"Žaltys" Platter

The wavy/squiggly symbols in my ceramics refer to žalčiai, grass snakes which are very important creatures in the Baltic tradition.

In Baltic mythology grass snakes are believed to be a household spirit. This sacred animal of the Sun Goddess, Saulė is thought to be a guardian of the home and a symbol of fertility. Grass snakes would be kept as pets and placed in a special area of the home, usually around the hearth or under a married couple’s bed. With them around great fortune would follow, such as a child, a good harvest or great wealth. However, killing a grass snake would bring the opposite. Common Latvian folk sayings include “who kills a grass snake, kills his happiness” and “when Saulė sees a dead grass snake, she cries for 9 days”.