Night baby cradle

Ulchi

Primorsky Oblast, Ussuri Okrug, Khovonda farm at Kizi lake

early 20th century

Wood; wood (birch bark); wood: willow: willow

length 59.0

РЭМ 1930-2

Seen from one piece of birch bark with a rod (root) and reinforced with a half-round piece of birch bark on the head side. The edges are reinforced with wood and braided with split rods (roots). The cradle’s low walls get gradually narrower from the “head” to the “feet.” This type of cradle was the first one for a newborn baby, and was used in the night time only for a little more than one month, until father made a permanent wooden cradle. A birch bark sleeve of the same shape with absorbing material (most often wood litter powder) was inserted into the cradle.