Dala horse, Sweden, 1960s
A Dala horse (Swedish: Dalahäst) is a traditional wooden figurine of a horse from the Swedish province of Dalarna. In the past the Dala horse was mainly used as a toy for children, while today it has become a symbol of Dalarna and Sweden in general. It was in the small huts sunk in the woods, during the long winter nights in front of the fireplace, that the precursors of the Dala horse were born. Using simple tools, usually just a knife, carvers created toys for their children. It is natural that many of these toys were horses, since the horse in those days was a trusted friend and a worker capable of carrying large loads of wood from the woods during the winter months, while in the summer it could be equally useful in the fields.
ID: 61679-1764663245-137622
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