Symbols in the ornaments of various nations. Symbols of wooden decor, their meanings

Mezen painting is one of the most ancient Russian artistic crafts. Folk artists used it to decorate most household items that accompanied a person from birth to old age, bringing joy and beauty to life. It occupied a large place in the design of the facades and interiors of huts. Like most other folk crafts, this painting received its name from the area in which it originated. The Mezen River is located in Arkhangelsk region, between the two largest rivers Northern Europe, Northern Dvina and Pechora, on the border of taiga and tundra.

This painting was called Mezenskaya because its homeland is considered to be the village of Palashchelye, located on the banks of the Mezen River, which was first mentioned as a center for wood painting in 1906. Therefore, in encyclopedias and various books on fine arts you can find the second name of Mezen painting - Palashchelskaya. In Mezen itself they did not do painting.

First of all, Mezen painting is its own original ornament. This ornament attracts and fascinates, despite its apparent simplicity. And objects painted with Mezen painting seem to glow from within, exuding the goodness and wisdom of their ancestors. Every detail of the Mezen painting ornament is deeply symbolic. Every square and diamond, leaf and twig, animal or bird are exactly in the place where they should be in order to tell us the story of the forest, wind, earth and sky, the thoughts of the artist and the ancient images of the northern Slavs.

Symbols of animals, birds, fertility, harvest, fire, sky, and other elements come from rock paintings and are a type of ancient writing that conveys the traditions of the peoples of the North of Russia. So, for example, the image of a horse, in the tradition of the peoples who have inhabited this area since ancient times, symbolizes the sunrise, and the image of a duck is the order of things; it carries the sun into the underwater world until dawn and stores it there.

Traditionally, objects painted with Mezen painting have only two colors - red and black (soot and ocher, later red lead). The painting was applied to unprimed wood with a special wooden stick (vice), a capercaillie or black grouse feather, or a human hair brush. Then the product dried, which gave it a golden color. At present, in general, the technology and technique of Mezen painting have been preserved, with the exception that brushes have begun to be used more often.

The origins of the symbols of Mezen painting primarily lie in the mythological worldview of the peoples of the ancient north. For example, the frequent occurrence of multi-tiered structures indicates adherence to the shamanic tradition. Three tiers - three worlds (lower, middle and upper or underground, above-ground and heavenly). This is the basis of the shamanic worldview of many peoples of the north. In the Mezen painting, the lower and middle tiers are filled with deer and horses. The top tier is birds. The rows of black and red horses in tiers may also signify the worlds of the dead and the living. Placed around horses and deer are numerous solar signs emphasize their unearthly origin. The image of a horse among the peoples of the Russian north is also a talisman (a horse on the roof), as well as a symbol of the sun, fertility, and a source of life's blessings.

The tiers are separated by horizontal stripes filled with a repeating pattern. Elements of such patterns, as well as some other frequently occurring elements of Mezen painting, are shown in the figures below.

Earth. A straight line can mean both the heavenly and the earthly firmament, but do not be confused by this ambiguity. By their location in the composition (top - bottom), you can always correctly determine their meaning. In many myths about the creation of the world, the first man was created from the dust of the earth, dirt, and clay. Motherhood and protection, a symbol of fertility and daily bread - this is what the earth is for humans. Graphically, the earth is often depicted as a square.

Water. The celestial design is no less interesting. Heavenly waters are stored in hanging clouds or spilled onto the earth in oblique rains, and the rains can be accompanied by wind or hail. Ornaments in an oblique stripe most of all reflect such pictures of natural phenomena.

Wavy lines of the water element are present in abundance in Mezen ornaments. They certainly accompany all straight lines of ornaments, and are also permanent attributes of waterfowl.

Wind, air. Numerous short strokes scattered in Mezen painting on ornaments or next to the main characters most likely mean air, wind - one of the primary elements of nature. A poetic image of a revived spirit, whose influence can be seen and heard, but which itself remains invisible. Wind, air and breath are closely related in mystical symbolism. Genesis begins with the Spirit of God. He flew like the wind over the abyss before the creation of the world.

Besides the spiritual aspect of this symbol, specific winds are often interpreted as violent and unpredictable forces. Demons were believed to fly on fierce winds that carried evil and disease. Like any other element, the wind can cause destruction, but people also need it as a powerful creative power. It’s not for nothing that Mezen masters love to depict harnessed elements. Their wind strokes are often “strung” on crossed straight lines, which is very similar to windmill(“Caught in the wind,” say the children).

Fire. Divine energy, purification, revelation, transformation, inspiration, ambition, temptation, passion, is a strong and active element, symbolizing both creative and destructive forces. The ancients considered fire to be a living being that feeds, grows, dies, and then is born again - signs that suggest that fire is the earthly embodiment of the sun, so it shared much of the solar symbolism. In pictorial terms, everything that tends to a circle reminds us of the sun and fire. According to Academician B. Rybakov, the spiral motif arose in the mythology of agricultural tribes as a symbolic movement of the sun across the vault of heaven. In Mezen painting, spirals are scattered everywhere: they are enclosed within the framework of numerous ornaments and curl in abundance around celestial horses and deer.

The spiral itself carries other symbolic meanings. Spiral shapes are found very often in nature, from galaxies to whirlpools and tornadoes, from mollusk shells to patterns on human fingers. In art, the spiral is one of the most common decorative patterns. The ambiguity of symbols in spiral patterns is great, and their use is more involuntary than conscious. Compressed coil spring - symbol hidden power, a ball of energy. The spiral, combining the shape of a circle and the momentum of movement, is also a symbol of time, the cyclical rhythms of the seasons. Double spirals symbolize the balance of opposites, harmony (like the Taoist yin-yang sign). The opposing forces, clearly present in whirlpools, tornadoes and flames, are reminiscent of the ascending, descending or rotating energy (“whirlpool”) that governs the Cosmos. The ascending spiral is a masculine sign, the descending spiral is a feminine sign, which makes the double spiral also a symbol of fertility and childbirth.

The ancient signs of fertility are interesting and beautiful - symbols of abundance.

Wherever they were placed, and everywhere they were in place! If you hang a zhikovina (keyhole cover) of this shape on the door of a barn, it means wishing it to be full of goodness. If you draw a sign of abundance on the bottom of a spoon, it means wishing that there would never be hunger. If the hem of the wedding shirt is to wish the newlyweds a large, full family. The sign of fertility can be found on ancient cult figurines depicting young pregnant women, which was placed where the child of the expectant mother is. Almost all Mezen ornaments are in one way or another connected with the theme of fertility and abundance. They depict plowed fields, seeds, roots, flowers, and fruits in abundance and variety. The ornament can be built in two rows and then the elements in it are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. An important symbol was the diamond, endowed with many meanings. Most often, a rhombus was a symbol of fertility, the rebirth of life, and a chain of rhombuses meant the family tree of life. On one of the Mezen spinning wheels we were able to see a half-erased image of just such a unique tree.

Straight check patterns
Geometric patterns have become widespread in folk art. It can be found especially often among weavers and embroiderers. The basis of the ornament is made up of rhombuses, squares, crosses and swastika images. The diamond-dot pattern is a symbol of fertility among agricultural peoples.

Simple elements
Not a single painting is complete without depicting all kinds of zigzag and spiral shapes. They are especially common when depicting the world tree, or “tree of life.” Researchers believe that spirals and zigzags are nothing more than the image of snakes, which are always present in such scenes.

