Shtatol


A shtatol, also called an Erzyan shtatol, is a wax candle supported by an ornamented wooden vessel, used in traditional Erzya rituals.

Etymology

The oldest known use of the term shtatol in a non-Erzya source is in the Russian-language Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language published by Russian lexicographer Vladimir Dal in 1863.

Use and symbolism

Shtatols symbolize life, ancestor reverence, and the passage of time. The wooden vessel in which the candle is placed is called a jandava. Jandavas are carved from solid linden trunks and are vaguely duck-shaped. Shtatols and jandavas are commonly used during Ras'ken' Ozks, Verya Ozks and other Erzya rituals.