bird of Happiness is made without glue or other fasteners, by carving thin petals for the bird’s wings and tail and then using a special method of spreading and curving them, also found in other products of the North Russian handicraft. The amulet is usually made of pine, fir, spruce, or Siberian
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
cedar. It is suspended inside a house, guarding the family hearth and well-being.