Patterns in oblique cage

The motif of a bird bringing good news or a gift is widespread in folk art. A bird on the top of a tree can often be found on Mezen birch bark trees. The bird is perhaps the most favorite motif folk craftsmen. In addition, it is the custom of northern peasants to hang wooden birds made from chips in the red corner of the hut. This is a relic of the same motif - “a bird on a tree”, since the revered tree was associated with the red corner of the house.

Quite often found on Mezen spinning wheels is the image of several trees or a single standing tree, often ate. Of particular interest is the composition of three trees: two identical trees are located symmetrically with respect to the central tree, which stands out relatively large size. That similar plot is not accidental on Mezen spinning wheels, evidenced by the fact that the same plot takes place in the painting of antique furniture in Mezen houses.

Among the most common and favorite images, most often depicted by Mezen masters, are images of horses and deer. The horses of the Mezen paintings, to a greater extent than the images of horses in other peasant paintings, are distant from real prototype. Most of them had a red-orange color, which, as is known, is unusual for horses. The body of a black horse was often covered with a continuous lattice pattern, further emphasizing it unusual origin. The unnaturally long and thin legs of the horses ended at the ends with the image of feathers, similar to those drawn on birds.

Often the horses were depicted not following each other, but opposing each other. Sometimes riders fighting each other were depicted on rearing horses. The fact that the horses depicted on the spinning wheels are of unearthly origin is also evidenced by the numerous solar signs placed by the draftsmen above the manes and near the legs of the horses.

The images of animal figures are very similar to each other. The only difference between deer and horses is that instead of a mane, branched antlers are drawn behind their backs with the same black strokes. Children copy the proposed image of a deer or horse. Each subsequent image of the animal differs from the previous one by the appearance of additional details.

Woman with raised palms: Makosh, with lowered: Lada.

Most often they are depicted with deer on their sides. These goddesses were identified with two northern constellations - Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. As you know, in Rus' these constellations were previously called Losin.

LIVING CREATURES

1) Bull is the sign of Veles.

2) The wolf is the sign of Yarila.

3) Raven - a sign of wisdom and death, Veles.

4) Tree - a sign of life and fertility; or - the Universe (World Tree).

5) The serpent is a sign of Earth, wisdom, Veles. Connected with the Lower World.

6) Horse is a sign of the Sun, Solar Gods.

7) Swan is a sign of Mary, death, winter.

8) Bear is a sign of Veles.

9) Reindeer (important) or elk - a sign of the Goddesses of Fertility (Rozhanits).

10) Eagle - sign of Thunder, Perun.

11) Rooster is the sign of Fire, Aguni.

12) Falcon is a sign of Fire, Aguni. There is an opinion that the “trident” (the coat of arms of the Rurikovichs and modern Ukraine) is a stylized image of a falcon in flight.

13) Cuckoo - a sign of life, Alive.

14) The goat is a sign of fertility, fertility.

15) The pig is a sign of fertility, abundance.

SIGNS

1) A wavy line is a sign of Water. Rain is depicted by vertical lines, rivers, underground waters - by horizontal lines, "heavenly abysses" - by horizontal lines.

2) Gromovnik (six-pointed cross in a circle or hexagon). Sign of Thunder (and Perun). Used as a talisman against lightning; is also a military amulet.

3) A square (or rhombus) divided by a cross into four parts - (plowed field). If there are dots inside, the field is sown. These are signs of Earth and fertility.

4) Kolokres (cross in a circle). The sign of the Sun, a barrier and aversion to evil, a sign of closure.

5) Krada (“lattice”) is a sign of Fire. Krada is a sacrificial or funeral pyre.

6) Cross (equilateral cross: straight or oblique) - a sign of Fire (and the God of Fire - Aguni).

7) Month - Sign of the moon, month. The “lunar” pendants are known.

8) A cockscomb with seven protrusions is a sign of Fire.

9) Horn of plenty. A sign of wealth, abundance.

10) Yarga (swastika). Otherwise, it's a whirlwind. There are a huge number of style options. Yarga is the sign of the Sun (and, accordingly, the Sun Gods: Khorsa, Dazhdbog, etc.).

Based on the direction of rotation (salt/anti-salt), the sign of the light Sun (sun of Yavi) and the sign of the dark Sun (sun of Navi) are distinguished.

The Sun of Reveal is a beneficial, creative Power; The Sun Navi is a destructive Force. According to Slavic myths, after sunset the Sun illuminated the Underground (Nav), hence the name.

We know that the Sun is not under the Earth at night, but it is difficult to doubt that the Sun has a destructive aspect... There are two interpretations for determining the direction of rotation of a sign; the traditional one, as far as I know, is this: the ends of the rays are bent against the direction of rotation.

11) A tree (most often a Christmas tree) is a symbol of the interconnection of everything in the world, a symbol of long life.

12) Spiral - a symbol of wisdom; if the color scheme is blue-violet - secret knowledge. The most powerful aversive sign for all dark entities of the shadow world - if the color is red, white or black.

13) Triangle is a symbol of man; especially if accompanied by small dots or circles on the apex side. Symbol of human communication.

Even 100 years ago, while studying embroidery, V. Stasov noted: “among the peoples of the old world, the ornament never contained a single extra line, each stripe had its own specific meaning here...

This is a complex language, a consistent melody that had its main reason and is intended not only for the eyes, but also for the mind and feelings." This is an invaluable amulet that has been passed down from generation to generation.

A little about the technique of embroidering Slavic ritual clothing.

The meaning of the main symbols of Slavic ritual embroidery, the principle of transmitting positive energy through embroidery.

In ancient times, only girls embroidered clothes, since they could not do anything in the field. The earth, as a manifestation of feminine energy, was supposed to be cultivated only by women with children.

It was believed that seeds sown by a girl simply would not germinate, since she did not yet have the power of fertilization.

In Slavic families, girls sewed and embroidered, old women cooked and looked after children, and mothers worked in the fields and did other housework.

A girl preparing for marriage had to embroider wedding towels, holiday towels, and shirts. By the time of her marriage, she had already prepared clothes for the whole family.

Shirts, embroidered by caring hands, were passed on by inheritance, first to children, then to grandchildren. Such clothes served as a talisman for the whole family.

Girls were taught to embroider starting from the age of three, thereby instilling patience, diligence, perseverance and understanding of family symbols.

Correct embroidery requires the absence of tangled threads and knots on the reverse side, that is, correct embroidery should be harmonious.

The front side of the embroidery symbolizes a harmonious world, and the back side symbolizes our attitude to this world. Clothes with knots are allowed to be worn only by ignorant people who do not believe in the sacred meaning of embroidered clothing, this is the varna of workers, for them spirituality does not matter, they realize the energy of the lower chakras.

The main technique for embroidering ritual clothing is the cross, which symbolizes vital energy, protection, and connection with the world of ancestors. The cross stitch technique includes embroidery with alatyrs, that is, a double cross, and perunichs, that is, a thin cross.

Clothing for warriors and hunters is embroidered with a double cross, designed to protect a man in extreme situations.

Embroidery is a kind of structured matrix, a reflection of the Universe and its divine images.

The Goddess Makosh or Earth is embroidered in the form of a square, rhombus or rectangle. The rhombus is also a symbol of family, one's home, one's ancestors. Unlike a man, for whom the whole world is his field of activity, a woman’s field of activity is her home, which she must fill with energy.

