It is impossible to imagine a traditional Ukrainian house without a towel. It plays an important role in the everyday life and rituals of the Ukrainian people. And now, when due attention is not paid to native traditions due to everyday worries, we definitely remember the towel if significant events in family life are coming up: weddings, christenings, housewarmings, Orthodox holidays, and so on. No event is complete without the main family amulet - the towel.
A towel looks like a long and not very wide piece of linen fabric, embroidered with rich ornaments along the edges. However, it is not used, like an ordinary towel, for household purposes. A towel is a work of folk art, the embodiment of national culture.
The main purpose of the towel is ceremonial. Ukrainian craftsmen embroidered separate towels for each significant ceremony, putting amulet symbols into the patterns and trying to make them as beautiful as possible. After fulfilling the ceremonial function, the towel decorated the interior of the house and served not only as a talisman, but also as a decorative element.
Scientists associate the origin of the word towel with the Old Slavonic word "rushk". Which comes from the verb "vality" that is, to break, destroy or tear something. From this it follows that a towel is a piece of matter torn from a common long cloth.
Our ancestors mastered weaving much earlier than metal knives, and even more so scissors, were invented and became widely available. Therefore, to create a towel, homemade fabric was simply torn across the canvas. The tear turned out to be even, because according to the weaving technology, the canvas consisted of equal longitudinal and transverse threads. The torn edges were not always sewn up, resulting in a beautiful fringe, which is still often used to decorate the transverse edges of towels.
You can’t confuse an ordinary towel with a ceremonial towel. Of course, the word “towel” sounds like the word “hands”, although it has a completely different interpretation. To wipe your hands after washing them, small pieces of fabric were used, which were called towels, hand towels, rags, and so on. These items either had modest embroidery or were not embroidered at all. The length of the towels was short so that it was convenient to wipe yourself. Often, pieces of old towels that had become unusable were used as rags, since every thing in the household was used to the end.
The ceremonial towel was the same width as a cloth woven on a home loom, that is, about 40 centimeters. The length was taken to be large - up to 5 meters. Its edges were embroidered with rich beautiful patterns, trimmed with ribbons, braid, and lace.
The bride's hard work and skill were judged by the towels. Young girls embroidered many towels for their dowry, because each wedding ceremony required its own towel, and several towels were needed as gifts for future relatives and matchmakers. Each towel was unique, had its own symbolic embroidery, corresponding to its ceremonial purpose.
Since ancient pagan times, towels have been used as amulets to protect the family and home from the evil eye, evil slander and curses. When decorating a home, towels are hung in holy corners, on icons, above doors and windows. The magical ornaments of towels are determined by the event for which it is embroidered, for example, a wedding, the birth of a child, a church holiday or a sad event - a long separation or death. The embroidered ornament determines the gender, age and status of the person for whom the towel was created. Knowledge has survived to this day that allows us to understand the symbolism of Ukrainian towel embroidery.
Secret signs of embroidered towels
In ancient times, representatives of all nations tried to obtain protection from misfortunes from their natural gods, turning to them with the help of signs that had a deep and voluminous meaning. Many southern peoples applied these signs directly to the skin, in the form of tattoos. In colder climates, signs were embroidered, woven and applied in the form of applications to clothes so that the gods could see them. Numerous ornaments, such as necklaces, bracelets, rings and others, also represented amulets, which later also acquired a decorative meaning. Perhaps that is why jewelry is worn more by women than by men, who, as stronger, need amulets less.
Over the long history, Slavic peoples have created a large number of signs that can be called a secret writing, an appeal to the gods of our ancestors. Scientists are engaged in deciphering them, because the true meaning of many ancient signs has been forgotten and lost. Although a couple of centuries ago, any experienced embroiderer could read each pattern and explain what meaning the ornament of an ancient towel or wedding clothes of the newlyweds carries. 
Some of the patterns were appeals to the gods with a request for a happy fate, a rich harvest, a good crop of livestock, a successful hunt. This was an expression of the urgent life problems that people encountered throughout their lives. However, numerous examples of towels show that the ancient Slavs had an inherent philosophical approach to understanding Nature and the system of the Universe. People depicted their idea of the world in the form of signs on special towels, which were kept in the family and passed down by inheritance.
