The various subjects of Ukrainian towel embroidery differ in their character and composition. Experts identify several main elements that are most often used by Ukrainian women to embroider ceremonial towels:
- The main motif is the Tree of Life;
- The central element is in the form of an eight-pointed star, a pattern of eight parts, a cross or a rhombus;
- Individual self-sufficient motives;
- Plots with cosmogonic content;
- Lattice motifs;
- An embroidery composition consisting of several tiers;
- Ornamented ribbons.
The semantics of the ornaments that have adorned Ukrainian towels for many centuries can be studied from three main points of view - exoteric, conceptual, and esoteric.
Exotericism refers to the study of a symbolic sign based on the characteristics of its original form, the elements it is composed of, the colors of the threads and their combinations, that is, all the signs that we can observe visually.
Conceptual research involves penetrating into the essence of the idea carried by a given pattern, its specific content and meaning, both as a whole and in individual elements. In this case, the names of motifs or their components, which have developed over many centuries, are of great importance. The people called complex patterns simple and understandable words that explain the secrets of the semantics of the ornament in an accessible form. The conceptual method allows you to obtain rich information about the sacred meaning of embroidered ornaments on Ukrainian towels.
The esoteric properties of the ornament are determined by the influence of energy or some force on us, the peculiarities of vibrations that create symbolic signs in the chakras (spiritual centers) of each person. We simply feel this influence of the symbol on a specific spiritual center, which cannot be explained by any complex descriptions. Take your grandmother's or mother's towel in your hands, and you will feel its warmth, and a towel embroidered by a stranger with unkind thoughts will give off a chill.
Each embroidery symbol can be interpreted with some differences, depending on the person's perception, knowledge and feelings. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the harmonious balance of the form of the sign and its ideological content, expressive and qualitative characteristics. For people who still have little knowledge about the semantics of signs, it seems strange that one symbol can mean different phenomena. Knowing only one side of the symbolism of the sign, they try to argue with those who offer a different meaning. Such a dispute can be compared to the dispute of two people who see an apple from different sides. One sees it red, the other yellow. However, this is the same apple, only painted by the Sun in two colors. Both observers turned out to be right, although they claimed different things. This example speaks of the voluminous nature of the concept of truth, the perception of which depends on the personalities of the person.
Folk, as well as scientific, names of the main symbol of Ukrainian embroidery are the Tree of Life, Tree, Tree of Kindred, Vase, Flower. It is especially often found on towels. This sign embodies the entire Cosmos and its manifestations. Rooted from the depths of the past, the Tree turns into a straight and strong trunk, embodying the Universe, and crowned with a high lush crown, facing upwards, to the Sky. The Tree embodies people's ideas about the infinity of the World and Life, which are beyond the boundaries of space and do not obey the flow of time. The Tree of Life unites the past with the present and the future. Therefore, this capacious image is conventionally divided into three main parts, from the roots of the Tree, reflecting the underworld, its trunk, symbolizing all earthly phenomena, and the crown - a sign of heavenly forces. The Tree personifies the inseparable unity of opposites - Matter and Spirit. Matter can be understood as the static parts of the Tree, such as the roots, trunk, and main branches, which hardly change over time. Spirit includes the leaves on young branches, buds, flowers, and fruits, that is, that which dynamically develops.
As a rule, the Tree of Life is embroidered with beautiful flowers on the branches. Flowers are considered symbols of human life, which is happening at the present time, buds are used to denote future new generations, fruits show the deeds of people, done for the good of the Universe. Near the Tree, on two sides, various elements are often placed. These elements complement the symbolism of the Tree of Life and depict the ether - the life force that fills the space. On top, the Tree must have a central element - a flower, which symbolizes the Fire of Life, unquenchable, full of natural energy that supports endless life. The Fire is guarded by two spirits in the form of angels or birds. Sometimes spirits are represented by the souls of deceased ancestors who protect the Family Tree from destructive forces.
The Tree of Life is usually depicted in embroidery growing from a flower pot - a flowerpot. This element shows that the Tree of the Family grew from a twig - a part of the World Tree of Life. The flowerpot symbolizes the culture in which the Tree of the Family took root and developed. The tree has been revered since ancient times, when it was considered a symbol of the ancestor of the gods - the Family. Often, Rozhanits - pagan goddesses accompanying births were depicted next to the Family. The name of the ancient god of our ancestors, the Family, and his symbol - the tree, over time, came to mean a long chain of generations originating from a single common ancestor.