The element of air was conveyed in the embroidery by tick-birds flying away to warmer lands, just as our ancestors fly away to Iriy, in order to then incarnate again and return to their family.

The element water was depicted by meanders, wavy lines, broken lines, both horizontal and vertical. Horizontal lines meant earthly water, which in legends and myths was called the Smorodinka River. The Smorodinka River separates the world of Navi and the world of Yavi.

Vertical lines are a symbol of the flows of divine energy descending to the earth.

Fire is a symbol of light, warmth, life. There is an internal and external manifestation of the element of fire. The internal manifestation of the element of fire is fire in the hearth, the external manifestation of the element of fire is the sun.

The element of fire is a symbol of life, light, warmth. There is an internal and external manifestation of fire. The inner is the fire of the hearth. The external is the sun. Our ancestors considered the circle to be a symbol of the sun. The sun of Trypillian culture is a spiral twisted in a circle.

Solar energy was also symbolized by a cruciform Kolovrat and an equilateral cross, showing the sun in its manifestations: summer and winter solstices, autumn and spring equinoxes. Another meaning of Kolovrat is a symbolic display of the solar system and galaxy.

Our ancestors used the spiral symbol not only in embroidery, but also in the construction of dwellings, which were usually located in a circle. In the center of this circle there was a temple where people gathered for various celebrations and veneration of gods and ancestors. In this case, the spiral symbolized the unification of the people into a single whole.

The main patterns that are used in traditional Slavic embroidery: meanders, geometric patterns, floral patterns, zoomorphic patterns, anthropomorphic patterns.

The main motifs of embroidered towels and clothing: alatyr - an eight-petalled star that brings love, peace and harmony to the house; bereginya - a woman with her hands lowered or raised, symbolizing female wisdom and motherhood. Bereginya is a symbol of Mother Earth Mokosha and her daughter Lada.

A few more plant motifs that our great-grandmothers used to embroider women’s clothing: grapes - a symbol of connection with the ancestors of the family, a symbol of fertility; a rose that reveals feminine charm and attractiveness; viburnum is a symbol of girlish purity, health and happiness.

Oak embroidered on men's clothing symbolized masculinity, fortitude, honor and courage.

A knowledgeable woman can heal with the help of embroidery by passing divine energy through herself while embroidering. The canvas on which the embroidery is applied symbolizes the world of Reveal, the embroidery itself is information emanating from the world of Pravi, which the embroiderer receives from her gods and ancestors.

The thread is literally the thread of fate; if it gets tangled, then this indicates the confusion of the embroiderer’s thoughts, that she needs to cleanse herself before embroidering further.

The needle is like a magic wand that makes all wishes come true. While holding the needle, the embroiderer brings all her fingers together, concentrating the energy at the tip of the needle. All this is the magic of embroidery.

Before you start working with ritual embroidery, the needle must be spoken. Putting the needle on your hand and covering it with your other hand, we call upon the Living Mother and the Light of the Most High Family.

Feeling the flow of energy passing through the top of the head and the warmth spreading throughout the body, we merge with the needle into a single whole, only after that it will become a magic wand, a conductor of divine energy.

To enhance the healing energy of embroidery, it is recommended that while working on a thing, imagine the image that we want to embody, the image that we want to put into a structured embroidery matrix. During embroidery, the memory of the family awakens, the memory of past incarnations.

A spell that is used to charm a needle: I spell my needle - for health, for joy. May my thoughts come true, may all those images in life come true. Let it be so forever and ever, like the eternal stone Alatyr.

An embroiderer of ritual clothing must have a set of enchanted needles; she has no right to pass them on even to her daughters. It is best to store the needles in a piece of clean white cloth, which cleans the needles and removes negative information.

You cannot use a hoop to embroider ritual clothing and towels, since neither good nor bad can penetrate the circle, that is, the energy of Zhiva ceases to nourish the images that are embroidered inside the circle.

In addition, the movement of the needle from top to bottom symbolizes the world of Navi, and this changes the whole meaning of ritual embroidery.

The cross stitch technique has its own principles: we begin to embroider to the left, laying the left-sided feminine energy. Returning to the right, we lay down the male image.

The magic of Slavic embroidery works regardless of whether a person believes in it or not, since all the images used in embroidery were laid down by generations of women who know the secrets of transmitting positive energy.

Knowledge is most often hidden in symbols, images, numbers, notes, letters, patterns. Speech, song, rituals, embroidery, carving are woven from signs and images. Not everyone can know their deeper meaning, but the feeling of harmony, proportion and beauty through creativity is the right steps towards the truth. And anyone can master this.

Solar embroidery, "Deer with the tree of life", - Nevreva Klavdiya Petrovna

Symbolism is a legacy of human history, when people began to express their thoughts, their perception of the world through conventional signs. The study of ancient cult symbolism reveals spiritual world human societies in the preliterate era. Similar cult symbols and ornamental motifs are widespread. Quite often similar or even identical elements are found among related and unrelated peoples.

Mass migrations of people contributed to the spread of ideas and experience. But sometimes a small tribe of aliens transmitted rich information to the population. Therefore, the migration of spiritual cultural phenomena: language, myths, rituals, religion occurred on a larger scale than the migration of people. It is difficult to trace the history of symbolism. Is this because the images were made from non-durable materials? bark, leather, wood, clay. Most examples of ancient symbolism have come to us from 2-1 thousand BC. e., when there was already a shift away from the use of symbols and they began to be used as an ornament or as sacred signs fixed by custom.

Ancient symbolism is a layering of motifs dating back to different eras, and an interweaving of plots of various ethnocultural origins. Difficult to install chronological sequence and geographical routes of their distribution. And yet, in the exhibits and traditions that have reached us, along with the general picture of the world, there are their own original shades. There are great similarities in the patterns of the East Slavic and Finno-Ugric peoples.

Symbols, signs, ornaments - an amazing book about the life and beliefs of our distant ancestors, the pages of which for the most part lost. And, apparently, what was left was what should have remained, what is eternal.

Ornament is the language of thousands of years; it is older than all works of art. Academician B.A. Rybakov said this about it: “Looking at intricate patterns, we rarely think about their symbolism, we rarely look for meaning. It often seems to us that there is no more thoughtless, light and meaningless area of ​​art than ornament. Meanwhile in folk ornament how in ancient writings the thousand-year-old wisdom of the people, the beginnings of their worldview and the first attempts of man to influence the mysterious forces of nature were deposited.”

Our material world is currently decorated with both plant and plot ornaments, but the most ancient ornament is geometric.

Rosettes of various types are a favorite ornament in architectural decoration and applied art. The disk served to designate the sun in the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Asia Minor, and Mesopotamia, although it must be borne in mind that in the Bronze Age, a circle, disk and rosette could mean the sky. B. Rybakov believes that the sign in the form of a six-pointed rosette ^ was the result of a combination of a circle, supposedly symbolizing the sun, and a snowflake pattern, supposedly symbolizing the sky. Both the Slavs and Dagestanis depicted a six-petalled rosette on salt shakers, and salt is a product associated with the sun. The rosette wheel is almost always depicted on a spinning wheel.

The Rig Veda says that the sun “rolls like a wheel.” The sun is compared to a wheel in Slavic, Polish and Lithuanian songs. Such a sign can be found on an old boat, cart, chariot, on anything that moves. All European nations with Slavic influence retain the tradition of lighting wheels on Ivan Kupala and launching them from the mountain into the river as a symbol of the fading sun from this day.

