Krikštas
Appearance
Krikštas (plural: krikštai) is a Lithuanian burial monument of oldest type Typically they are carved of wood. Old krikštai are usually symmetric figurines of horsehears, birds, plants, hearts, etc. Since 19th century cross-shaped monuments started to appear and the destruction figurine-type krikštai proceeded, since they were considered to be remnants of paganism. The figurine-type were mostly found in Lithuania Minor, in the areas of Protestant faith. Similar tombheads were reported in Protestant areas of Germany and Latvia. Therefore some question their pagan faith association, and the survival of the tradition from pre-Christian times may be associated with the Protestant prohibition on putting crosses on graves.[1][2]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nida ethnographic cemetery.
- ^ "Krikštas" (Based on an article of the same name published in Lietuvių enciklopedija, vol. XIII, pp. 118-119, Boston, 1958)
- ^ "Krikštai", photos and drawings by Mečislovas Sakalauskas, Nida cemetery