Easter eggs meaning of patterns. Krashenki, kapanki, pysanky: what do the patterns on Easter eggs mean

Pysanka- an egg decorated with traditional symbols, which are painted with wax and dyes. The production of Easter eggs was associated with the pre-Christian folk custom of meeting spring, later - with Easter.

This type of folk art is widespread in many Slavic peoples, including Ukrainians. Researchers believe that the Ukrainian pysanka has more than 100 symbolic drawings.

Pysanka (galunka)- the symbol of the Sun; life, his immortality; love and beauty; spring revival; goodness, happiness, joy.

In the myths of many peoples of the world, it is the egg that is the peacekeeping principle. Among the pagan Slavs, Easter eggs already existed in the time of the Ants - our great-ancestors / III - VIII centuries. n. e./ and were a symbol of the solar cult. Birds are the messengers of spring resurrection, the Sun, and their testicles are the emblem of the sun - life, birth.

The egg of a bird in general is the germ of life, a symbol of the sun god; in ancient times it symbolized - goodness, joy, happiness, love, wealth, success, the location of good forces, the protection of a person from evil forces. (Kilimnik S. Ukrainian year. - Book 2. - P.176)

A clean, smoothly painted or patterned egg acquired a symbolic religious and ceremonial meaning long before Christianity. Many peoples have preserved traditions in which the egg is the source of life, light and heat, even the embryo of the entire universe. There are also numerous versions of legends that explain the existence of Easter eggs during the Easter holidays, link the emergence of traditions of painting Easter eggs with the Gospel events (the passion of Christ), etc.

With the introduction of Christianity, the symbolism of pysanka also gradually changes. She became a symbol of joy and faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a symbol of forgiveness. Easter eggs were used as an objectified symbol of love, giving them to the young. In folk medicine, they "pumped out" diseases. The consecrated Easter eggs were buried in the ground /for a high harvest/, put in a coffin, in a manger for cattle. The husks from pysanky were thrown "for good luck" on the roof of the house, etc. It is interesting that pysankarism was characteristic only of those ethnic groups that began to be called Ukrainians.

Given the physical characteristics of the egg shell, medieval pysanky have not survived to this day. However, the mass painting of eggs in Ukraine has existed for centuries. In the 19th century the production of Easter eggs in different artistic versions existed throughout the territory of Ukraine.

Pisanki were made in the spring, before Easter, by rural girls and women, monastery monks and icon painters, city ladies, bakers and others. Therefore, the decoration technique was different. In the village, eggs were dyed in one color, sometimes patterns were scratched out, ornamented with wax and painted in several colors, while in the city they resorted to various artificial methods - they glued pieces of colored paper, foil, fabric, thread, etc. Easter eggs were mostly made for themselves and only occasionally for sale at the fair.

Once upon a time, magical actions were performed with Easter eggs. To ensure the harvest, they rolled them on the spring Yuri over green wheat and buried them in the ground. On Easter mornings, the young people washed themselves with water, in which they had previously laid eggs and silver coins, which were supposed to give strength and beauty. The consecrated pysanky protected the dwelling from thunder and fire, and people and animals from the "evil eye", they were used as a cure for certain diseases. Pysanky served as an object of fun for children and youth. With them they arranged games “cue balls”, “wheelchairs”, etc. From empty Easter eggs, adding a tail, wings and a head of dough from colored paper, they made the so-called “pigeons”. They, as well as Easter eggs strung on a string (usually three), were hung near the icons, thus decorating the home.

Symbolism of pysanka flowers

Krashanki are considered the oldest - these are Easter eggs of the same color. Subsequently, multi-colored Easter eggs appeared, in which various natural dyes were used. Such paints, unlike modern ones, had pleasant soft shades. But the color in Easter eggs appeared not only for the sake of beauty, but also received its symbolic meaning, the origin of which is not accidental.

Yellow, golden, orange colors of pysanka affect a person like the sun's rays, give a joyful, bright mood. In Easter eggs they mean warmth, hope, heavenly bodies, harvest on the farm.