A wheel with teeth and a cross signifies the sky, rain clouds and the sun. In the Rig Veda the sun is called the divine eye, in the mythology of the ancient Greeks the sun was represented as the eye of Zeus, among the ancient Germans - Odin, among the ancient Egyptians the sun and moon were represented by the eyes of Horus, among the Romans - by the eyes of Jupiter. But they are all connected with the concept of “luminary-eye”. In this case, the luminary was designated by a circle with a dot and a small circle inside.

Our ancestors felt two principles in the sun - male and female. Feminine is indicated by a circle, masculine by a square or triangle (which is rare).

Spinning wheels with the image of the Universe - the Earth and the Firmament (“white light”)

Sometimes the sun is depicted using a spiral - the movement of the sun across the sky.

Zigzags and streaks can often be a symbol of heavenly water if there is a cross among them

In Ancient Rus', fire was called Svarozhich, and the sun was called the son of Svarog, that is, fire and the sun had the same epithets. The fires lit at the summer and winter solstice festivals symbolize the heavenly fire-sun. This is also confirmed by the fact that there were customs of lighting a wheel at the top of a pole or rolling it down a hill while burning. Ritual fires were lit not only on holidays, but during any disaster in order to appease God, who was embodied in fire and was considered the source of these disasters. In this case, it was necessary that nine different types of wood burn in the ritual fire and that 9 people participate, and the number “9” was associated with the god of the underworld. On These examples show that fire can be the personification of the sun, god, and the underground ruler. The burning of a wheel on a pole is the connection of heaven and earth with fire.

The geometric figures that make up the simplest patterns once carried a great meaning, personifying the forces of nature and being security signs. They decorated all household items, clothing and the house itself.

In diamonds, crosses, squares, and dots, repeatability is observed primarily in certain numbers. Counting and rhythm help to feel and explain the structure of the world. Numbers are elements of a special numerical code with the help of which the whole world and a person can be represented, that is, numbers can be one of the images of the world. These numbers are: 3 - the image of the Absolute, the divine Trinity, three spheres of living space (heaven, earth, underworld), time (past, present, future). The number 4 is an image of integrity, an ideally stable structure: 4 cardinal directions, 4 elements, top-bottom-right-left, 4 seasons. 5 -sacred number- 4 sides + center - balance. The symbol of harmony has become the number 7. Through it, humanity is given 7 colors of the spectrum, 7 notes in music, 7 days in the week. From the product of numbers 3 and 4, the number 12 arises - 12 months, 12 zodiac constellations. Accordingly, all these numbers, and not only in the ornament, are considered lucky.

The number of teeth, diamonds, and crosses was necessarily associated with this row magic numbers or multiples thereof.

The laws of space, the mutual influence of the elements and their connection with man are also reflected in the ornament. Moreover, more often the elements are depicted in their correct combination: fire - air, earth - water. Earthly images were placed below, heavenly ones above. The laws were also reflected in the observance of color (in embroidery, painting). There were no fictitious and unnatural shades, only the colors of nature, and their arrangement in folk costume corresponded to the trinity of the world (the bottom from the earth is darker, and the higher, the brighter the color).

The cross is often found in Slavic arts and crafts. A straight equal-pointed cross is an image of the sun. The terminal cross is associated with earthly fire, which was represented as a type of heavenly fire. If cross-shaped patterns in the center of a circle and square can also mean the illuminated four cardinal directions, then the swastika 4-6-8-1 2rays is always a sign of the rotating sun. And they still call it a bracelet. Kolovorot is an ancient Slavic sign of the sun. Considered a talisman against everyone dark forces. The word “kolo” in Russian means “circle”, “wheel”, “svorot” - rotation. The equilateral cross is a sign of justice, goodness, balance. More often it is depicted with tips rotating to the right - this is a sign of active, real justice.

In the design of Russian fairy tales we can often see a symbolic dome - this is a diagram of the sky. Ancestors imagined the sky as a transparent dome, and life underneath it. In domes, as a rule, the letter “ZH”, called in Slavic alphabet“lives” - “life”. The letter is composed of plant weaves, also symbolizing endless life. In the arches you can see scenes from the lives of gods and people, scenes of sacrifices. In the diagram we see Simargl (Semargl).Semargl from the word “seed”. They portrayed him winged dog, protecting crops and seeds. Semargl was also the personification of “armed good,” fiery, always ready to protect peaceful fields. Later, the archaic Simargl began to be called Pereplut. It was associated with the roots of plants and was closely related to the theme of water - mermaids. Under the domes, mermaids were also depicted - winged maidens, at that time they were deities of irrigation of fields, rains or humid morning fogs

Knot weaves are often found in Russian ornaments and the design of capital - red letters. Other peoples depicted the dome of the sky in the form of a circle, with waves or a cross - the sun and rain clouds.

The patterns of the water element are recognizable and varied. Ancient ornament water is geometric, this is a time when people did not know how to draw smooth lines. They especially liked to decorate bowls for water, drinking, wine, and sacrificial bowls with this design. The “running wave” of different inclinations looks rhythmic and especially beautiful. The patterns on the bowls can also be free (Trypillian bowls). The snake theme is also a favorite. Among the Slavs, the snake is a symbol of the first water, spring, and warmth. Seasonal calendars often reflect the image of snakes. Snake means spring, summer, rain. Consider some more examples of water-themed symbolism.

Single, double and triple clouds carrying heavenly moisture were depicted with and without rain. In carvings, such patterns are usually called “heavenly abysses.” Rain clouds also look like a woman’s breasts, because rain was considered heavenly milk, feeding the earth.

All patterns are dominated by the theme of the fertility of the earth. First of all, these are images of Women in Birth, giving harvests and benefits. The bottom of such an image is usually decorated with a seed or sprout.

Among the ancient Slavs, the rhombus was revered as a universal symbol of fertility and childbearing, i.e. a symbol of the feminine principle in nature, inextricably linked with ideas about the Mother-Progenitor, who was also thought of as Mother Nature. In geometric designs, this is embodied in a diamond shape with hooks on the top and bottom vertices. Women simply call it “frog” or “diamond frog.”

With the transition of the Nomadic tribes to sedentary life, pens-sheds, fenced with poles, and log houses appeared. It was done greatest discovery— the principle of the fourfold nature of time and space (four cardinal directions, four seasons) was discovered. Hence, the ancients associated the rhombus with ideas about the cyclical nature of time, when a person was already aware of the beginning and end of a period; He was also aware of the basic principles of the daily movement of the sun - sunrise, zenith, sunset. As in nature, in human life there are successively periods of birth, flourishing, maturity, withering - old age. Generation succeeded generation, just as nature blossomed and died from year to year.

But the cycle that people live through during their “age” was experienced by nature before their eyes several dozen times. Therefore, the ancient farmers saw in nature only a regular repetition. Not change, not disappearance, but repetition was the determining motive of their consciousness and behavior. And this is conveyed in the image of a rhombus with hooks on the tops.

B. Rybakov, who writes: “Ancient people saw the ubiquitous bone images of female ancestors covered with a rhombic pattern of natural origin, inherent in the very structure of the tusk from which the sacred figurine was carved.

Because of this, the rhombic pattern united two important concepts in the eyes of the primitive hunter: the mammoth (the source of life, satiety, prosperity) and the sacred image of a woman (a symbol of fertility, continuation of life, account of kinship). The rhombus and the rhombic meander themselves became symbols of vitality and prosperity, the first ideogram of Life and Good in the history of human thought.”

