Simple wooden box containing top, which forms part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC).

The ACFC is unique in Australia, documenting contemporary children's folklore across Australia and in other countries reaching back to the 1870s. The Collection has a strong component of research material relating to Victoria.
This object was part of a group of items, originally from the National Trust of Australia, which arrived at the Museum with the ACFC.

A dreidel is a four sided top with a Hebrew letter on each side. The four letters are Shin, Hey, Gimel, and Nun. These letters mean 'a great miracle happened there'. In Israel the dreidel letters mean 'a miracle happened here'. Dreidel is a popular game played during the Chanukah holiday. In the early twenty first century is has become a game where players use coins, nuts, raisins or chocolate coins as tokens. The player spins the dreidel. When the dreidel stops, the letter that is facing up decides the fate. NUN - nothing happens - next player spins the dreidel. GIMEL - player takes all tokens in the pot. HEY - player takes half of the pot. SHIN - player must put one token into the pot.

Physical Description

Hollow wooden box with lid that slides off. Holds a small top with square sides tapering to a pointed end. Point is coloured red. A capital letter is inscribed on each of the four sides of the top.

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