These Look Like Simple Walnuts, But...
The 16th Century:
In
addition to tiny, beautiful prayer books and rosary beads, people of
the past liked to express their love of religion and beauty with objects
known as prayer nuts. They were carved from wood.
Prayer nuts were mainly produced in northern
Europe during the 16th century.
Only the wealthy could afford them.
The
outsides alone were marvelously carved with intricate designs,
including text. Everything was held in place with wooden hinges carved
right into the piece. These prayer nuts would usually be attached to
a belt or a rosary.
a belt or a rosary.
When
the nut opens, the first things you see are panels carved with various
religious scenes. These vary based on the prayer nut, and might be
dedicated to a certain saint, religious event, or type of prayer. The
one above shows the Annunciation scene on the bottom, and around the
images, you can see the prayer passages carved in.
But there's more! The inside panels could also open, by way of more tiny wooden hinges, and revealed even more miniature
carvings. Because of the round shape of the prayer nuts, these scenes
would be spectacularly detailed, with rows of lifelike little figures.
Imagine the patience and the skill one would need to create something
like this!
In
addition, the prayer nuts were often scented with a variety of
perfumes, so that the scenes would be an even greater sensory experience
for their owners.
The prayer nuts you see here are all from the 1500s, with most coming from Dutch regions. Today, they're prized as incredible works of art, and can be found in many museums.