Reflection of Slavic beliefs in towel embroidery
The interior decoration of Ukrainian and all Slavic homes was richly decorated with beautiful towels. Most of them were ceremonial towels, embroidered for a joyful family event, which served as both a reminder of the event and a family amulet. But a special place was occupied by the ancestral towel, a family heirloom, which is carefully preserved and passed down from older members of the family to younger ones. It was usually inherited by the eldest son, but in some localities such a towel went to the firstborn in the family, regardless of gender, or to the youngest, who remained in the family home and took care of the elderly parents. Such a towel could not be dedicated to something transient and fleeting, it was dedicated to the philosophical worldview of the ancient Slavs.
Studying ancient towels, one can imagine the general layout of the main signs used to convey people's ideas about the structure of the Universe. The sky was depicted on them in seven rows of ornaments, differing in shape, size and number of pattern symbols. Under the sky was an image of the Earth, separated from the sky by a small narrow strip.
In the uppermost, seventh heavenly row, there are patterns depicting birds. The Seventh Heaven is associated with paradise, so it is inhabited by fantastic birds of paradise, as well as cockerels, which symbolize happiness and with their bright plumage also resemble birds of paradise.
The sixth row, located below the seventh, is filled with stars that look like four-pointed snowflakes. They are usually small in size, but there are quite a lot of them. This ornament symbolizes the starry sky.
In the fifth row, three identical large patterns are embroidered, which are called by different names: Woman-Vase, Snake-legged Goddess, Rozhanitsya and others. The appearance of the pattern represents a stylized image of a female figure. There is an assumption that these three figures represent symbols of three Mothers: Makosh - the goddess of good luck, good harvest, luck, Mother - Earth in the image of a goddess and Lada - the Mother of all people. The ancient Slavs called a man's wife Lada. The goddess Lada protected women-wives who gave birth to children.
These Great Mothers complete the ranks of the upper heaven, which is separated from the lower heaven by a noticeable dividing line.
Immediately below the upper sky is the fourth row of ornaments, composed of three large octagonal rosettes, which in Slavic symbolism always meant the Sun. The three positions of the Sun in the row mean: morning sunrise, noon - midday, and evening sunset.
The third row of the sky is occupied by four rosettes, which have four petals. The rosettes are conventionally divided by lines into four equal parts. The repetition of the number "four" is noteworthy, as well as the smaller size of the signs compared to the "solar" signs. This symbol means the change of the four phases of the Moon, which is significantly inferior in size to the Sun. With such ornaments, needlewomen represented the cyclical nature of time on their towels.
The second celestial row is occupied by the Beregins. Their shape resembles female figures, although the ornament consists of flowering trees. The Beregins are depicted noticeably smaller in size than the figures of the three Mothers from the fifth row. The entire second celestial row looks like a round dance of five Beregins.
The first row symbolizes the boundary between Heaven and Earth - the "heavenly firmament." It is depicted as two horizontal lines and a horizontal wavy pattern, which signifies the moisture contained in the Heavens directly above the Earth.
Below the heavenly rows, a wide ornament is embroidered, which contains all the basic principles of the structure of earthly life. People are represented here by two conventional male figures, which combine large rosettes with plant and geometric signs, which show the features of nature and life of the Slavs.
In the center of the rosette, a rhombus was depicted, divided into four parts. A dot was embroidered inside each part of the rhombus. This rhombic pattern means a plowed fertile field. Large ears of wheat grow from it in all four directions, and between them cornflowers or carnations bloom. As is known, rye has large ears of wheat among cultivated cereal crops. Only the Slavs, unlike neighboring peoples, grew rye and baked rye bread, which was reflected in their ornaments. Other small elements that fill the general earthly ornament symbolized fertility, the continuation of the Slavic race, the masculine principle in nature and constant cyclical rebirth.
The composition of the towel embroidery contained the entire structure of the universe, as imagined by the ancient Slavs in pagan times. It included seven levels of heaven - three upper and four lower. The uppermost represent paradise, where three Goddesses - Mothers live. The lower levels are separated from the earth by the celestial firmament, which contains reserves of rainwater. They contain the luminaries and good spirits. People who are engaged in agriculture, characteristic of the Slavs, live on Earth.
