The Collaborative International Dictionary
Santon \San"ton\, n. [Sp. santon, augmented fr. santo holy, L. sanctus.] A Turkish saint; a kind of dervish, regarded by the people as a saint: also, a hermit.
Wiktionary
n. 1 A Muslim holy man. 2 In France (originally Provence), a small, hand-painted, terracotta figurine of a nativity character.
Wikipedia
Santons (Provençal: "santoun," or "little saint") are small hand-painted terracotta nativity scene figurines produced in the Provence region of southeastern France. In a traditional Provençal crèche, there are 55 individual figures representing various characters from Provençal village life such as the scissors grinder, the fishwife, the blind man, and the chestnut seller.
The first clay santons were created by Marseillais artisan Lagnel (1761-1822) during the French Revolution when churches were forcibly closed and their large nativity scenes prohibited. Lagnel crafted small figurines in plaster molds and let them dry before firing them.
A maker of santons is a santonnier, and the creation of santons today is essentially a family craft, handed down from parents to children. Santons are moulded in two halves, pressed together, and fused. Hats, baskets, and other accessories are applied with an adhesive. When the figure is completely dry, it is given a gelatin bath in order to harden the figure further and to provide a surface for the application of pigments. Faces are painted first, then hair, clothing and accessories. Until the end of the 19th century, santons were air-dried rather than fired in a kiln. As a consequence, such figures were fragile and easily broken. Modern santons are generally fired in a kiln. There are two types of santons: santons d'argile (clay figures), and doll-like santons habillés (clothed figures).
Since 1803, santonniers have gathered in Marseille each December to display and sell their wares at the Foire des Santonniers. Aubagne Santon Fair in Marseille holds a two-day fair, Biennale de l'Art Santonnier, and the Musée du Santon in Marseille exhibits a private collection of 18th and 19th century santons.
Santón (possibly from Quechua for Puya raimondii) is a high mountain in the southern Cordillera Blanca in the Andes of Peru. It is located in the Ancash Region, Recuay Province, Catac District. It is situated northeast of Caullaraju and north of Challhua. Santón lies south of Pumapampa River, a right tributary of the Santa River.
Usage examples of "santon".
Amid these careless warders glided the puny form of a little old Turk, poorly dressed like a marabout or santon of the desert--a sort of enthusiasts, who sometimes ventured into the camp of the Crusaders, though treated always with contumely, and often with violence.
We cannot, without a shudder, think of those countries where Fakirs, Bonzes, Santons, Caloyers, Marabouts, and Talapoins multiply in swarms, like vermin.
We cannot think without affright of those lands where fakirs, bonzes, santons, Greek monks, marabouts, talapoins, and dervishes multiply even like swarms of vermin.
Your uncle, seduced by the arts of the Santons, and by the pleasures and indulgences which the Sultan allowed him, committed the horrid crime of apostasy.