The semantics of numbers is of great importance in the construction of the symbol of the Tree of Life. In most cases, the number of branches of the Tree is represented by an odd number, since the Tree is embroidered symmetrically, with the same number of branches on both sides, and there is one branch on top for the central flower. Occasionally, you can see a Tree with two upper branches on the towel embroidery. The oldest and simplest image of the Tree, which has three branches, is found on Trypillian ceramics. It symbolizes the Trinity of all phenomena of the World, which consists in the unity of Creation and Destruction under the guidance of the Almighty.
The image of the Tree of Life does not use real plants and their parts. It is an image created symbolically, generalized. Often, ornaments consist of a number of small schematically depicted trees, which differ in color, and sometimes in size and configuration. Such an ornament indicates the ancient cult of trees and plants that prevailed in ancient times among our ancestors. There are plants that were especially revered in ancient times, which are found in the ornament of towel embroidery, and they can be easily recognized. These include grapes, branches and other parts of oak, lily flowers and some other plants. They are often embroidered not only on towels, but are also used to decorate embroidered shirts.
Grapes have been considered an important symbol of fertility and infinity since ancient times, and with the advent of Christianity they were often mentioned in many biblical descriptions. Grape leaves, bunches, tendrils are embroidered into the Infinity, which decorates the perimeter of the entire towel. These elements are also found on the Tree of Life. Grape berries absorb solar energy and can store it for a long time. Grapes are a solar berry crop, constantly associated with the Sun. This property of grapes served as an occasion for mentioning grapes in many ancient mysteries dedicated to Bacchus, Dionysus, Orpheus, Isis and other deities, where they were used in the form of wine or juice.
In ancient manuscripts there are records of the elixir of immortality - a drink, the basis of which was grapes. The healing recipe for the elixir has not been preserved, but even the grape wine that modern winemakers receive, people do not know how to use correctly. An unprepared person, when drinking wine, falls under the influence of subtle spiritual vibrations that lead him to intoxication and deprive him of reason. Intoxication from improper use of grape wine should not be confused with a special state of "intoxication by God."
Oak, like grapes, is often used in images of the Tree of Life. This tree in all cultures is considered a symbol of good health, strength, longevity, male beauty, wisdom and other masculine qualities. On Ukrainian towels, the Tree is often decorated with oak leaves. In Poltava region, the embroidery stitch "listva" is popular, with which the favorite pattern "dubochok" is embroidered. Motifs with oak leaves are common on towels and embroidery of Right-Bank Ukraine.
The oak leaf in the embroidery is placed diagonally to the ornament, one half of it is embroidered with vertical stitches, the other with horizontal ones. In this case, its edges create a model of magnetic and electric waves that establish the order of invisible space. When dyeing embroidery threads with a decoction of oak leaves, the energy of the plant passes into the threads, which subsequently affects the person using the embroidered product. For many years, folk healers kept their secrets from uninitiated people, but in our time, the treatment of various diseases with the help of plants has become very popular, medicines from plant extracts and infusions are used to treat physical and mental ailments. An essence is obtained from oak, which helps to normalize the human psyche, get rid of negative passions and complexes. Oak is also very popular in the manufacture of furniture and construction, and not so much the strength of the wood is taken into account as the harmony that oak brings to people's lives. When a needlewoman embroiders oak leaves on a towel or a men's embroidered shirt, she weaves an invisible connection between a person and this mighty tree.
Among the flowers that decorate the Tree of Life on Ukrainian towels, the most popular is the lily. The large lily flower represents the Fire of Life, located at the top of the Tree. This motif is used on “monk” towels, known in the Cherkasy region. The lily symbolizes spirituality, perfection and purity of Life. Many nations widely use the lily flower in their heraldry and ornaments. The lily can often be seen on icons and in sculpture, which is popular in Western Christianity. The frequent use of lily flowers in Ukrainian embroidery emphasizes the high spiritual significance of Ukrainian towels.
In addition to the three plants described, motifs with viburnum, periwinkle, mountain ash and other plants common in Ukrainian nature were embroidered on towels. The ancient cult of Mother Nature reminds us of itself in the symbolic images of plants embroidered on towels. Ancient embroidered towels teach us to treat nature with care and respect, to strive to live with it in harmony and to understand that we ourselves are only a part of it, not kings.
On towels embroidered with geometric ornaments, the main, dominant motif in the center of the embroidery often attracts attention. This construction of the composition is especially common in Podillia. An eight-pointed star or an eight-element ornament is usually used as the central motif, but rhombuses, crosses, or other figures are often found.
