A rocker

A rocker is an arc-shaped wooden tool for carrying two buckets and other heavy loads with your hands. It is placed on the shoulders and upper back, and thus the weight of the carried load is spread proportionally over the entire surface of the back.

This household item has a length of 130 cm, a width of up to 6 cm. Two metal hook-holders are attached at both ends.

Traditionally, the rocker was made of linden, aspen, willow, the wood of which is characterized by lightness, flexibility, elasticity.

In the everyday life of Russian peasants, rocker arms of various shapes were known. The most widespread are bent rocker . They were bent out of steamed wood in the form of an arc. Such rockers were conveniently placed on the shoulders of a woman who held it with her hands. The buckets almost did not swing when walking as they were put on the ends of the rocker arm in specially cut recesses.

In many villages there were rockers carved from a wide and strong board. The straight board was narrowed to the ends, and in the middle, there was a recess for the woman’s neck. Buckets of water were fixed on long hooks that were on the ends of the rocker.