The red color on Easter eggs is probably the most significant. Not without reason, in the folk language, he became close to the concept of beautiful, the words "red" - "good" became synonymous. Red paint symbolizes goodness, the joy of life, for young people - the hope for a happy marriage. It is the red egg that is the main symbol of the Resurrection, sacrifice and heavenly fire.

Blue- sky, air, and also health.

Brown, brown- the earth and its hidden life force.

Black color - the color of the night, otherworldly, everything unknown and secret. In pysanka, being a background, it shows the power of other colors, just as in life darkness makes it possible to understand what light is. It also symbolizes the infinity of human life, the continuation of life after death.

Dark Easter eggs were painted on the farewells, as an expression of respect for those who had departed to another world.

Separation of the surface of the Easter egg

Remember children's tongue twisters that use numbers? And fairy tales, in which there are certainly either three kingdoms or three sisters? For our ancestors, the numbers were sacred, each had its own meaning and its own power. Therefore, the division of the surface of the egg into a certain number of parts and the steady repetition of certain elements is not accidental.

The division into two conveyed the idea of ​​two worlds. It was divided into three more often vertically, as the three celestial spheres were designated. When divided by four, a cross is formed, which means the four cardinal points.

The classical division of the hemispheres into four parts, each of which is divided into three, conveys the idea of ​​four seasons with three months. According to other ideas, the world was divided into six sides. This spatial orientation is conveyed by a hexagonal star.

Studying Easter eggs, scientists suggested that in ancient times there was an eight-year calendar cycle. In folk mythology, the sky has eight spheres - "clouds": seven are blue, and the eighth is red, on which God himself sits.

A very interesting section into forty parts, the so-called forty-wedges. Each wedge denoted a certain type of human activity or natural phenomenon, and in the Christian vision - forty days of fasting.

The ornament of Easter eggs is symbolic. It is based on three cardinal symbols that reflect the vertical structure of the Universe: it is a circle, a square (or rhombus) and a center, a world axis, in the form of a cross, a tree, an 8-shaped sign. Hence, there are three types of ornament: circular, key, weaving.

The design of the ornament is called a divorce and is a grid formed from the intersection of circles and ovals encircling the egg. Ornamental forms - magical signs-symbols - are placed in the divorce fields.

If the egg is divided vertically in two by a belt and its sides are mainly decorated, then such a pysanka is called a side egg. The main dividing belt can be in the form of a thread, ribbon, decorated or without decoration. It may be absent altogether, but the principle of placement of the main ornamental forms is preserved. Thus, we have Easter eggs "belted" and "unbelted". Divide the egg in two along the meridian, and then into four parts. The signs will be placed in the resulting egg slices, and such a pysanka will be called longitudinal by the type of divorce. The "eight-turn" divorce consists of eight spheroidal segments formed from four equal vertical lobes of an egg surrounded by the equator line.

The mesh is a symbol of fate. Protects from evil spirits, separates evil from good.

The yellow grid is a symbol of the sun and the fate that is being built here.
The dots are a symbol of fertility.

Ornamental forms are placed in the fields along the vertical, diagonal, radius, segment. They alternate in a checkerboard pattern, repeat. The same sign can be placed in opposite directions.

If the ornament as a whole is characterized by rhythm, then the ornaments of Easter eggs allow us to talk about tempo-rhythm. Ornamental forms, based on a broken cross, a swastika, create the impression of movement - the rotation of the two halves of the egg in opposite directions .

The meaning of the symbols on Easter eggs

When the egg is separated, fields of various shapes and sizes are formed. They form the basis for the placement of ornamental elements. Each of these signs came to us from the depths of centuries, but most of them can be read, because even very strange signs basically express objects that are close and understandable to us. We, like our ancient ancestors, rejoice at the first spring leaves, listen in surprise to the singing of the lark, admire the flow of the river. To express the eternal, our ancestors created symbols. Let's look at the main ones.

