Page 60 - Hrobat Virloget, Katja, et al., eds. (2015). Stone narratives: heritage, mobility, performance. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 60
stone narratives
wife«) in Lokev in the Karst Region (Hrobat, 2010, p. 207; Čok, 2012, p. 64; Medvešček &
Pleterski 2015). In Czech, Serbian, Croatian, and Slovenian, the word »Baba’s corner« de-
notes the place where storm clouds roll over the hill (Piškur, 1965, p. 10; Šmitek, 2004, pp.
192, 238). Like the Slovene tradition, there is a tradition from Italian Ada and Mera Valleys
of forecasting bad weather based on the changes in the landscape on the horizon named
after the Old Woman/La Vecchia (Bracchi, 2009, p. 337). Baba was associated with water
also through the names for different types of precipitation, e.g. babje pšeno (snow pellets)
or through adjectives describing her as snotty, muddy (Hrobat Virloget, 2012; 2013). Other
traditions link Baba also to windy and sunny weather (Hrobat Virloget, 2013, pp. 145–146),
as told by the legend from Rodik, according to which Baba’s urine turns to rain, her flatus
turns to wind, and when she raises her skirt, this brings nice weather (Peršolja, 2000, p. 27).
Figure 3: The stone called Mati (Mother), Matjušk by the road Gropada-Basovizza-Bazovi-
ca (Photo: Katja Hrobat Virloget).
Not only stone monoliths, but also other parts of the landscape throughout the Slav-
ic world were named after Babas: for instance, hills, mountains. In local toponyms, parts
of Baba’s or grandmother’s body (in Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian Baba means grand-
mother, old woman) are equated with mountain’s elements (Baba’s hip, knee, head, tooth,
nose, belly, and Baba’s cave) (Čausidis, 2008). The toponyms for parts of a mountain (es-
pecially for ‘avalanche’, ‘snow slide’, ‘landslide’, and ‘lava’) in Italy and France (Benozzo,
2011) named after an Old Woman confirm the connection between the mountain and the
old woman also outside the Slavic world. In addition, according to a Karst tradition a per-
58
wife«) in Lokev in the Karst Region (Hrobat, 2010, p. 207; Čok, 2012, p. 64; Medvešček &
Pleterski 2015). In Czech, Serbian, Croatian, and Slovenian, the word »Baba’s corner« de-
notes the place where storm clouds roll over the hill (Piškur, 1965, p. 10; Šmitek, 2004, pp.
192, 238). Like the Slovene tradition, there is a tradition from Italian Ada and Mera Valleys
of forecasting bad weather based on the changes in the landscape on the horizon named
after the Old Woman/La Vecchia (Bracchi, 2009, p. 337). Baba was associated with water
also through the names for different types of precipitation, e.g. babje pšeno (snow pellets)
or through adjectives describing her as snotty, muddy (Hrobat Virloget, 2012; 2013). Other
traditions link Baba also to windy and sunny weather (Hrobat Virloget, 2013, pp. 145–146),
as told by the legend from Rodik, according to which Baba’s urine turns to rain, her flatus
turns to wind, and when she raises her skirt, this brings nice weather (Peršolja, 2000, p. 27).
Figure 3: The stone called Mati (Mother), Matjušk by the road Gropada-Basovizza-Bazovi-
ca (Photo: Katja Hrobat Virloget).
Not only stone monoliths, but also other parts of the landscape throughout the Slav-
ic world were named after Babas: for instance, hills, mountains. In local toponyms, parts
of Baba’s or grandmother’s body (in Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian Baba means grand-
mother, old woman) are equated with mountain’s elements (Baba’s hip, knee, head, tooth,
nose, belly, and Baba’s cave) (Čausidis, 2008). The toponyms for parts of a mountain (es-
pecially for ‘avalanche’, ‘snow slide’, ‘landslide’, and ‘lava’) in Italy and France (Benozzo,
2011) named after an Old Woman confirm the connection between the mountain and the
old woman also outside the Slavic world. In addition, according to a Karst tradition a per-
58
