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The Ethnology Notebooks. 2025. № 1 (181), 29—46

UDK 398.341-049.65

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

ROOF DECORATION AS A MEANS OF MAGICAL PROTECTION OF A BUILDING

RAKHNO Kostyantyn

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0973-3919
  • Doctor of History, Associate Professor, Leading Researcher 
  • of the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery in Opishne, 
  • 102, Partyzanska Str., 38164, Opishne, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: krakhno@ukr.net

Abstract. Oriented to the celestial sphere, the roof acted as an object and subject of protection. People of traditional society developed amulet magic, which saved them from the harmful effects of various supernatural forces, natural disasters, natural cataclysms, and life’s troubles. The use of amulets on the roof involved dealing a preemptive blow to malevolent forces, causing them damage and harm. The purpose of the article is to investigate the decoration of the roof as a means of magical protection of a building among different peoples of the world.

The object of the research are ethnographically recorded examples of the use of decor as a magical protection of the roof. The roof was conceived as a sacred part of the house, which protected its inhabitants and at the same time was a place of contact with supernatural forces. Ethnographers and folklorists have recorded many manifestations of ritual behavior associated with the roof of a house and aimed at protecting the roof from the machinations of evil forces, demonic creatures, and people with supernatural abilities. Older and simpler practices of magical protection were a prologue to complex esoteric rituals, and roof amulets, which were material objects, became similarly complicated. The methodological basis of the study is the comparative-historical methodological toolkit.

The basis of the work are ethnographic materials related to the perception of the roof in traditional culture. The results of the research show that if temporary amulets were used occasionally or periodically, say, depending on calendar holidays, then permanent ones, belonging to different types, eventually ceased to be improvised, because they became part of the artistic decoration of the roof of a residential building or temple and were laid in it during its construction. Made of wood or clay, they acted as powerful «material spells», which the bearers of traditional culture considered extremely effective. People of traditional society believed that the roof decoration, which is now perceived as a work of decorative and applied art, worked as a magical protection for the house and those who were in it. It was believed that the blessing of the roof amulets would be transmitted to everyone living in the building. This was the basis for the sacred functions of roofing ceramics of the ancient world, the Far East, Southeast Asia and European countries. 

Keywords: customs, beliefs, rituals, folk religiosity, roof, mythology, traditional culture.

Received 24.01.2025

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