Sun

The life of ancient people was very difficult. It was difficult to survive the cold winter, to wait for a new harvest. The arrival of the long-awaited spring was perceived as the birth of a new sun, the liberation of the heavenly body from the forces of darkness. Therefore, all the best that is in human life is associated with the symbol of the sun. Among the pagan gods, Dazhbog - the sun god - was one of the main ones. In Christianity, the sun has also become a symbol of God, since God is light.

Cross

One of the solar signs, a symbol of the universe, the four cardinal points, the four winds, the four seasons. It comes from a schematic representation of a bird, in ancient times the sun was represented by a bird flying across the sky.

In Christianity, the cross is a symbol of suffering, death and resurrection, with which the church begins, blesses and sanctifies everything.

Swastika, svarga or broken cross

Sign of holy fire, sun and perpetual motion. One of the oldest characters in general. For the first time, his images are found on the products of primitive hunters, and this is about thirty thousand years ago. According to popular belief, a broken cross foreshadowed good and protected from dark forces. Varieties of the swastika are widely used not only in painting eggs, but also in embroidery, ceramics, and woodcarving.

rose, rosette, star

Symbolizes the sun and the morning dawn. It contains an oblique cross, a straight cross, as well as a left-handed and right-handed swastika. In folk symbolism, it is an unchanging symbol of love. Giving a Easter egg with a star meant a declaration of love.

Infinite or krivulka

The sign of one of the main elements is water. Being necessary for all living things, water could be both evil and inexorable during the spring flood. Surprised by the strength and relentlessness of water, our ancestors denoted eternity with its sign. The wavy line is the forerunner of the cruciform symbolism. Rooted in Trypillia culture, this symbol of perpetual motion and the continuity of life is still an indispensable attribute of Pisankar art to this day. "Meander" is interpreted as a symbol of water, fertility and life cycle.

Rakes, combs, triangles with combs

Belong to the symbols that are associated with water. Depict clouds and rain. Pysanky with rakes were written during a drought, believing that by writing this sign, one could call up the long-awaited heavenly waters.

Deer

Symbol of prosperity, wealth. It has existed since the time of primitive hunters, when the meat of this animal was the main food, the skin was needed for tailoring and building housing, and weapons and jewelry were made from bones and horns. In folk mythology, the heavenly deer carries the sun on its antlers. The running deer was the prototype of longevity and good health.

Horse

The symbol of the horse is also associated with the worship of the sun. According to ancient legends, the sun rides across the sky on a chariot drawn by fiery horses. In Christianity, a horse is an image of a fearless soothsayer of faith, unrestrained, ready for self-sacrifice. The horse meant strength and love for work.

Bird

A symbol of the birth of life, fertility, offspring, prosperity, half earthly, half heavenly creature. The rooster was considered the conductor of God's sun and the watchman against evil, the dove - a symbol of love, fidelity and harmony. In Christianity, the bird is a symbol of ascension to God.

Duck feet, God's pen, glove, grandfather's fingers

The bird's footprint was also a talisman, like the handprint of the pagan God of the Sun, which in ancient times was associated with a bird. Such signs symbolized power, patronage, integrity - everything that was associated with respect for the hand.

Tree of life or flowerpot

The tree of life also symbolizes the development of the family - father, mother and child. Therefore, as a rule, a tree has three branches. In Christianity, it is a symbol of God's wisdom.

One of the most common symbols on Easter eggs, as well as towels, wall paintings, carpets, dishes, is the symbol "Tree of Life", or as it is also called - "flowerpot". The oldest Ukrainian carols brought to us the ancient ideas of people about those times when there was neither sky nor earth, but only the open sea, and on it - green sycamore. So, in the form of a tree - poplar, willow, oak, birch, apple, pear - the core of the universe was represented, around which the balance of opposites was established. The world tree is always depicted not natural, but stylized, i.e. simplified, summarized. In such images, it is necessary to divide into three tiers vertically and observe a clear system of right and left sides. The lower part - the roots, entering underground, is often represented as a triangle, a pot. It contains snakes, fish, waterfowl and animals, therefore part of the tree is not only the underworld, but also the sea, river, any water. Also, the lower part of the World Tree is the world of the underground god, the lord of the underground fire and untold riches, the embodiment of ideas about the world otherworldly, the old days. The middle tier represents the earth, the real world, the world of the present. It depicts large animals - bulls, horses, deer, wolves, bears - and humans. The upper part of the World Tree rises to an infinite height - to God. Birds, bees, and celestial bodies settle in the upper reaches. It often happens that the sun shines at the top of the tree. The tree of life is also a family tree, where each flower denotes a relative, and all together is the embodiment of the genealogy of a certain person. The three-term designation of a tree-family is simpler. This is a trunk with three branches: father, mother, child.

