Babushkas - Royal Block Arcade

The Russians call them "matryoshka", derived from the Latin root mater, meaning mother. In Australia we've dubbed them babushka dolls, which isn't too much of a stretch, as babushka translates to "grandmother". Considered a symbol of motherhood and fertility, these wooden nesting dolls were traditionally painted to represent the members of a family, serving as a kinship tool or family tree. Other styles depict Russian fairytales, tsars, Russian politicians or animals.