There are several representations in my book (A Deep Dark Call) that are part of Romanian culture and that my readers are invited to discover. Let’s explore some of them!
The Tree of Life
There is a tapestry featuring the Tree of Life hanging on one of the walls of my hero’s Wallachian manor. The symbolism of the Tree of Life is one found in many cultures – of fertility and connectedness, and of ancestral roots. The Tree of Life symbol appears in many Romanian folk representations, and it is a motif often used by Romanian embroiderers.
The Wolf-Headed Serpent
This is also a representation that my heroine sees in the strange Wallachian manor in my book. This is an old battle standard in the Romanian territories that dates back to pre-Roman times. It is also called the Dacian Draco (because it is something between a wolf and a dragon), and it is the standard that the soldiers of King Decebalus of the Dacians hold in their hands when they are depicted on Trajan’s Column in Rome.
Sorcova
My book takes place during the winter holidays. For Happy New Year there is a Romanian custom that is called Sorcova. Sorcova is a stick decorated with paper flowers and ribbons, which is the Romanian symbol of fertilty and of the New Year. There’s a song you have to sing when you hold it that’s probably very old. It’s about life and renewal. To me – Sorcova always looked like the Tree of Life… I suppose this is what it is and this is what my heroine also seems to think.