One of the most popular motifs in Ukrainian geometric embroidery is the eight-pointed Star, which is popularly called the "full rose". This sign symbolizes God, the Star, the Sun, the Year. At Christmas, Ukrainian carolers wear an eight-pointed Star as a symbol of the year. Such a Star has gained great popularity due to the fact that it resembles a model of the energy field of any living object. The egg cell of each organism after fertilization divides in three stages, after which eight cells are obtained, which become sources of eight energy flows, creating the directions along which the physical and spiritual body of the organism will be built.
The Eight-pointed Star is called the Star of the Mother in Christianity. If you look closely at various iconographic images of the Virgin Mary, you can notice eight-pointed stars or flowers with eight petals on the veil of the maphoria, under which the Virgin Mary was hidden, at the level of the shoulders and above the forehead. The image of the Father is sometimes depicted with a triangular or octagonal halo. In such an ornament, the eight-pointed star looks like an overlay of a square and a rhombus.
The eight-pointed Star is obtained by superimposing a straight cross with an oblique one on top of each other. The straight cross symbolizes the masculine principle, the sign of the Sun, and the oblique cross - the feminine principle, the sign of the Moon. The unity of the masculine and feminine principles ensures the continuation and infinity of life, therefore such a Star is considered a symbol of Nature.
Central geometric motifs in the form of rhombuses are also quite popular, including a rhombus inside a square with eight branches with stars, as well as rhombuses surrounded by elements resembling the letter "S", or rhombuses with a pair of spirals called "ram's horns" at the corners.
Individual self-sufficient motifs are found on many Podolsk towels. Such motifs include geometric figures, as well as anthropomorphic or zoomorphic images. Geometric motifs are more often observed in ancient towels. Images of people, birds and animals appeared at a later time.
Not many ancient towels with anthropomorphic images have survived, because the Christian church actively fought the Vedic cult that existed among our ancestors before the introduction of Christianity. The church forbade the application of images of idols and gods on various objects, including towels. However, towels for the Ukrainian people were of such importance in all areas of social and family life that it was not possible to completely abolish them along with some pagan rituals. Therefore, the tradition of embroidery towels has survived to this day, although very few anthropomorphic motifs have survived.
Among the anthropomorphic embroidered motifs, female images are more often found. This is explained by the fact that in ancient times our ancestors were ruled by matriarchy. The Slavs in Ukraine had a cult of the Mother, they revered Mother Nature, the Mother of the World. Until now, the tradition of venerating the Woman-Mother is observed in Ukraine, and women have a significant influence on the life of society and the fate of their family. Since ancient times, the Great Goddess, who is called the Foremother of all living things, has been considered the patroness and protector of the family for Ukrainians. Rituals were performed in her honor, prayers were offered to her, and her image was embroidered on towels.
Embroidery motifs with the Goddess are found mainly on towels of Polissya, Podillia, and the Dnieper region. Art historians who study folk art have called this motif the Goddess-Bereginya. Perhaps this term was taken from the folklore of some locality, but it was not previously widespread throughout Ukraine. The Goddess is embroidered on towels in two forms: her hands are either raised up or lowered down. The first option means a prayer to the Goddess, addressed to Heaven with a request to help in sowing work, in the conception of a new life. Such figures were embroidered on spring towels intended for spring rituals. The second option - the lowered hands of the Goddess - was used for autumn towels, where the Goddess is depicted blessing the earth for a rich harvest.
A towel has been preserved in Podillia, on which the Goddess is depicted not alone, holding the reins of a horse. This image also used color symbolism: the Goddess herself is embroidered with red threads, which mean spiritual, active power, and the horse was embroidered with blue threads, which symbolizes natural elemental forces. Sometimes on both sides of the Goddess, birds of different sizes are symmetrically placed. These birds are constantly ready to carry out the will of the Goddess. They are called birds-demiurges.
Other images of female figures are also found on Ukrainian towels. The Ivan Gonchar Museum has an interesting towel from the village of Sabadash, Cherkasy region, on which female figures are embroidered on top of the Tree of Life applique, which itself has anthropomorphic outlines. In the hands of the female figures are embroidered small trees - a symbol of the god Rod, from which we can conclude that these figures are Rozhanitsy, who are always next to Rod.
Male images are less common on Ukrainian towels than women's. There are several such towels in Ukrainian museums. The Podillia towel features embroidered riders on horses, with figures of dogs between them. Researchers believe that this towel was embroidered for herders and shepherds. The towel from Poltava region features an embroidered Tree, and human figures are embroidered on both sides of it. In western Polissya, towels with geometric male and female figures were often embroidered. Usually, women on such motifs hold vertically small trees in their hands.
