Wild woman

This wooden figurine was found in a cesspit underneath the House ‘Scharlaken’ in the Dutch town of Dordrecht, which was cleared out in 1986.Wooden objects dating back to the Middle Ages are rarely found on the whole, but as it happens, quite a number were found in Dordrecht. Usually, discarded wooden objects were re-used or thrown into the fire. If they did end up in the soil, they usually rotted away in the course of the centuries. However, the wet Dutch soil is eminently suited for the preservation of wood and leather.
The figurine represents a naked woman with long, loose hair and a large knife in her hand. Such a figurine is called a little wild woman. Its significance is unclear, but it is in line with the iconography of witches at the time. Perhaps it formed part of a wooden chandelier. These often featured wildmen and wild animals.
This wild woman dates from the 15th century. Perhaps this little woman played a part in an atmosphere of superstition and perhaps she was put into the ground as a ‘witch’.