On the other hand, for the farmer, the 4 cardinal directions were associated with the sides of his rectangular dwelling. It is known that in the hut the logs in the log house were stacked with the remainder; this remainder looked like a spear, a fork. The Russians even have a riddle: “On the outside there is a horn, on the inside there is a kamola” (izba). With the laying of the first crown, the space was ordered, its isolation and impenetrability to external, evil forces was ensured, chaos was transformed into space (that is, order). It is noteworthy that even when the hut was cut down without a trace, the first crown, on the ground, was always horned. Apparently, the close proximity to the “underworld”, the “house of the dead” required ensuring security from such a neighborhood, from the possible evil “intrigues” of the “inhabitants of the underworld”. Moreover, the earth was given the remains of enemies killed in battles during raids, and the ancient Slavs burned their relatives on a funeral pyre. Timber-type burials are also known. From here it is clear why the presented motifs of a rhombus with sides extended at the corners, with a marked middle, called a “rhombus-burdock” (also known as a “small lattice”), symbolized a log house, an enclosed space with a hearth or altar - the habitat of the ancestors.

And a rhombus of a different configuration of three pairs of intersecting lines is a funeral or sacrificial pyre, which was a sign of the sacred rite during the burning - according to ancient people, during this ritual contact with ancestors is established.

A diamond with dots is a sign of a sown field. You can often see crosses at the ends. This is a typical four-part scheme for distributing benefits in 4 directions.

Very often in geometric woven ornaments there is a hand (palm) motif. This motif played a big role in the art of the ancients of many peoples. The palm - the hand - was synonymous with the brush (bundle) of plants, which was relevant for the consciousness of early farmers. From Russian subject embroideries, the female figure is well known, often depicted with enlarged palms and with a head - a radiant rhombus, with solar rosettes in the middle of the figure. Academician B.A. Rybakov associates the weekly holiday of light - Sunday - with the embroidered goddess. This goddess could be only the Great Goddess, and such a title was preserved in Russian folklore for Lada.

Lada was revered as the goddess of marriage, marriage, fun, consolation and all well-being. She, Lada, is still called in many traditional rites, songs are sung, and she is hit with hands on hands or on a table. Apparently, by clapping their palms (palm - Lada) or hitting the table with their palms, the pagans thereby “established” a connection with the deity and asked her for a cheerful, blissful life. And the image of crossed palms on towel patterns are signs this deity.

Snake pattern. Bowls of Trypillian culture

The land, in the sense of a plot that produces a crop, was represented in the form of squares, rectangles, covered with a thick mesh, i.e. sown. Grains were placed between strips of earth and water. main topic Earth, fertility, childbearing prevail in the Russian pattern. The image of the Earth is a favorite in embroidery.

TREE. The image of a sacred tree is found among all peoples of the world. In one of the Russian fairy tales, the hero climbs a tree to the sky. Siberian shamans placed a tree at a ritual site and performed actions near it. On the Christian holiday of the Ascension of Christ, Russians baked small ladders from dough and imagined that one could ascend to heaven using wood or stairs. The Bible calls the sacred tree the “Tree of Life”, and it is said that it is located “in the middle of the garden”, under the clouds) which means the center of the world. In the hymns of the Rig Veda and Edda, a snake lives between the roots of a tree. The roots of the Tree go into unknown depths, and its top reaches into the sky. The snake is a symbol of time, spiral movement and repetition, wisdom and caution, and it all starts from the roots of a person, a nation, humanity. Therefore, you can find an image of a Tree entwined with a Serpent.

In the most ancient dwellings of the Slavs there was always a tree-pillar holding up the roof. The tree-pillar symbolized a woman; the ancients always believed that a house, a dwelling rests on a woman. The pillar supports the roof of the house, like the world tree supports the firmament. The world tree is the support of the universe, a pillar supporting the sky.

Plant motifs predominate in wooden carvings and embroidery of the South Slavs. Endless sprouts of sacred herbs and flowers are shown in the process of germination and flowering. Sprouts are depicted, as a rule, as strong, strong, and are guarded either by a lion or by a bird of Syria, since only they are trusted to guard the infinity of life. Is the plant world an image of reality, manifested life, sprouts and flowers? symbol of earthly life. The images of plants are different, it depends on which plants are considered pure and sacred in a given area. In the south - rose, periwinkle, in the middle zone - cornflower, fern, in the north - coniferous branches, bathing suit.

Deities with a spiral, sitting astride a wolf, were found on the territory of Russia, the Kama region. The images of the wolf and snake were the embodiment of the demons of the underworld. A labyrinth is a trap, along which you need to find a way out. But the labyrinth is also considered a home, a fortress. For many peoples, the labyrinth also reflects the sky. The floor in many temples is made like a labyrinth. Is gender earth? reflects the sky. Both Heaven and the Underworld, where everything is subject to eternal movement, repetition through the lives and destinies of people, were presented to the ancestors in the scheme of a labyrinth.

“Spiral codes were passed on from generation to generation, from people to people, from worldview to worldview, from religion to religion. Spiral is one of the ancient symbols Universe. And space itself is dotted and permeated with spirals-galaxies, vacuum quantum vortices. According to the torsion theory, the Universe as a supercomputer forms with the human brain a kind of biocomputer that works in accordance with torsion laws, that is, according to the principles of the same twisted spiral. 0

History of costume and armor

Traditional symbolism in Slavic embroidery and amulets

Ancient images in folk art. A fairytale bird, a proud horse, a female figure, a strange tree, radiant circles... Who and when came up with these images, passed on from century to century? What did they mean?

Even our distant ancestors decorated their products with simple ornaments. Man tried to figure out how the world works, to find an explanation for the incomprehensible, mysterious, mysterious. He sought to attract the good forces of nature to himself and protect himself from the evil ones, and he did this with the help of his art. Man expressed his concepts of the world using conventional signs: a straight horizontal line denoted earth, a wavy horizontal line denoted water, a vertical line turned into rain; fire and the sun were depicted with a cross. The pattern was built from these elements and their combinations.

The ancient farmer endowed natural phenomena actions, feelings inherent in living beings, putting them in the form of birds, animals, fantastic creatures. In this way, a person expressed his ideas about the world in images. Centuries passed - Russian embroidery did not disappear, passing from generation to generation.

The sun has long been revered by all agricultural peoples. “It is not the earth that gives birth, but the sky,” says the Russian proverb. How elegant and festive the objects of peasant life look, decorated with solar circles - symbols of the sun! The image of the sun occupies one of the main places in home decoration. The sun in the form of round rosettes, rhombuses, horses can be found in different types folk art.

The Russian peasant has lived off the land since ancient times. He associated the earth and its fertility with the image of the mother. Female figure- this is a deity who expressed ideas about the earth that will give birth, and about the woman who continues the family. This image is called by different names: the great goddess of the earth, fertility, the mother of the damp earth, Makosh, which means “mother of a good harvest.”

The female figure is always associated with symbols of fertility: trees, birds, animals, sun signs. Look how conditionally it is solved. Branches often sprout from the body of the goddess, and instead of her head she has an image of a rhombus - an ancient sign of the sun. Sometimes her figure resembles a tree.

An excellent example of the use of ornament is folk embroidery. Embroidery was used to decorate towels, wedding valances, tablecloths, curtains, festive shirts, white canvas sundresses, light outerwear, hats and scarves.

