It is known that people during the Palaeolithic era used caves as natural shelters and places to raise a family. Exactly because of that fundamental value certain archaeologists named the caves Earth's uterus from which the human species sprung up but also the cult of the Grand Mother, which is today evident through various archaeological findings. The border between the outside world and sunlight, as well as the inside of the cave and darkness represented a holly, magical place for those living in the Palaeolithic era. Crossing over one of them could mean exposure to danger and to others protection against it. And then when the human species abandoned caves and began building houses and settlements , in the collective consciousness the religious importance of the entrance was still present, which presented a special part of the house which separated the outside world from the inside world.
Since the Illyrian times the house, i.e. hearth and home were under the protection of the snake, Ctonic and totem animal, which presented the main segment of the cult of fertility since it connects male (sun) and female principle. The belief in the snake-protector of the house is still present today in the belief among the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unlike the hearth the doorstep as a symbol for entrance i.e. exit into the world of magical symbology always represented the female reproductive organ and as such it was dedicated to the goddess of life i.e. the Grand Mother. Describing certain Bosnian beliefs about the doorstep we come to very interesting data which supports the theory about its cult background and symbology about fertility. The first data that directed me towards that conclusion I have found during the analysis of the rituals of love magic, which were practiced by Bosnian women throughout the ages, and whose primary purpose was to secure love which will lead to marriage and birth. Items used in these rituals were usually placed in the immediate vicinity of the doorstep either at the beginning or end of the ritual, behind the house door, whether it was ćeremid (hollow roof tiles), broom, axe; they were also buried under the doorstep itself like the plant milogled (lat. Asarum europaeum), locks of hair, nails, dirt taken from footprints, etc. And in those rituals with separated items, such as two half of a sugar cube, the items would be fitted on the entrance door in order for the man whose love she wanted can pass between the items. As soon as he would pass between them the woman would take the two parts of the item and would put them back together. The idea that the magical ritual is undertaken in the immediate vicinity of the doorstep stems from the wish to secure intervention of the goddess herself who should use her powers to help the woman's intent to ensure that she becomes a wife and a mother.
It is no coincidence that the folk statement speaks about the foundation or three angles of the house being on the woman's back and only one on the man's, this emphasises that the home is where the woman is dominant. This statement is strangely reminiscent of the mythological belief about the earth being on the back of the bull Tur, an animal-symbol of the Syrian goddess Mother Ishtar or Astarta. The analogy between the woman and the earth is quite obvious among the Bosnian folk and it is especially stressed through the symbology of the number 40. According to belief the earth every 40 years "cleans" itself from humans through great wars or natural disasters. Pregnancy among the Bosnian folk is considered a very beneficial state for the entire organism since the woman after birth, 40 weeks after birth, cleans herself from everything bad and in such a way improves her health.
Let's, however return to the doorstep and its symbology and meaning through folklore. The bride in the north-western part of Bosnia, so called Cazinska krajina (Cazin's frontier), places her handkerchief over the doorstep and kisses it before she enters her husband's household for the first time, showing in such a manner her respect towards her new home. Then she enters the house, carrying her handkerchief, she then approaches the hearth and throws the handkerchief into the fire to symbolise that she has left bachelorhood and that she has entered the period of active fertility and reproduction. The act of bending down to kiss the doorstep should be seen as an act of showing respect towards the Grand Mother, from which she is asking for the blessing of fertility. Besides that, the bride as the future mother wants to gain favour from the goddess by this act, since the goddess should in the future help her female children realise her motherhood just like she did. This connection is evident in the rituals of love magic.
The doorstep besides the hearth was always the holiest place inside the house which is confirmed by numerous taboos connected to it, especially the one that claims that it shouldn't be stepped on by feet since by doing that "you destroy your home". Under the term destroy the home, fertility is implied. Direct connection of the doorstep and fertility is manifested through a ban imposed on women sitting on the doorstep with the explanation that she will have "a difficult childbirth". This means that she is risking being punished with difficult childbirth by the Grand Mother because of the sacrilege that she is doing.