The composition of ornaments and their interpretation are common to all towels. In Slavic embroideries, the influence of magic numbers is noticeable. For example, the number seven, which is especially often repeated in the creation of towels. Thus, the length of a towel is often determined as the width of its canvas multiplied by the number seven. Each edge of the towel is equally decorated with seven rows of ornaments. Small patterns in one row are repeated seven times. Large patterns are embroidered in smaller quantities, but consist of seven different elements.
All embroidery patterns are symbols that reflect various phenomena of life. To correctly compose a towel ornament that is appropriate for the ritual, you need to know the meaning of the symbolic patterns.
Mallow is a beautiful flower that represents girlhood, youth, and chastity.
The rooster symbolizes wealth, health, and happiness. It is usually embroidered in red tones.
Pigeons, larks, a rooster and a hen mean love, family, and a strong marriage.
Poppy - wealth, feminine beauty, summer flowering.
Periwinkle is associated with youth, dating, emotional attachment, and engagement.
Hop leaves and cones are embroidered for a comfortable life, fun, and hospitality.
The tree of life can mean many important phenomena for a person: family traditions, the connection of generations, the continuation and well-being of the family, family happiness, the triumph of goodness in life.
Sometimes wishes or instructive inscriptions are embroidered under the pattern.
Rhombuses are one of the most common elements of geometric ornaments. This is a very good protective symbol that brings people happiness. According to Old Slavic symbolism, rhombuses denote the earth, fertility. Due to the influence of this sign on fertility, rhombuses are present in large numbers in ceremonial embroidery of towels and clothes, especially women's. To decorate women's clothing, rhombuses were embroidered on headdresses, shoulder straps and chests. On men's clothing, rhombuses decorated shoulder straps, sleeves, sleeves and hem of an embroidered shirt.
The symbol of Water is usually present on the same ornament as the symbol of the Sun. These are the main signs that decorate any Slavic embroidery. They denote the main elements that created life on Earth, therefore they express the parental elements - the maternal water and the paternal solar. The solar sign is depicted as an eight-pointed rosette or flower, and the water sign is depicted as a wavy line or spiral, resembling a snake coiled in water.
The Mother symbol is denoted by an eight-pointed star surrounded by a floral garland, possibly stylized, which emphasizes the greatness of the Mother, glorifies her as the continuer of the family. The Mother symbol can look like a large flower of a fictional shape. Sometimes it is depicted as a female figure with her hands raised to the sky, symbolizing the blessing of people and the earth. This is the largest and most important ornament-symbol of embroidery, it is embroidered in the center of the entire composition. The remaining patterns complement and support the action of the Mother symbol.
The oak was considered a symbol of the pagan Slavic god Perun, embodying male energy, strength, and development. Men and young men who wore embroidered shirts with patterns depicting oak leaves received strength and energy from Perun himself.
Hops are among the youth motifs in embroidery. The winding pattern of a hop branch is similar to the sign of Water and a vine, so the symbol of hops also means youth, development, and love. It is used in wedding ornaments on clothes and towels.
Lilies symbolize girlish purity, innocence, and enchanting beauty. The lily ornament resembles a pair of birds, which serves as a symbol of fidelity and endless love. The pattern also includes a lily bud and leaves, creating a triplicity of manifestations of life: birth, development, and infinity. Dew drops above the flower symbolize fertilization. Moisture embodies feminine energy, so the lily is a feminine symbol.
Rose (rose) - everyone's favorite flower. Its name is consonant with the word Ra - the ancient name for the Sun, as well as the ancient Ukrainian word ruda, which means blood. The geometric pattern of small roses reflects the harmonious system of the Universe, where the roses are stars. The ornament with roses is made in the form of an endless repetition of the pattern, which means constant movement and renewal of life. The leaves symbolize the basis and infinity, the flower - prosperity, wealth, beauty, the bud - the birth of a child.