There is an assumption that embroidery was used to decorate those parts of the costume through which, according to our ancestors, evil forces could penetrate the human body. Hence the main meaning of embroidery in ancient times - protective. The collar, cuffs, hem, and neckline were embroidered with a protective pattern. The fabric itself was considered impenetrable to evil spirits, since its production involved objects richly decorated with incantatory ornaments. Therefore, it was important to protect those places where the enchanted fabric of clothing ended and the human body began.

Embroidery was done mainly with red threads; it was given special significance. Its shades are varied: scarlet, currant, poppy, lingonberry, cherry, brick... The stitches used to make ancient embroideries are counted. That is, for each stitch the threads of the fabric are counted. The design is not transferred to the fabric in advance, but only its location and size can be marked with large stitches. Counted stitches such as “painting”, “set-up”, “counted satin stitch” are the most widely used.

Cotton threads are best suited for permanent protection from the evil eye and damage. Silk is good for maintaining clarity of thinking and helps in difficult career-related situations. Linen has a calming effect, and “works” especially well when using ancient symbolic patterns - when depicting the sun, stars, birds, trees.

Wool protects those people who, alas, have already been touched by evil. It closes gaps in your energy. Embroidery with wool is done on clothing in the neck, heart, solar plexus, lower abdomen, that is, where the main human chakras are located. Silhouettes of animals are usually embroidered with wool (those that you like, to which you are intuitively drawn), less often - trees and fruits. You should not embroider birds and stars with wool. But the sun is quite suitable, it will constantly protect you from the cold and darkness in life!

Attention! You should not embroider several different protective patterns on one thing; it is better to choose a separate thing for each of them - otherwise the result of such embroidery will be some kind of energetic confusion. This also applies to the material from which the threads are made - there is no need to use several types of material in one pattern. In addition, know: it is customary to make protective embroidery smooth, without knots - knots break the energetic connection of the embroidery with its wearer and impede the smooth flow of energies.

It is important to do careful embroidery without knots, since knots break the energy connections of the embroidery with the wearer. Embroidery locations: traditional - circular (collar, belt, sleeves, hem). Non-traditional, that is, any that perform different protective functions:
- protection of the love sphere - red-orange patterns, in which circular and cross-shaped shapes predominate;
- protection of a small child from misfortunes - silhouette of a horse or rooster, red or black threads; for an older child, a school student - a blue-violet color scheme, which protects against severe mental fatigue;
- blue or golden-green embroidery helps to successfully conduct business in any field of activity.

DIY amulets

When creating amulets, you must follow some rules. Rule one. Charms cannot be made for yourself. Rule two. No one can force someone to make a talisman for themselves or beg them to do it. Amulets are made only of good will and from a pure soul. Rule three. The most powerful amulets are those that are made, made for you by yours. blood relatives: father, mother, brother, children. Marital ties are traditionally not considered consanguinity, but if the marriage is harmonious and happy, mutually created amulets also have great power.

By the way, there is no need to invent anything here: the most powerful marital amulets are wedding rings. True, it is better if they are, as in the old days, silver, not gold. In addition, wedding rings must be smooth, without any patterns or stones. Unlike other magical items, wedding rings lose a significant part of their magical power when inserted with stones, even precious ones. Wedding rings should be worn constantly, not taking them off even while sleeping. A ring removed by at least one of the spouses weakens the protective forces, so inextricably fused are these rings together. This is an example of so-called paired magic items.

Rule four. You need to be very careful when choosing materials for amulets, because often a material (stone, wood) that is good for you is completely unsuitable for the person for whom you are creating this amulet. Rule five. In the process of creating a talisman, you must constantly think about the person for whom you are making it, keep his image before your mental gaze, feel his energy, mood, character, needs.

If you strictly follow all five rules, it is likely that the amulet you made will really be able to protect its owner from many troubles and misfortunes. The safest, most affordable and most convenient materials for making amulets are ordinary threads: wool, linen, cotton. And embroidery has been considered the simplest amulet since ancient times. It was traditionally present on any fabric, towel, or clothing. The main thing in amulet embroidery is color and pattern. The color scheme should correspond to the part of the spectrum that the embroidery is intended to protect.

Protective embroidery of Slavic children's clothing

Children's clothes were usually made from parents' old clothes - not only and not so much because they have already been washed many times and are therefore soft and will not harm or rub the child's skin, but because they have absorbed parental energy and strength and will protect them. , will protect the child from the evil eye, damage, and misfortunes. The girl's clothes were sewn from her mother's, and the boy's, of course, from his father's, thus predetermining the correct development depending on gender - the strength of motherhood was passed on to the girl, and masculine strength to the boy.

When the children grew up and already acquired some kind of their own protective power, they were entitled to their first shirt, a new one. This was usually timed to coincide with the time of the first age initiation - at three years old. From the age of twelve, a girl received the right to wear her own (though still a girl’s) clothes, and a boy was entitled to his first pants.

Since clothes for children under three years old were often repurposed from their parents’, the protective embroidery on them, of course, remained the same, the parent’s. Changing it was not only inconvenient and impractical, but also impractical - after all, in addition to its protective function, it also provided a connection between generations, kinship and continuity. So, if the child’s father was a hunter, then the amulets on his clothes were associated with hunting, and it was they who were passed on to the boy with these clothes. In the same way, through the female line, the craft was “passed on” to the girl. Or rather, it was not the craft itself, but the power of many years of parental experience in it that protected the child. Everyone protects in their own way, right? The weaver will protect the fabric with a special pattern, the spinner will protect it with nauzes, the hunter will protect it with the fang of an animal... And the result will be the same.

But the protective embroidery for a child’s own clothes was already different from the amulets of adults. Firstly, the color of protective embroidery for children was always red, while for adult clothing it could be different. Thus, women often used black in embroidery in addition to red - the color of Mother Earth, thus trying to protect their womb from infertility. Men often needed blue or green colors– blue protected from death from the elements, green – from wounds. The children did not have this. It was believed that children were under the care and protection of their clan. On a girl's shirt, the embroidery was mainly along the hem, sleeves and necklace, but on a married woman - the chest, collar, the embroidery along the hem was wider - it also reflected a new relationship, belonging to the husband's clan.

The main protective symbols for the girl were: Goddess-patrons of fate, a symbol of the clan, tree ornaments, a symbol of the patron of her birthday, symbols of the earth (again, different from the female symbols of the earth - for those, it was mainly represented as either plowed or already sown) and women's crafts.

Boys (as well as girls) until the age of twelve wore shirts without belts. The main symbols protecting boys were considered: symbols of fire, solar symbols, images of totem animals, of course, also the symbol of the patron clan and the patron spirit of the birthday, bells and symbols of men's crafts.

Until adulthood, boys and girls could also wear common amulets. Going through initiation at the age of twelve, the boy’s amulets changed and became (like the girl’s) more gender-specific. A belt appeared and, of course, there were fewer amulets - after all, its own strength grew.

Images of Gods already appeared in embroidery (for children they were simply too strong, not allowing the child to develop his “immunity”), not so much for protection as for patronage; for young girls - symbols of fertility, for young boys - symbols of war. Of course, neither the girl nor the boy needed them. In addition to embroidery on clothing, many items that were hung over the baby’s cradle, a girl’s or boy’s bed, and then worn on the shoulder or belt, often served as children’s amulets. All this performed not only protective and protective functions, but also served as a connecting link between man and Nature.

