Traditional figure of a horse with string tail carved from a tree branch in Estonia in 1998

wood whittled to form the head and body as one piece with the body retaining the bark and the face, neck and rear end with the bark removed
the facial features and ears are whittled and there is a strip of bark down the neck to represent the mane
four wooden pegs with the majority of the bark removed have been placed into appropriate holes in the body; bark has been left on to represent hoofs
tail is represented by strands of natural coloured string placed into an appropriate hole in the body

Given by the Tartu Toy Museum, Estonia

Given by the curator of the Tartu Toy Museum, Tiia Toomet, as an example of traditional toys of Estonian peasant children. The gift was accompanied by books by the same person.

Historical significance: CATTLE OF WOODEN PEGS
Wooden animals were the oldest and most popular traditional toys of Estonian peasant children. To pasture cows and sheep was children's job in old Estonian villages. While looking fter real cattle the children made a toy herd for themselves to play with. They cut animals of branches of trees. The system was simple and similar all over Estonia. Only the most important features of the animal were marked. All aminals have four legs, therefore the legs were not important. But cows and oxen had horns - so the horns were cut to the stick. Pigs were round and had snouts. Horses were distinguished from the other animals by their upright necks. Horse as the most important animals were sometimes made bigger and they got legs and even tails and manes.

(Details given by the donor)

This set of toys were made by Estonian children for themselves to play with.

donated September 9, 1998

B.304-1998