리투아니아의 전통 목공예 중 십자가 공예는 유네스코에서 세계문화유산으로 지정한 바 있다. 전통적으로 리투아니아는 모든 마을 어귀나 신작로마다 십자가를 세우곤 했으며, 가로와 세로로 나무가 십자로 연결된 단순한 형태가 아니라 리투아니아인들의 상상력과 전통을 바탕으로 한 다양한 상징이 그 속에 첨가되어있다. 그 상징은 우리의 상상력을 뛰어넘어서, 우리가 미처 기억하지 못하는 고대의 이야기들이나 이미 사라져 버린 리투아니아의 고대 종교의 모습, 그리고 리투아니아 민족들만이 가지고 있는 독특한 세계관들을 투영하는 요소이며, 그 가치와 독창성은 거의 세계적인 수준으로, 그것은 유네스코를 통해서도 인정 되었다.이 논문은 한국인들에게는 소개가 된 적이 없는 리투아니아의 전반적인 목공예 속에 숨어있는 여러 상징적인 요소들을 찾아보고, 목공예가 그런 신비로운 상징들을 전달하는 도구가 된 이유를 고찰해 본다. 크게 십자가 공예와 성인 조각과 일상생활 용품이 중심이 되는 일반조각으로 나뉘는 리투아니아 목공예는, 멀게는 중세시대 금지된 리투아니아의 종교 사상을 후대에 전달하는데, 최근에는 종교가 억압된 소련 시대 말없는 항거의 상징이거나 독특한 변형된 형태로 반소사상과 기독교 사상을 전파하는데 사용이 되었다. 이런 상징의 전통은 단지 목공예만이 아니라, 다른 여러 장르로 확장되고 있고, 현재 리투아니아의 명성을 세계에 알리고 있는 리투아니아 무대예술이 가지고 있는 고도의 상징성 역시 이런 상징적 전통과 무관하지 않다. 이 글의 내용은 2002년부터 2003년까지 리투아니아의 거의 모든 지역을 직접 탐방한 본인의 현장답사를 바탕으로 했다.

Lithuania has the abundant tradition of wooden carving and the traditional cross craft was enlisted to the list of World Heritage of UNESCO in 2002. Traditionally Lithuanians used to erect the wooden crosses in the entrance to villages and at every crossroads to prevent residents from the evil. The crosses of Lithuania have rather complicated character than the normal crosses where two long panels are connected in the middle and various symbols are engraved with the diversified meanings ; the ancient history of Europe, which already disappeared from our memory, the image of prehistoric religion of Lithuania, and the very characteristic view of world of which uniqueness and creativeness were acknowledged by UNESCO. The aim of the article is to present the diversified symbolic images engraved in Lithuanian wooden crafts to Korean Readers and to analyze the reason that the wooden craft became the means to convey the symbolism to descendants. Lithuanian wooden carving can be divided into three large categories ; the cross carving(the simple crosses, and other crosses with the architectural construction), the figure carving (the carving of saints, legendary or mythical characters,) and the carving for daily usage (the agricultural tools, weaving needles, toys and musical instruments). The symbols engraved in diversified wooden crafts functioned as the means to convey the concept of the ancient religion discontinued since the christianization in the medieval times. They were also used for conveying the christianity and the anti-soviet mind to people during the soviet time. The tradition of symbolism still extends to other genres of culture other than wooden crafts, and Lithuanian theater which contributes to the reputation of Lithuanian culture abroad is not irrelevant to the tradition of symbolism. The contents of this article are based on my field work in Lithuania from 2002 till 2003.

Lithuania has the abundant tradition of wooden carving and the traditional cross craft was enlisted to the list of World Heritage of UNESCO in 2002. Traditionally Lithuanians used to erect the wooden crosses in the entrance to villages and at every crossroads to prevent residents from the evil. The crosses of Lithuania have rather complicated character than the normal crosses where two long panels are connected in the middle and various symbols are engraved with the diversified meanings ; the ancient history of Europe, which already disappeared from our memory, the image of prehistoric religion of Lithuania, and the very characteristic view of world of which uniqueness and creativeness were acknowledged by UNESCO. The aim of the article is to present the diversified symbolic images engraved in Lithuanian wooden crafts to Korean Readers and to analyze the reason that the wooden craft became the means to convey the symbolism to descendants. Lithuanian wooden carving can be divided into three large categories ; the cross carving(the simple crosses, and other crosses with the architectural construction), the figure carving (the carving of saints, legendary or mythical characters,) and the carving for daily usage (the agricultural tools, weaving needles, toys and musical instruments). The symbols engraved in diversified wooden crafts functioned as the means to convey the concept of the ancient religion discontinued since the christianization in the medieval times. They were also used for conveying the christianity and the anti-soviet mind to people during the soviet time. The tradition of symbolism still extends to other genres of culture other than wooden crafts, and Lithuanian theater which contributes to the reputation of Lithuanian culture abroad is not irrelevant to the tradition of symbolism. The contents of this article are based on my field work in Lithuania from 2002 till 2003.

Rupintojlis. Lithuanian Wooden Carving. Lithuanian Crosses. Daina.