Ordinary towels, that is, those that were not used in ceremonial events, were also decorated with embroidery. Such towels were often embroidered with a continuous row of girlish figures holding hands. The symbolism of this ornament is that people can protect themselves from any troubles if they are united. Folk craftsmen embroidered female figures, since women, like priestesses, perceive information from space better and can use this information and energy to protect the family.
Animal motifs on towels were popular in southern and eastern Podillia. In ancient times, there was a cult of nomads and hunters on these lands, which influenced the subjects of embroidery. Images of mythical animals are also found on towels, for example, heavenly winged horses, or animals that cannot be compared with any real-life species. Usually, animals are embroidered symbolically, without detailed outlines, but these images can be used to determine the type of animal, for example, a goat embroidered in a simple way is completely recognizable on a New Year's towel. Researchers cannot yet accurately establish the purpose of towels with images of animals. All ancient towels retain their secrets, which arouse great interest and a desire to study the culture of their ancestors in our contemporaries.
The most popular living creatures depicted on towels throughout Ukraine were birds. On ancient towels, most birds were embroidered symbolically, schematically, that is, without trying to depict a specific species. But there were several birds that brought a special cult meaning to the embroidery plot, so their images are quite recognizable. These are mainly eagles, peacocks and doves. Since ancient times, the eagle has been considered a symbol of wisdom, a symbol of the Almighty, and the greatness of the eagle was recognized by all the peoples on whose territory this bird lived. In Ukraine, especially on the Left Bank, the symbol of the Trinity in the form of a double-headed eagle crowned with a crown was very common in embroidery. This symbol comes from Byzantium, so it can be argued that eagle motifs appeared in embroidery a very long time ago. Many embroideries have survived where the eagle is depicted as a real bird.
In ancient Slavic mythology, the peacock symbolizes the Virgin Mary. This bird was depicted with a female face, its image seemed beautiful and majestic. Peacocks are often used in fairy tales of different peoples. The most famous is the Firebird, which is the personification of the Sun. Wedding towels and women's wedding embroidered shirts are most often decorated with the Peacock bird, as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. A peacock feather was considered a wonderful decoration for a wedding wreath. The special silhouette of the Peacock makes this bird easily recognizable even in very simple embroidery.
Very often, Ukrainian women embroider doves on towels. These beloved birds symbolize a happy family life, tender love, and constant care for each other. A flowering branch or a tree with doves is a popular motif on both ancient and modern wedding towels. As a wish for a happy family life, a nest with eggs and two doves is embroidered.
When a pair of birds is embroidered, they are usually placed with their heads facing each other or the Tree, on the sides of which they are located. This arrangement symbolizes mutual love, closeness, attraction. Occasionally, there are images of birds turned away from the Tree. Researchers suggest that this arrangement means protecting the Tree of the Family from enemies. In one of the museums of Ukraine there is a very interesting old towel. On it, the Tree of Life with seven branches and five birds is embroidered with multi-colored woolen threads. It seems strange that all the birds are turned in one direction. But the “highlight” of the towel is that when it is hung in a place of honor, aligning the embroidered edges, the birds from the left and right ends of the towel look at each other. This towel is also notable for the fact that the female and male sides are marked on it. On one end of the towel, a slanting cross is embroidered in the middle of the central flower, and on the other, a straight one.
Traditional motifs with the Tree of Life were popular throughout Ukraine. In addition, Ukrainian women from the Middle Dnieper region embroidered towels with unusual plots, which art historians call cosmogonic. They depicted various elements of a strange design and motifs that create a picture of outer space. A towel from the Poltava region, dating back to the seventeenth-eighteenth centuries, is especially noteworthy.
The embroidery plot resembles the moment of the connection of two space objects with a common element resembling a camera, inside which two figures are placed. Around this motif, outer space is depicted, represented by three suns and three constellations. One constellation consists of three stars, another of ten, and the third, the largest, of twenty-three stars. The ends of this strange towel are very different. One end is made with towel stitches, picturesquely, beautifully, filled with various elements, and the other end, although it repeats the plot, is made schematically, simplified. A double-sided cross was used to embroider this part, and the combination of thread colors has been changed. The space objects are embroidered conditionally, in the form of icons. Both ends of the towel are trimmed with an infinity, but on one end the infinity is embroidered only with red threads, and on the other - with red and blue.
