Made it at last and it was staring me in the face all the time!

It’s said that at harvest time the last few stalks of corn would be made into a Dolly, a place of rest for the Corn spirit to ensure that the next harvest would be a good one. Since man’s earliest days it was believed that various deities were in command of the cycles and fruitfulness of the crops and so ever since hunter gatherers settled to cultivate the land they have been ceremonies to honour them. Look at the root of the word ceremony – we grow cereals, named for the Roman Goddess of the harvest, Ceres. Other deities include Demeter, the Earth Goddess ( my personal favourite) and Isis, the Egyptian Goddess of fertility.

In the wake of science, traditions are largely forgotten, but corn Dollies are still seen as a symbol of fertility. They are sometimes given to a couple on their marriage or handfasting, as a christening or new home gift. This is a modern take on the traditional Corn Dolly and made by Margaret Sweetland here in Devon, she also makes more traditional ones in a range of lovely knot shapes. She does talks and demonstrations to groups like the Women’s Institute, making sure the skills stay alive.

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