An amazing property of the Tree of Life is its ability to turn into a Coastal Woman with her hands raised to the sky. By the way, in the ancient myths of some peoples of the world, a woman was formed precisely from a tree. The image of the World Tree is the image of embodied fertility, is associated with the Mother Goddess, is her symbol and attribute.

The great goddess was considered the mistress not only of the sky, but of all nature. Often, a sign of the earth was depicted on her feet (at the same time, the goddess's feet turned into roots) or she was drawn as a serpent, since the earth is the place where the Serpent resides. A similar image of a female progenitor was widely known among other peoples: among the Egyptians - Isis, among the Babylonians - Ishtar, among the Greeks - Hera, among the Thracians - Semele, among the Scythian farmers - Tabitha.

In Ukrainian ornaments, the "Tree of Life", as a rule, was depicted very realistically. Trees of unsurpassed beauty were embroidered on huge towels from the Kiev and Poltava regions. And on Easter eggs, they gradually acquired the laconic form of the now well-known "vases", "three-leafed". At the same time, even in ancient times, the abstract image of the "Tree of Life" - "trident", which later became the coat of arms of Ukraine, began to dominate.

oak leaves

Oak in Ukrainian traditions has always been associated with strength and power. Oak leaves are a favorite motif in the embroidery of men's shirts. According to pre-Christian beliefs, the oak was the world tree. Oaks are more often struck by lightning, and therefore it is also a symbol of God's thunder.

Tricorn or tripod, triquetra

On many folk Easter eggs there is an image of Fire, the Sun, Dawn. Fire, next to water, is a factor of the universe, a symbol of male power. Since Fire and Water are brother and sister, and, having united, they formed love, the earth and everything that is on it, then in many rites Fire is a symbol of love, which is the messenger of the Sun on Earth and gives people light, warmth, bread and any food, helps in crafts (forging), but, like the Sun, it can be good or dangerous depending on the attitude of people towards it. Therefore, Fire, like the Sun, must be respected and not angry - because then it can severely punish. There are strict prohibitions against spitting on fire, throwing garbage, etc. Triquetra- a symbol of fertility, fire, male power.

On Easter eggs, Fire is denoted by the sign “triple” (other names for this sign are “triquetra”, “tripod”). It is believed that the trinity is a sign associated with the Neolithic (Stone Age) god of the earth, and fire was one of his attributes. Also, this sign is a symbol of fertility, since the God of the earth was the bearer of the male, fertilizing factor. a treble hook consists of three rounded or broken hooks coming out of a common center, or from a circle or triangle.

Pines, firs, Christmas trees

They are considered symbols of eternal youth, health, growth and immortality.

Charm symbols

The exhibit, stored in the Kiev Historical Museum, has a symbolic name - "Bereginya". As we know, in pre-Christian times, our ancestors believed in the Great Goddess - Bereginya or Makosh. This symbolic image - a stylized female figure with arms raised up - subsequently turned into a narrative reproduction of the Mother of God.

Symbols of strength and endurance

In the old days in Rus', as soon as a girl was born, she was washed in a font from a decoction of viburnum and willow leaves. They gave feminine strength, a woman then becomes a good wife and gives birth to healthy children. When a boy was born, an oak tree was planted in his honor and the baby was bathed in an infusion of oak leaves. Oak leaf - so that the strength is not exhausted.