Kalina is a female symbol of beauty, loyalty, hope, life stability, strength, rebirth and health. As a sign of loyalty and love, girls gave a sprig of viburnum to their fiancé. The ancient Slavs called the Sun the word Kolo, from which viburnum got its name. This hardy, beautiful and generous tree with fruits is a symbol of the Ukrainian race. The red berries of viburnum resemble drops of blood, so they symbolize the immortality of the Ukrainian race. Wedding towels and embroidered shirts are always embroidered with many bright patterns with viburnum chains.
The nightingale and the nightingale are patterns for towels intended for girls and young men who were supposed to find a partner to start a family. Needlewomen often embroidered these birds sitting on a viburnum branch. This pattern symbolized the desire to continue their lineage, and girls embroidered it on towels for matchmaking. Patterns with these birds are not suitable for wedding towels, since the nightingale symbolizes a single guy, and the nightingale - an unmarried girl or a lonely widow.
Poppy protects people from the evil eye and curses, so its consecrated seeds were sprinkled on people and the entire yard with the farm and livestock. Poppy flowers with their delicate red petals symbolize the memory of the family of the fallen warriors. Girls embroidered shirts with patterns of red poppy flowers and wove poppy wreaths on their heads. This symbolized their memory of the family members who died in battle and served as a promise to continue the family.
A flowerpot or Bereginya is the main amulet of Ukrainians. In shape, the pattern resembles a flowerpot with a large flower or a tree with flowers. It may look like a figure of a woman, depicted in a stylized manner. These ornaments were embroidered with red threads, symbolizing the Sun and the Fire of purification. The purpose of these signs is an amulet, protective magic, purification and healing.
Grapes - family joys, the happiness of creating a family. A bunch of grapes represents a strong large family, in which the man is the support and the sower, and the woman is fertile and takes care of her family. Grapes symbolize wealth, hard work, peace and well-being of the family. This symbol is very popular in central and northern Ukraine.
The ordered geometric ornament of stars embroidered on the sleeves of the vyshyvanka represents the ancient Slavs' vision of the structure of the Universe, which has a harmonious structure.
Christian symbols in towel embroidery
After the adoption of Orthodoxy in Kievan Rus, the Ukrainian people began to complement their embroideries with Christian symbols.
The anchor symbolized Christian hope.
The Phoenix, due to its ability to rise from the ashes, has become a symbol of the resurrection of all people. The image of the Rooster, awakening people from eternal sleep, has the same meaning.
The peacock symbolizes immortality. It probably received this meaning based on the ancient belief that peacock meat does not rot. Peacocks were depicted in pairs on wedding towels. A wedding crown - a wreath - is embroidered above them. Peacocks, due to their bright feathers, are compared to a fairy-tale firebird, radiating solar life energy. It personifies family happiness.
The grapevine signified belonging to Christianity.
The fish is also a sign of a Christian. This symbol was a secret sign during the persecution of Christians, by which Christians could recognize each other.
Doves, falcons, cockerels, embroidered in pairs, with their heads facing each other, symbolize newlyweds in love. Often these birds hold viburnum berries in their beaks, which means procreation, or they sit at the base of the Tree of Life, which symbolizes a new family in wedding ornaments. In some localities it was customary to present unwanted suitors with a towel on which the birds are embroidered, facing away from each other.
The swallow is a good messenger of spring. Its purpose is to announce to people the arrival of a happy time when it is necessary to create a family and acquire a strong household.
Cross, rosette, circle - symbols of the masculine principle. Often depicted in the form of Perun's wheel - a sign of the solar deity, fire, male power, fertility. It can look like an eight-petaled flower - Perun's snowflake. It is sometimes identified with the rotating Sun.
Wreaths symbolize the life path that must continue, so the wreaths on wedding towels are not closed in a circle. A crown is embroidered above the wreath, symbolizing the wedding. In the center of the wreath, the first letters of the names of the bride and groom are embroidered, or the bride's and groom's sides are marked on the towel, embroidering the letter of the bride's or groom's name in the wreaths from two edges.
Knowing the meanings of symbols and the rules for their placement on a towel will help you embroider a unique, effective amulet towel that brings blessings and help to the person for whom you want to embroider it.
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