Краязнаўчы музейны пакой
"Беларуская хатка"
Echoes of a pagan cult of fire were found in the certain Belarusian national ceremonies till the beginning of the 20th century.
Sacral character of the furnace caused great respect in people. Wishing to crack the foul-mouthed down, he was told- “the furnace in the house!” It wasn’t possible to tell such words near the oven. The special respect for the furnace was caused also by the fact that the furnace in the house acted as a symbol of grandfathers ancestors.
The furnace was not only respected. People were a little afraid of it. Some unpleasant signs were connected with it. If the furnace begins to crack from the left party - the hostess will die, if from the right - the owner. If the log or a brick dropped out of the furnace, it foretold disintegration of a family.
The furnace was considered the keeper not only useful, but also dangerous and threatening element of fire. It was considered that through a fireplace devils fly in an image of fiery dragons. To be saved from the Mara –an awful being who got into the house and harmed owners, the fireplace was closed before going to bed. It was also considered that witches in the furnace dry the medicines which then direct the evil eye at people.
Other beings also were connected with the furnace. Under or on the furnace there lived a brownie. He was considered the spirit-protector of the family. Sometimes he allowed hearing himself a roar in the fireplace. It was said brownies live everywhere where the furnace is. It was thought that on the furnace frights lived. These are souls of prematurely died non-Christian girls which were invisibly present at the house and observe games of alive children. Frights, unlike villains, were absolutely harmless beings. These demons were little humped creatures in big boots and hats. Getting into someone's house they spoiled and stole household items.
The furnace in the country house and today is of great importance. It is used as a heat source, as the place of cooking. Undoubtedly, many superstitions earlier connected with the furnace are forgotten. Modern villagers don't believe in brownies, frights and other demons. The role of the furnace as symbolic center in the house, the hearth still remains in national consciousness.
The composition of an internal part was strictly grouped around the power lifeline on which there always were opposite ends of the furnace and the corner. Special significance was always attached to the family center. There’s no surprise that the furnace in the Belarusian village played a great symbolical role. Peculiar "undying fire" was supported in the furnace as the symbol of family wellbeing. A part of not burned down coal was covered with ashes and stored within a day that it was possible to light the furnace again in the morning. Hostesses didn't borrow "fire" after sunset to keep wellbeing of the family. When it was necessary "to recover" the new house, pieces of coal were brought from the furnace of the old house. It was considered a bad sign if coals died away (it could foretell death someone from the family members). On the other hand, fire was filled in with water if during the death of the family member coals were burning(burned) in the furnace. Also there was a custom- to bear on a grave ware with the pieces of coal taken from the furnace of the dead’s house. The furnace fire was considered a communication channel with souls of the dead.
The furnace was always held closed. While bread was baked, nobody had to sit on the furnace. When bread was got from the furnace, one-two logs were surely put on its place to keep wellbeing in the house.
Symbolism of the furnace reflected a world structure which densely contacted human life. Soon after the birth of the new family member the ritual role of the furnace begins to be shown. The pieces of coal taken from the furnace were put in water during the first bathing of the baby. It had to promote happiness and health of the child. The furnace acts as a wellbeing symbol in a christening. Before the child's christening God mother put a piece of "pyachyny" (clay from the furnace) in a sleeve of a shirt where a baby was. It was considered that the child won't need anything in the future.
FURNACE