Ornaments

Ornament arose long before the advent of writing. This is confirmed by the fact that even ancient man, who dressed in animal skins, warmed himself by the fire, dug dugouts for his home, and decorated household items with ornaments. On clay vessels and labor tools of ancient people you can see the simplest patterns: dots, straight lines, wavy lines, diamonds. Reading the signs is a difficult task. Scientists solve mysteries this way. It is known that ancient man was a hunter. He knew that the beast's power lay in the tusk - it was his weapon. The tusk or its cut was drawn in the form of a diamond. This sign contained strength and power. Therefore, ancient man painted it on his body and on the objects that surrounded him.

Diamonds running over each other are a sign of a happy hunt, good luck, a sign of life, fertility. In order for the fields to be generous with harvest, a person asked the Heaven, Sun and Earth for good luck and cast spells. To do this, he repeated patterns. And also: wavy lines symbolized water; horizontal - ground; oblique - rain crossing the path to the sun; the points between them are grains thrown into it.

Often ancient masters depicted signs that designated the sun. These are solar signs. Over the millennia, the sun has received a great variety of image options. These include a variety of crosses - both in a circle and without it. Some crosses in a circle are very similar to the image of a wheel, and this is not without reason: a person saw how the sun moved, that is, “rolled” across the sky, like a fiery wheel. Perpetual motion The celestial body was marked with a hooked cross, a swastika. The swastika meant not only the moving sun, but also a wish for well-being. It is especially common in northern embroidery, both on towels and shirts, and in bran weaving.

Ancient ornaments can reveal many secrets. By solving them, we begin to understand that the language of the symbols of our ancestors conveyed to us their attitude towards nature. Bowing before her, as if asking her for mercy, protection, patronage, the ancient master drew with his hand unique spells in the form of an ornament. Let us note that the people carefully selected from a variety of signs and carefully preserved only those that, in their opinion, contributed to the good, a good harvest, abundance, and good luck.

The essence of amulets exactly corresponds to their name: their calling is to protect people, especially during hard times, during periods of military conflicts, terrorist attacks and other adversities. In other words, to protect its owner from any directed negative impact, whatever it may be and wherever it comes from. Negative impacts There may be purely physical influences - such as diseases (by the way, often caused not only by natural causes, but also those that have overcome us due to the evil eye or damage). Charms can protect their owner from any impact on his psyche, soul, or emotional sphere. They will protect you from the imposition of someone else's will, love spells, suggestions from the outside and from severe depression.

Amulets are magical objects that have been experimentally selected over many centuries, after studying which our ancestors came to the conclusion that they can guard and protect us from unfriendly forces. There are different types of amulets. These are beads, bracelets, protective embroideries on clothes, the patterns of which are stylized symbols of ancient gods or patrons of the family, decorations on windows, shutters, trim, above the porch and roof, above the gates of the house.

Today we have practically lost the everyday defense skills that our ancestors used. And this can hardly contribute to our peaceful life. With the disappearance of strong everyday protection, we find ourselves very easy prey for malevolent forces from the shadow world. They easily penetrate our lives, and most often we don’t even notice it. We go to doctors, complaining about weakness, irritability, insomnia, general malaise, that “something is wrong with me, doctor.” How can a doctor help us in these cases? Nothing - such ailments are not his profile at all.

The impact of amulets is associated with the colors of the spectrum of the human aura. By putting on a talisman of the appropriate color, we get the opportunity to quickly patch up energy breakdowns in one or another part of the aura, which can be dangerous to our health and even life. From the point of view of a person who is able to see the aura, this will look like an increase in the glow of a certain color of the aura when putting on an amulet (more details about colors will be discussed at the end of the article).

What amulets can be useful to us? Of course, the most powerful will be your personal amulets, passed down in the family by inheritance: earrings, rings or rings, beads - any thing that, according to legend, brings happiness to family life. More often, such items are passed down through the female line - rings and earrings; less often through the male line - knives, belt buckles. If your family does not have such things, you will have to choose them yourself, and this is not easy if you do not have pronounced psychic abilities. Therefore, let's talk about the simplest, but at the same time very effective means. These are protective embroideries. You should embroider flowers and figures that carry a traditional protective meaning: silhouettes of a horse, dog, rooster or fairy-tale bird with a woman’s face. These symbols come from the times of cults of pagan gods and symbolize protective magical creatures that are friendly to us. It is especially convenient to use protective embroidery and appliques for children's clothing, since it is difficult for children to constantly wear beads, rings or bracelets.

SIGNS

1) A wavy line is a sign of Water. Rain is represented by vertical lines, rivers, The groundwater- horizontal, "heavenly abysses" - horizontal.
2) Gromovnik (six-pointed cross in a circle or hexagon). Sign of Thunder (and Perun). Used as a talisman against lightning; is also a military amulet.
3) A square (or rhombus), divided by a cross into four parts - (plowed field). If there are dots inside, the field is sown. These are signs of Earth and fertility.
4) Kolokres (cross in a circle). Sun sign. a barrier and aversion to evil, a sign of closure.
5) Krada (“lattice”) is a sign of Fire. Krada is a sacrificial or funeral pyre.
6) Cross (equilateral cross: straight or oblique) – a sign of Fire (and the God of Fire - Aguni).
7) Month – Sign of the moon, month. The “lunar” pendants are known.
8) A cockscomb with seven protrusions is a sign of Fire.
9) Horn of plenty. A sign of wealth, abundance.
10) Yarga (swastika). Otherwise it’s a whirlwind. There are a huge number of style options. Yarga is the sign of the Sun (and, accordingly, the Sun Gods: Khorsa, Dazhdbog, etc.). Based on the direction of rotation (salt/anti-salt), a distinction is made between the sign of the light Sun (sun of Yavi) and the sign of the dark Sun (sun of Navi). The Sun of Reveal is a beneficial, creative Power; The Sun Navi is a destructive Force. According to Slavic myths, after sunset the Sun illuminated the Underground (Nav), hence the name. We know that the Sun is not under the Earth at night, but it is difficult to doubt that the Sun has a destructive aspect... There are two interpretations for determining the direction of rotation of a sign; the traditional one, as far as I know, is this: the ends of the rays are bent against the direction of rotation.
11) A tree (most often a Christmas tree) is a symbol of the interconnection of everything in the world, a symbol of long life.
12) Spiral - a symbol of wisdom; if the color scheme is blue-violet - secret knowledge. The most powerful aversive sign for all dark entities of the shadow world - if the color is red, white or black.
13) Triangle is a symbol of man; especially if accompanied by small dots or circles on the apex side. Symbol of human communication.

GODS

Woman with raised palms: Makosh.
With lowered ones: Lada.
Most often they are depicted with deer on their sides. These goddesses were identified with two northern constellations - Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. As you know, in Rus' these constellations were previously called Losin.

LIVING CREATURES

1) Bull is the sign of Veles.
2) The wolf is the sign of Yarila.
3) Raven - a sign of wisdom and death, Veles.
4) Tree – a sign of life and fertility; or – the Universe (World Tree).
5) The serpent is a sign of Earth, wisdom, Veles. Connected with the Lower World.
6) Horse is a sign of the Sun, Solar Gods.
7) Swan is a sign of Mary, death, winter.
8) Bear is a sign of Veles.
9) A deer (important) or a moose cow is a sign of the Goddesses of Fertility (Rozhanits).
10) Eagle is the sign of Thunder, Perun.
11) Rooster is the sign of Fire, Aguni.
12) Falcon is a sign of Fire, Aguni. There is an opinion that the “trident” (the coat of arms of the Rurikovichs and modern Ukraine) is a stylized image of a falcon in flight.
13) The cuckoo is a sign of life, Alive.
14) Goat is a sign of fertility, fertility.
15) The pig is a sign of fertility, abundance.