Symbols of love

Since ancient times, the dove has been considered a symbol of love. If you want to have a happy family, then draw doves on an oak tree. Love is also symbolized by spruce (smereka). In order to find out in how many years a girl will marry, they ask the cuckoo about it. Therefore, the cuckoo is a symbol of love. And in order to be always paired with a loved one, they draw flowers with paired petals.

Symbols that promote the birth of children

Symbols of health and longevity

So that no one gets sick, they draw the sun, a rose, a fish, a deer on the testicles. And the endless one helps people live long, so that misfortune comes to them, and so that the beekeepers have a good honey flow.

Symbols favoring a rich harvest

The rhombus is a symbol of the earth, the dots are seeds, and the rake is a symbol of rain.

square and rhombus

Four elements, four seasons, four life stages (birth, youth, maturity and old age), four directions of the world and time of day - were successfully encrypted in the sides of the square. The mesh "square" ornament "sieve" symbolized the eternal separation of the concepts of good and evil.

Spiral

This symbol was a primitive idea about the structure of the universe. The line, twisted in a spiral, also meant water or a coiled snake, personifying the female head. In addition, the spiral was identified with a labyrinth that "confuses" evil forces on the way to a pure soul.

Symbols that heal

Warning Symbols

So that disasters do not happen, take care of your households. And Easter eggs with warning symbols will also help you. “Wolf teeth” and “bear paws” will remind you of predatory animals, “hare ears” will remind you of the need to protect vegetables, and “raven's beak” on pysanka will remind you of the danger of birds of prey. If such Easter eggs are kept at home, they will protect pets and remind them of danger.

Christian symbols

These were Christian symbols. On one was a beautiful church, on the other - 40 wedges, and there were also Easter eggs with crosses surrounded by an infinity, and with the inscriptions "Christ is Risen".

The triangle is often found on Easter eggs and denotes the trinity of the world: sky, earth and water, father, mother and child.

The triple beginning - earth, man and sky - found its expression in this symbol. A triangle filled with net or linear hatching, among our ancestors, meant a plowed field. In the Christian interpretation, forty triangles acquired the meaning of forty days of fasting or forty martyrs.

Plant and animal motifs

Easter eggs constantly drew inspiration for their patterns from the natural world, depicting flowers, trees, vegetables, leaves and whole plants in a highly stylized manner. Such symbols reflected the renewal of nature and life.

The most popular floral ornament is a flowering plant in a pot or a tree that symbolized life. Cherry, a symbol of girlish beauty, was supposed to bewitch love. On Hutsul pysanky, you can often see a stylized pine branch - a symbol of eternal life and youth. There is a belief that those who wash their face with sacred water, in which there were Easter eggs, will always be young, healthy and beautiful. The grape motif symbolized brotherhood, goodwill and long-term, true love.

The ornament of apples and plums was supposed to bring wisdom and health. Among the flowers depicted on Easter eggs were roses, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, sunflowers, tulips and carnations. All of them were supposed to help the plants ripen.

Wanting an addition to the family, the pysanka was decorated with images of flowers: bluebells, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, carnations. Viburnum leaves meant strength, endurance, faith in justice. Oak leaves symbolized faith in the forces of nature and admiration for the gods.

Although animal motifs are not as popular as plant motifs on Easter eggs, they are still found, especially on Hutsul products. These symbols had a dual meaning: to provide their owners with the best signs of animals, such as health and strength, as well as to assure a long and fruitful life for animals. Animals such as deer, sheep, horses, fish and birds were drawn abstractly; sometimes Easter eggs reproduced only parts of animals - duck necks, hare ears, chicken legs, ox eyes, ram horns, wolf teeth, bear paws.

The rooster and the dove were considered a bird of God that would wake up the sun and the human conscience, keeping everyone living in the house under its wing, the latter were written as a symbol of the soul and the Holy Spirit.

The dove is a symbol of the soul.
Swallow - the long-awaited arrival of spring.