One is subject to the danger of ograme (attack of evil spirits), according to folk belief, if one doesn't wash oneself after an intimate act and walks over the doorstep. Analysing the presented we get a feeling that a man is not subject to any taboos after the sexual act or dangers while he is inside his home, but as soon as he goes outside he risks becoming a target of evil spiritual beings. Leaving the house and crossing the doorstep the protection of the Grand Mother disappears, the protector of fertility and family, since the human body which has remnants of vaginal secrete and sperm alarms demons, eternal enemies of mankind and new life, which has a negative effect causing spiritual and physical pain to humans.
Since the Illyrian times the house, i.e. hearth and home were under the protection of the snake, Ctonic and totem animal, which presented the main segment of the cult of fertility since it connects male (sun) and female principle. The belief in the snake-protector of the house is still present today in the belief among the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unlike the hearth the doorstep as a symbol for entrance i.e. exit into the world of magical symbology always represented the female reproductive organ and as such it was dedicated to the goddess of life i.e. the Grand Mother. Describing certain Bosnian beliefs about the doorstep we come to very interesting data which supports the theory about its cult background and symbology about fertility. The first data that directed me towards that conclusion I have found during the analysis of the rituals of love magic, which were practiced by Bosnian women throughout the ages, and whose primary purpose was to secure love which will lead to marriage and birth. Items used in these rituals were usually placed in the immediate vicinity of the doorstep either at the beginning or end of the ritual, behind the house door, whether it was ćeremid (hollow roof tiles), broom, axe; they were also buried under the doorstep itself like the plant milogled (lat. Asarum europaeum), locks of hair, nails, dirt taken from footprints, etc. And in those rituals with separated items, such as two half of a sugar cube, the items would be fitted on the entrance door in order for the man whose love she wanted can pass between the items. As soon as he would pass between them the woman would take the two parts of the item and would put them back together. The idea that the magical ritual is undertaken in the immediate vicinity of the doorstep stems from the wish to secure intervention of the goddess herself who should use her powers to help the woman's intent to ensure that she becomes a wife and a mother.
It is no coincidence that the folk statement speaks about the foundation or three angles of the house being on the woman's back and only one on the man's, this emphasises that the home is where the woman is dominant. This statement is strangely reminiscent of the mythological belief about the earth being on the back of the bull Tur, an animal-symbol of the Syrian goddess Mother Ishtar or Astarta. The analogy between the woman and the earth is quite obvious among the Bosnian folk and it is especially stressed through the symbology of the number 40. According to belief the earth every 40 years "cleans" itself from humans through great wars or natural disasters. Pregnancy among the Bosnian folk is considered a very beneficial state for the entire organism since the woman after birth, 40 weeks after birth, cleans herself from everything bad and in such a way improves her health.
Let's, however return to the doorstep and its symbology and meaning through folklore. The bride in the north-western part of Bosnia, so called Cazinska krajina (Cazin's frontier), places her handkerchief over the doorstep and kisses it before she enters her husband's household for the first time, showing in such a manner her respect towards her new home. Then she enters the house, carrying her handkerchief, she then approaches the hearth and throws the handkerchief into the fire to symbolise that she has left bachelorhood and that she has entered the period of active fertility and reproduction. The act of bending down to kiss the doorstep should be seen as an act of showing respect towards the Grand Mother, from which she is asking for the blessing of fertility. Besides that, the bride as the future mother wants to gain favour from the goddess by this act, since the goddess should in the future help her female children realise her motherhood just like she did. This connection is evident in the rituals of love magic.
The doorstep besides the hearth was always the holiest place inside the house which is confirmed by numerous taboos connected to it, especially the one that claims that it shouldn't be stepped on by feet since by doing that "you destroy your home". Under the term destroy the home, fertility is implied. Direct connection of the doorstep and fertility is manifested through a ban imposed on women sitting on the doorstep with the explanation that she will have "a difficult childbirth". This means that she is risking being punished with difficult childbirth by the Grand Mother because of the sacrilege that she is doing.
One is subject to the danger of ograme (attack of evil spirits), according to folk belief, if one doesn't wash oneself after an intimate act and walks over the doorstep. Analysing the presented we get a feeling that a man is not subject to any taboos after the sexual act or dangers while he is inside his home, but as soon as he goes outside he risks becoming a target of evil spiritual beings. Leaving the house and crossing the doorstep the protection of the Grand Mother disappears, the protector of fertility and family, since the human body which has remnants of vaginal secrete and sperm alarms demons, eternal enemies of mankind and new life, which has a negative effect causing spiritual and physical pain to humans.