Embroidery of ribbon compositions of towels consists mainly of geometric ornaments. Geometric ornaments consist of signs and systems of signs, of which there are quite a lot - about 120. When composing an ornament, the craftswoman uses a variety of signs, elements, symbols. Each symbol is charged with its own energy, and when combined with each other they create a common energy field. A person is a microcosm created by the Creator, therefore all the feelings that a person experiences affect the macrocosm. At the same time, those phenomena that occur in the surrounding space, in the Cosmos, have a significant impact on a person.
Geometric ornaments can be presented as schemes according to which the trajectory of the movement of the disembodied Spirit is formed. Their structure corresponds to the directions of movement of the Spirit, which moves from point to point in a straight line. This creates a network of broken straight lines, which forms the basis of the geometric ornament. In Nature, the movement of material objects also occurs between points, but under the influence of inertia, the lines of movement are somewhat rounded. This can be seen by observing the movement of a physical object, the growth of an organism, and the change of seasons. Ornaments consisting of geometric signs correspond to male energy, and plant ornaments consisting of curved lines correspond to female. By analyzing towel embroideries by types of ornaments in different regions, it is possible to determine the predominance of one or another energy in any area.
In Ukrainian embroideries, one can observe not only ornaments composed of many symbols, but also separately embroidered signs, which are especially often found on ancient towels. The most popular signs, not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries of the world, are crosses, which are straight, oblique and double. A double cross is obtained by superimposing a straight and oblique cross on each other. A straight cross with equal rays personifies the harmony and unity of the Spirit, which is represented by a vertical line, and Matter, represented by a horizontal line. The cross is a symbol of Nature, the four elements that influence the existence of various forms of life on our Earth. A straight cross symbolizes the masculine principle, the Creator, the Sun, and an oblique one - the feminine principle, the patronage of the Moon. The double cross, obtained by superimposing these crosses, symbolizes the unity of the masculine and feminine principles. In embroidery, these three types of crosses exist not only as geometric signs, but also as popular embroidery stitches.
A variety of the cross is the symbol of svarga or swastika, common among the Slavs. It depicts a cross in motion, symbolizing movement itself. The antiquity of this sign is indicated by its name, which comes from the word "svastya" in Sanskrit, which can be translated as "entrance to Heaven". Perhaps the word "svastya" itself began to sound like "happiness" among the Slavs. Svarga means the movement of the Sun across the celestial vault. Svarga comes in two types - directed to the right or left. The direction of the svarga shows the movement of the winter or summer, night or day Sun. The direction of the curved ends determines the movement of energy flows. In addition, two types of svarga mean opposite movements of the Spirit: progress and regression, evolution and involution. Our Slavic ancestors used this symbol very widely in embroidered ornaments. In the middle of the last century, the fascists compromised the swastika, but it as a symbol did not change in its meaning. In studying the semantics of svarga, one should rely on the ancient knowledge of the Slavs and other peoples.
The swarga sign has strong energy. There are many types of this symbol in embroidery, which the craftswomen gave names corresponding to their appearance. An interesting sign is the swarga sign with two energy outlets from each ray, aptly named "rakes". This sign has double the power. When measuring the energy potential of such a swastika, the pendulum swung with twice the amplitude than when studying the usual swarga.
The full swastika sign is very popular in the Right-Bank regions of Ukraine. It is obtained by superimposing two ordinary Svargas with opposite directions of rays on top of each other. This sign can be made in two versions. In one version, the base of the sign looks like a straight cross, and in the other, the base is a rhombus. In the first case, the rays twisted in opposite directions come from the ends of the cross, and in the other - from the corners of the rhombus. These double rays-spirals are called "ram horns" or "twisted horns". The motif of complete strife has balanced energy flows, so it has a significant harmonizing effect on a person.
Half of the swastika motif looks like the letter "S", this sign is popularly called "keys", "snakes", "Gesik". Half-swarga symbolizes well-being, abundance, protection. This symbol means the maternal moisture of the Earth, the earthly waters that nourish the earth, so that the earth gives people a good harvest and, accordingly, well-being. The half-swarga sign is embroidered on the edges of clothes and towels, as it reliably protects human energy, preventing it from scattering.
