2022 - Cameroon - DOMOWIK - Slavic Bestiary series - 3 oz .999 silver HR coin

Description

Another beautifully designed coin from the
"Slavic Bestiary"
collection
The coin was minted from
3 ounces of pure silver
with a total weight of 93.3 grams. The reverse of the coin shows a kabbalist image of a
Domowik
emerging from inside the cottage. There are everyday tools around the character. A
color print
has been applied to the background, thanks to which the silvery figure of the Domowik contrasts wonderfully with the background. The coin has also been refined with a
colored resin with glitter and selective gold plating
on the coin and series name.
In the Slavic religious tradition, Domowik is the household spirit of a given kin. They are deified progenitors, that is to say the fountainhead ancestors of the kin. According to the Russian folklorist E. G. Kagarov, the Domovoy (Russian name for Domowik) is a personification of the supreme Rod in the microcosm of kinship. Sometimes he has a female counterpart, Domania, the goddess of the household, though he is most often a single god. The Domowik expresses himself as a number of other spirits of the household in its different functions.
The Domowik is usually represented as an old, gray-haired man with flashing eyes. He may manifest in the form of animals, such as cats, dogs or bears, but also as the master of the house or a departed ancestor of the given family, sometimes provided with a tail and little horns. In some traditions, the Domowik are symbolised as snakes. Household gods were represented by the Slavs as statuettes, made of clay or stone, which were placed in niches near the house’s door, and later on the mantelpieces above the ovens.
T
he Domowik are believed to protect the well-being of a kin in any of its aspects. They are very protective towards the children and the animals of the house, constantly looking after them. These gods are often represented as fighting with one another, to protect and make grow the welfare of their kin. In such warfare, the Domowik of the eventual winner family is believed to take possession of the household of the vanquished rivals.
They are believed to share the joys and the sorrows of the family, and to be able to forebode and warn about future events, such as the imminent death of a kindred person, plagues, wars or other calamities which threaten the welfare of the kin. The Domowik become angry and reveal their demonic aspect if the family is corrupted by bad behaviour and language. In this case, the god may even quit and leave the kin unprotected against illness and calamity.
Also, the tradition of Russian people “Sitting on the lane” which means spending a few minutes in silence sitting down before a long journey is connected with the Domowik. According to the legend, the Domovoy does not like to be alone. Otherwise, he can hide or take things of the owners of the house. Thus, the owners are trying to deceive Domovoy, pretending that they are not going to leave their place of residence for a long time.
This is a pre-release sale and estimated shipping is in Feb 2023