As long as two thousand years ago, the wood and bark of the Birch Tree were popular in Russia for making utensils, footwear (known as bast shoes or lapti), and jewelry. Because of its central place in the Russian forests, birch was revered as a sacred tree. The natives particularly valued the bark since, being a strong and pliable material akin to leather, it not only insulated heat but also seemed to radiate warmth. On winter expeditions in the taiga, the hunter trusted his hand would not go numb if the handle of his weapon was wrapped with birch bark. Parents carved personal bark toys for their children, called igrushki-oberegi (guardian toys), to protect them against the evil eye. The bark was also used, like papyrus was by the Epyptians, for symbolic inscribing and ritual drawing.
The bark is harvested from the trees in Spring and Autumn. There are only two days in Spring, and three days in Autumn during which the bark can be harvested. Nowadays the bark is only taken from the trees that will be felled for timber. The color of the bark varies from chocolate brown to creamy white, depending on the season and where the trees grow. In Spring, the bark of young birches can be deep red on the inside. There are two tribes of the North, Hanti and Mansi, who practice their traditional art of carving on this red bark of the Spring harvest.
Siberian craftsmen call birch bark the eighth wonder of the world. It has a smooth silky surface very pleasant to the touch, nature's satin indeed. With handling, bark pieces acquire the polished patina of antiques. Each piece is unique and produced by hand with the more elaborate ones taking a master craftsman many hours to create. Thus, bark articles can only increase in value.
Almost every region of Russia has a distinct birch bark style. The birch bark is collected only during a brief interval in June and from trees that have been marked for logging. The bark from the one birch tree provides enough material for about five of the largest boxes. Birch bark as a medium has properties in between paper and wood. Like paper, the bark can be made into sheets, painted or bent into flexible shapes. But like wood, the bark is durable, waterproof and can be carved. The boxes are still hand carved using a variety of special tools. A finished piece is coated with a thin layer of paraffin wax. The boxes are made in turn of the century style workshops. In Russian Folk wisdom, it was believed that touching a birch tree restored the emotions and helped to reduce stress. Slowly the craft has turned from purely utilitarian purposes to becoming more decorative. The boxes, hair barrettes and combs and brushes you see are now a mixture of the old traditions and new artistic freedoms.