Types of painting Easter eggs. Colorful Easter eggs

Krashenki

Krashenki- from the word to paint. You can color eggs in different ways.
Some housewives boil hard-boiled eggs, and then immerse them in a solution of warm water with food coloring, which can be bought at the store, for 10-15 minutes.
Other housewives like to paint eggs in a decoction of onion husks. To do this, raw eggs are placed in a pot of water, onion husks are added and boiled for 15-20 minutes until the eggs get the desired color.
And earlier eggs were dyed in a special way: they were wrapped with dry leaves of oak, birch, nettle, tied with thread and boiled. It turned out beautiful "marble" eggs.

Drapanki

For drapanki it is better to take brown eggs. The shell of such eggs is stronger than white ones.
First, the eggs are boiled, then painted in some darker color, then dried. The pattern is applied to the shell with a sharp object - a knife, an awl, scissors, a thick needle, a clerical knife. But before scratching out the pattern, it must be applied to the egg with a sharp pencil. During operation, the egg is held in the left hand, and a sharp object in the right.
The openwork pattern on the drape looks good on brown or other dark paint.
The drawing on the drape can be anything, in contrast to the pysanka with its strictly traditional geometric patterns. With the tip of a clerical knife, we scratch the contours of the picture. To create shades inside the contours, we scratch the pattern not with the tip, but with the entire surface of the knife blade. Erase the pencil sketch with an eraser. The drawing is ready. For shine, you can wipe the egg with a cotton swab with a drop of oil. Pysanky are elaborately painted Easter eggs. Ukrainian Easter eggs are real works of folk art.
For the drawing of Easter eggs, elements of the plant and animal world, geometric shapes are used. Each region of Ukraine had its own characteristic ornament and color. In the Carpathian region, eggs were dyed yellow, red and black, in the Chernihiv region - in red, black and white, in the Poltava region - in yellow, light green, white.
Pysanka was not drawn, not painted, but written on a raw chicken egg. Every line on a Easter egg is an arc. The arcs form circles and ovals and, intersecting, divide the surface of the egg into fields, the name of which is the baptismal pisanka.
Easter eggs were supposed to be painted with the first strike of the bell. First, the egg was dipped in yellow paint - “apple tree”, and kept in it for three “otchenash”. Each color of the pattern was protected with wax. By the end of the work, the eggs turned into black gloomy koloboks. They were dipped in hot water or brought to the fire. The wax melted, and the pysanka was born, just as the sun is born from the blackness of the night.
To make the pysanka shine, it was smeared with fat. They put it with a whisk around the Easter cake - for God, on a dish with grain - for people, and krashenki on sprouted oats - for parents. And three candles burned in honor of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Currently, the art of painting Easter eggs is being revived. Forgotten equipment is restored, new masters appear. In the city of Kolomiya, Ivano-Frankivsk region, a museum of pysanka was created.

Malevanka

Malevanka- an egg painted with its own invented pattern.
They do not carry a symbolic meaning, they can be signed with paint (and not with wax).
The name "malevanki" came from the word to paint, Easter eggs are painted with invented patterns using paints.
Artists, painting Easter eggs, often, in addition to patterns, draw plot pictures, flowers, landscapes, landscapes.

yaychata

yaychata- eggs carved from wood and stone, made from porcelain and clay were made in Rus' in the 13th century.
Later, eggs began to be decorated with beads, lace, knitting, etc.
The most famous in the world "Yaychata" was made by the imperial jeweler Carl Faberge.

Pysanka- traditional painting on a living egg. Easter eggs were written not only for Easter, but throughout the year on important occasions: a wedding, the birth of a child, a charm for a long journey, the beginning of a new business, building a house, etc. This custom is much older and has nothing to do with Christianity.

According to archaeological data, the tradition of painting on the egg is more than five thousand years old. Even during the excavations of the legendary Troy, a stone egg was found with symbolic signs applied to it...