COLORS

Specifically, the colors of the amulet are associated with the protection of one of the seven chakras of a person. Red - for the lowest, located in the coccyx area and responsible for the genitourinary system, rectum, and musculoskeletal system. Orange - for the second, located a few fingers below the navel, responsible for sexual energy and kidneys. Yellow - for the third chakra (solar plexus area) - the center of vital energy, which is also responsible for all the organs of the abdominal cavity. Green - for the fourth, heart chakra. It controls the activity of not only the heart, but also the lungs, spine, arms, and is responsible for our emotions. Blue - for the fifth, throat, responsible for the respiratory and hearing organs, throat and skin, as well as human creative potential. Blue - for the sixth (the “third eye” zone), responsible for our intellectual abilities. Purple - for the seventh (crown), connecting us with By higher powers, with God blessing.

1) White. Associated with the idea of ​​Light, purity and sacredness (White Light, White Tsar - a king above kings, etc.); at the same time - the color of Death, mourning.
2) Red – Fire, (and the Sun – like heavenly Fire), blood (vital Force).
3) Green – Vegetation, Life.
4) Black – Earth.
5) Gold – Sun.
6) Blue – Sky, Water.
7) Purple is rarely found in Russian embroidery.

Ornaments and symbols are still very popular today. Since historical times, people have firmly believed in evil spirits and spirits. To protect themselves from otherworldly far-fetched characters, people came up with protection in the form of various amulets on clothes depicting different signs and unusual symbols.

Various details of embroidery carry a completely unique significance: from birth to carrying out a person on his last journey.

Drawings traditionally passed down through generations are divided into four types:

• plant origin
• geometric patterns
• botanical mixed with geometric
• patterns representing gods in animal form

Needlewomen most often use floral and geometric embroidered patterns. Among knowledgeable embroiderers, patterns of plant origin have the following interpretations:

Rose symbolism

Since ancient times, the rose was considered the most revered sunny flower in Ukraine. Red roses, reminiscent of blood, symbolize life.

The ornaments and symbols created by noble needlewomen included flowers and rose leaves and were embroidered in a closed stripe, reminiscent of an endless wreath, denoting continuous life, rebirth and the renewed movement of the sun. Sometimes roses were depicted with a geometric pattern in the form of stars collected in the endless celestial surface.

Bunches of grapes

Grape patterns are recognized throughout central Ukraine. The Kiev, Poltava, and Chernigov regions are famous for their embroidered shirts and towels, decorated with large bunches of grapevines.

This vegetation means joy associated with marriage, the well-being of the future family, and peace. Garden - grapes are marked by a vital field. Here the husband is the sower, the breadwinner, and the wife is the homemaker. A bunch of grapes resembles a family tree with healthy and numerous members of the genus. Ukrainian history embroidery has been going on since ancient times and reveals the meaning of ornaments and symbols.

Poppy

The poppy was considered the most magical flower in Ukraine, protecting the family from the evil eye and problems. Blessed poppy seeds were scattered in the house, the owner's yard, and sprinkled on residents and animals.

The red color of the flower represents the blood of the dead. The poppy pattern, boxes with seeds, leaves represent protection from evil intent or the memory of fallen warriors - family members. Young women from the family of a deceased soldier wore wreaths of seven poppy flowers. This action signified an oath to protect and continue the family line.

White Lily

The tenderness and fragility of the lily flower is equated with girlish innocence, charm and beauty. The image of lilies and a pair of white swans look touching - a sign of pure, sincere love and endless fidelity. The lily is embroidered like a flower, leaves and bud, symbolizing the mystery of the birth of a new life and personifying feminine energy, as a symbol of purity, charm, virgin purity. The line drawing can be complemented by a cross blessing the young family. The image above the flower of a drop prophesies fertilization.

Oak

Even in ancient times, Perun was considered a powerful, formidable, omnipotent God. The symbolic sign of the above-mentioned God is the oak tree, which is considered a symbol of male strength, powerful vital energy, and inflexibility.

Clothing, towels and men's household items were decorated with a pattern depicting an oak tree, making Ukrainian men strong and courageous, proudly defending their family. Oak is a powerful plant that personifies the sun god, development and life. Oak and viburnum combine girlish beauty and masculine strength. They are often used to embroider shirts.

Viburnum is a symbol of the family

Viburnum - a bush glorifying the Ukrainian family, conveys the maiden beauty of the birth of life. Viburnum berries mean the immortality of the Ukrainian people. A bush with life-giving flowers and fruits was planted in the yard. The old Slavs came up with a name for the sun - “kolo”. It is believed that viburnum took this name for itself. Juicy clusters of the above-mentioned berries indicate a healthy and strong family. Ukrainian craftswomen embroidered wedding towels and all kinds of shirts with clusters of red viburnum.

Symbolism of hop leaves

Embroidery in the central part of Ukraine - Podol is famous for the pattern of hop leaves. Hops are a sign of youth, carrying a positive energy reserve of feelings of love and rebirth. Shirts and towels intended for weddings were decorated with hops. It can be considered a wedding symbol, personifying the flow of life and a young, strong family.

Bereginya

Most strong amulet V Ukrainian embroidery- a flowerpot with flowers, birds and Bereginya - a magical flower, marked by maternal power, reflecting the conservation of the entire human race. Ukrainians honor the symbol of the Bereginya, combined with their own mother, her affectionate and gentle hands. Bereginya of the human race is depicted as a flowering plant or a female silhouette. This is a sign of healing, cleansing, protection. It is embroidered with red thread with the addition of black. Shades of red signify the sun and cleansing fire.

The history of embroidery with creative images and the meaning of amazing patterns and iconic symbols is interesting. Chernobrivtsi are healing flowers that heal emotional distress and bodily illnesses, personifying love for living nature.

Ornaments and symbols of the Sun and Water

Slavic embroidery uses patterns that symbolize the Sun and Water - the forces that support earthly life. The Sun and Water are parting symbols, like an octagonal flower. This amazing ornament connects the elements that support earthly life. Signs are perceived by solar and water parent energy. A flower with eight corners or a rosette is the Sun, and a twisted one is Water.

Geometric patterns

A popular type of embroidered pattern among Slavic peoples is the rhombus. National folk embroidery is famous for its image of rhombuses. This is a strong amulet that brings happiness and good luck. The symbol is widespread and used in embroidery of Slavic ethnic clothing.

Ukrainian needlewomen, when embroidering all kinds of significant patterns, often used geometric designs, the meaning of which was made public.

• The Earth and the Sun, supplemented by Water - symbols that give life to all living things, are indicated by symbolic rhombuses, which mean the fertility of the Earth, heated by the heat of the sun.
• The stars represent solar system and a Universe characterized by order and harmony.
• A rhombus crossed by lines means a field, a plot of land.
• A rhombus with dots in the center - fertility, fertilization.
• The circle is a symbolism of the Sun and harmony.
• The wavy contours are water sources.
• Radiation - prosperity, blessing from heaven, a well-fed life.