Dala horse
The Dala horse ( Swedish : Dalahäst ) is a figure made of wood in the shape of a horse, which is made in the Swedish countryside of Dalarna . Dala horses are nowadays a typical symbol for all of Sweden abroad.
The horses are traditionally colored red and have a saddle and bridle painted on them in a green and white pattern in traditional Kurbits painting . The tradition of the Dala horses can be traced back to the 17th century and goes back to carved wooden toys that the inhabitants of the area made during the long winter nights when cold weather and darkness did not allow any other work.
One of the more important workshops for Dala horses can be found in Nusnäs . The Dalahäst is the most common souvenir that visitors to Sweden buy, and in Nusnäs alone horses are sold for around 2.6 million euros a year. Tomas Holst made the smallest Dala horse, it is 3.7 mm high and 3 mm long. The allegedly largest Dala horse in the world is in Avesta , it is made of concrete and 13 meters high.
Dala Horse Gallery
A presentation of the production in Nusnäs:
1st stamp
2. Sawing out
3. Blanks
4. Carving
5. Coloring
6. Drying
7. Drawing on the pattern
8. Finished horses