The tradition of Easter eggs was previously common among all Slavic peoples from the Southern Urals to the Oder. But it is known that our ancestors used in their ritual actions not stone, and not chicken, as now, but cranes, and certainly fertilized eggs. During training, young craftswomen are warned that it is impossible to change or distort the drawing-symbol, you can’t write gag, you can’t get angry and plot evil at this time. The creation of pysanka was and remains an action. Although the purpose is completely different. Now the pysanka is a talisman, a home amulet, and not a request to God. It is clearly seen that the symbols are divided into: pre-Christian, and Christian. Before Christian, this is Volovoye, or Velesovoye eye, horses, Bereginya, solar signs-spiders, Tree of life. Christian- fish- a symbol of health, fertility, the elements of water. (For people with high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, it is better to give Easter eggs with signs of fish in blue)

Writing Easter eggs is ancient sacred rite, and prepared for it with great responsibility. Pysankarka fasted and was in a prayerful mood. It was necessary to collect eggs from light-colored hens that were laying for the first time.
In addition to the egg, other things that were used when writing Easter eggs had a special symbolic ritual meaning: water, wax, fire, paints. Water for washing eggs and making paints was taken "unopened", that is, collected at about 3-4 o'clock in the morning, preferably from seven springs or springs. This water has a special healing power. Or they took snow water, that is, melted water. The pysankar was supposed to carry this water without turning back and to the sides; when meeting with passers-by, she was not supposed to greet and answer questions, maintaining strict silence. Then the water was "mute", pure, that is, it did not carry any information, and therefore could not damage or distort the pysanka.

The ceremony of writing Easter eggs began with a prayer. A candle was lit. Before going to the bath, the craftswoman thought carefully about what she planned for the year, made up an image, an intention in her imagination, which should have been manifested. Further - I thought, guessed images, signs-symbols that are best suited for the realization of what was conceived. That is, she depicted in the form of a pattern what she wanted to happen. There were generic symbols tried for many centuries. If the pattern did not bring good luck, it was no longer used. In the process of writing a pysanka, the craftswoman sentenced, “prayed” each symbol, representing the people for whom it was intended or the situation, the event that the symbol was supposed to help to come true. With conspiracy formulas, she, as it were, consolidated the magical power of the patterns. Thus, ancient patterns, symbols are prayers-requests for health, good harvest, family happiness, etc.

The most common on Easter eggs is the sign of Alatyr - a symbol of the creation of the world, the center of the universe. This sign brings harmony and spiritual insight. Svarga (swastika) is a symbol of the movement of the Universe. Svarga is a sign that programs for a successful life, procreation, it is a symbol of God's blessing. It is good to place such a Easter egg in the spiritual center of the house.

Pysanky often depict infinity. This sign is also called a snake or a wave, it is a symbol of the Goddess Dana, cosmic waters. A wavy line without beginning or end symbolizes infinity, the rhythm of the movement of energies, life, the whole world. According to tradition, Easter eggs with this sign were placed above the front door so that they would cleanse the thoughts of everyone entering the house. The beekeepers put pysanky with "infinity" into the hive so that the bees swarm endlessly.

The symbols of the Sun on Easter eggs are a circle, a circle with dots, a circle with a cross inside or rays outside. Also, the Sun can symbolize six- and eight-pointed stars. The sun is the awakening of the world, growth, therefore, “solar” Easter eggs were most often given to guys. Easter eggs with the signs of the Sun were also written to children, placed near cribs so that they would grow faster and gain strength: children and young people were written on a red background, with clear and colorful colors.

The color on Easter eggs has a sacred meaning. Red (“beautiful, clear”) denotes harmony and love. Black is the color of the underworld. Therefore, Easter eggs with a black background were given to the elderly, and also worn on the graves of deceased relatives. Red and black Easter eggs are magical, the alternation of red and black can also mean the unity of opposites (yin and yang). The black pattern is a symbol of the earthly Deities. The moon and stars were depicted in yellow, the yellow color also denoted the harvest. Blue - sky, air, in magic - health. Green - spring, the revival of nature, the wealth of the plant world. Brown, brown - a symbol of the fertile land. The unity of white and black means respect for the souls of the dead.