As a rule, half-swastikas are embroidered on the edges of products one after another, forming an endless row. This row or chain of half-swastikas is called an "endless". Sometimes this ornament is called a "meander" because of the similarity of the pattern to the winding bed of the Greek river Meander. Due to its protective properties, the endless is very popular, in addition to embroidery, in many other areas of folk art - in weaving, in carpet making, in ceramics, in Easter egg painting and others. In towels, the endless protects and separates the information that is embroidered on the canvas. Depending on the function performed, the half-swastikas are made of a certain size, so several different endlesss are often embroidered on one towel, resembling sinusoids with different wavelengths. Each of these endlesss tunes certain spiritual centers of a person to harmony and health. If a person's aura is disturbed, then the towel, using an infinity wand, aligns his biofield and restores health.
Both geometric and plant embroidery patterns contain a large number of various spirals. The spiral is a symbol of the structure and development of the Universe, even galaxies have the shape of a spiral. Various natural phenomena, the development of life are based on the principle of a spiral. DNA is made up of spirals, which determines the structure of the organism. If you look at an ordinary spiral from the side, you can see the infinity, which is so popular in embroidery. When you look at the spiral from above, we notice that it, twisting, converges to a point. In fact, there is no end point in the center, the spiral continues infinitely, also forming an infinity. If the spiral from the edge to the center twists clockwise, then it has positive energy, and if counterclockwise, then the energy in the spiral is negative. Spirals are used in many plant ornaments, especially when embroidering a grapevine. Geometric ornaments are also rich in spirals. Ukrainian women often embroider motifs that include two spirals connected at one point - "ram's horns." This sign symbolizes Fire, and since our ancient ancestors worshiped Fire, it becomes understandable why this sign is so popular in Ukraine.
The element of Fire in embroidery is represented by a triangle. It can probably be compared to a tongue of flame. In fact, the semantics of the triangle has a deep meaning. This sign symbolizes the Trinity, it reflects the triplicity of the World. If the triangle is depicted with the vertex up, then it is a sign of Spirit, and if down, then it is a sign of Matter. The location of these two triangles relative to each other determines the symbolism of the element. If the triangles are connected by their vertices, creating a picture resembling an hourglass, then they symbolize the World and the Anti-World. The point of contact of the triangles is the place of transition of these worlds into each other. On some towels, a line passes between the upper and lower triangles, which can be considered as a mirror, thanks to which the opposite worlds are a reflection of each other. Scientists have called this line the "Ring of the Great Radiance."
The second element is a six-pointed star. It is obtained when opposite triangles penetrate each other. The six-pointed star in this case is a flat projection of a three-dimensional octahedron - a star created by the interpenetration of two pyramids of a trihedral shape. Thus, the Spirit penetrates Matter, Harmony is established between them, and God's plans on Earth are fulfilled.
The third element is obtained if the triangles are placed with their bases facing each other. As a result, we will see a rhombus - the sign of the Sacred Tetrad. This sign symbolizes Matter.
The fourth element can be called a variation of the third element - a rhombus. It differs from a solid rhombus in that a belt of empty space remains between the bases of the triangles, they are, as it were, at a small distance from each other. Such a figure is called a "well" by the Podillia embroiderers. The well element symbolizes the connection between the physical, earthly, visible world and the subtle, heavenly, invisible world. Usually, a well is embroidered on towels next to the Tree.
Quite often found in Ukrainian ornaments are "chevrons" - signs that look like triangles, only without a base. Chevrons are similar to triangles in that they come in two types - with the top at the top and with the top at the bottom. The masculine, spiritual principle is represented by chevrons with the top at the top, and the feminine, material principle is indicated by chevrons with the top at the bottom. A chevron with a top pointing down is compared to a woman's womb, in which a new life is born and nurtured.
Rhombuses, like squares, are very common in the embroidery of geometric ornaments. These figures, which have four corners and faces, are symbols of everything material. A square rests on a face, so it is very stable. Such a sign symbolizes static matter. A rhombus, on the other hand, is unstable, because it rests on one of the vertices. A rhombus has the ability to rotate freely in both directions, so it personifies dynamic Matter. In Ukrainian symbolism, as in the symbolism of many peoples, the signs of a rhombus and a square mean the Earth, so they help people find material goods, prosperity, and a prosperous life.
The ancestors of Ukrainians were farmers, dependent on the harvest and fertility of the land. They revered the Earth and decorated towels, clothes and other household items with numerous squares and rhombuses - signs of the Earth. Often these signs were divided into four parts by an oblique or straight cross. This version of the sign symbolizes fertility. If there is a dot inside the rhombus or square, then such a sign symbolizes a sown field. This can be confirmed by female figurines found at the excavations of Trypillya. On the stomachs of the figurines are drawn rhombuses with a cross, and in the middle
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