The transition of sanctity into the secularity The comparative analysis of function as the carrier of ethno-symbolism : Korean jangseung and the Lithuanian traditional wooden cross

Lithuanian crosses enrolled into the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO for the magnificent symbolism and jangseung, the wooden totem poles of Korea functioned as the representative craft art endowed with secularity and sanctity at the same time as well as a significant means of ethno-symbolism which helped the people to preserve and maintain the cultural identity and national peculiarity, while being in the danger of exinction. The ethno-symbolism evoked by A. Smith claims that most nations were based on ethnic ties and sentiments and on popular ethnic traditions, which have provided the cultural resources for later nation formation, to turn ex-colonies into territorial nations must forge a cultural unity and identity of myth, symbol, value, and memory that can match that of nations built of pre-existing ties, if they are to survive and flourish as nations. The attributes of Lithuanian crosses and jangseung, which were initially established to express the religiosity of nation, were gradually converted into the secular character for maintaining the national identities during the rapid political and social transition, namely ethno-symbolism.