cailleac

The term "cailleach" refers to an old woman, crone, or hag in Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It can also refer to a harvest doll made from the last sheaf of corn, representing the spirit of the field. This "cailleach" is sometimes drenched with water as a rain charm and saved for spring planting.12

A "sheaf" is a quantity of stalks and ears of cereal grass bound together. Harvest festivals, celebrating the gathering of crops, have ancient roots across various cultures. These celebrations often involve customs related to the belief in a "Corn Mother" or "Rice Mother," with the last sheaf of grain holding particular significance.34