Every year in the Russian forest in the upper Volga region, villagers venture out into the forest with an axe and crosscut saw to harvest the Linden trees. The Linden trees will become nesting dolls in the years to come.
After the trees are cut down, the arduous task of stripping off the bark begins. Once the bark has been stripped, the nude poles are left lying in the open air for 2-6 years to cure. When the bark isripe, they are then sawed to length, stacked by size, and finally mounted on the lathe.
Prior to electricity, one man had to crank a wheel todrive the lathe while a second man carved! Independent turners who learned this craft from their fathers continue to teach the next generation of sons and daughters this incredible craft.