It is believed that an egg studded with multi-colored dots - grains of fertility, can help a woman become pregnant and give birth safely. Also, women who wanted to have children painted Easter eggs with flowers and gave them to children.

Pysanki with rhombuses will bring good luck in creativity - fruitful work. The spiral symbolizes eternity - infinity.

Horse, deer - symbols of sunrise and sunset. In ancient myths, it is said that a deer on its horns brings the Sun to the sky. In the myths of many peoples, there is an image that the Sun rides on a chariot drawn by horses. The horse, as well as the deer, are considered to be the conductors of the souls of the dead from the world of Reveal to the other world, by analogy, as they “transfer” the Sun from one world to another. Pysanka with such symbols will help disperse stagnant energies and activate vitality.

Oak leaves, acorns symbolize the masculine principle. A Easter egg with such a pattern can be placed at the head of the bed of the head of the family. She will feed him with positive energy and help in all endeavors ..

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soft (not< 4М) грифилем, едва касаясь делим яичко на паралели и меридианы.Карандаш потом сотрется горячим воском.Прогреваем инструмент на огне свечи. Писачок может быть специальным, или например наконечником старой металлической иглы от шприца,аккуратно спиленной. или даже позвонком рыбьего хребта. Внутрь писачка набираем крошку парафина или воск, он более тугоплавкий. Пробуем на салфетке,чтоб на яйце не капнуло где не надо.Заполняем то что должно быть белым,погружаем в тепловатую краску самого светлого цвета.Краски-Желательно анилиновые. Вынимаем в х/б салфетку,обтираем.Далее заливаем парафином из писачка то что желтое,погружаем в следующую краску.Например-оранжевую.Зеленые и голубые фрагменты наносятся кисточкой, невпитавшуюся краску промакиваем салфеткой, заливаем парафином,опускаем в следующую краску.Так далее до самого темного.В конце нагреваем залепленное парафином яйцо в боковом пламени свечи,начинаем растирать парафин по поверхности яйца.В этот момент смывается карандаш и копоть,а яйцо начинает лосниться.

While the Easter egg is in the paint - at this moment the craftswoman reads prayers, sentences!.

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Pysanka- an egg decorated with traditional symbols, which are painted with wax and dyes. The production of Easter eggs was associated with the pre-Christian folk custom of meeting spring, later - with Easter.

This type of folk art is widespread in many Slavic peoples, including Ukrainians. Researchers believe that the Ukrainian pysanka has more than 100 symbolic drawings.

Pysanka (galunka)- the symbol of the Sun; life, his immortality; love and beauty; spring revival; goodness, happiness, joy.

In the myths of many peoples of the world, it is the egg that is the peacekeeping principle. Among the pagan Slavs, Easter eggs already existed in the time of the Ants - our great-ancestors / III - VIII centuries. n. e./ and were a symbol of the solar cult. Birds are the messengers of spring resurrection, the Sun, and their testicles are the emblem of the sun - life, birth.

The egg of a bird in general is the germ of life, a symbol of the sun god; in ancient times it symbolized - goodness, joy, happiness, love, wealth, success, the location of good forces, the protection of a person from evil forces. (Kilimnik S. Ukrainian year. - Book 2. - P.176)

A clean, smoothly painted or patterned egg acquired a symbolic religious and ceremonial meaning long before Christianity. Many peoples have preserved traditions in which the egg is the source of life, light and heat, even the embryo of the entire universe. There are also numerous versions of legends that explain the existence of Easter eggs during the Easter holidays, link the emergence of traditions of painting Easter eggs with the Gospel events (the passion of Christ), etc.

With the introduction of Christianity, the symbolism of pysanka also gradually changes. She became a symbol of joy and faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a symbol of forgiveness. Easter eggs were used as an objectified symbol of love, giving them to the young. In folk medicine, they "pumped out" diseases. The consecrated Easter eggs were buried in the ground /for a high harvest/, put in a coffin, in a manger for cattle. The husks from pysanky were thrown "for good luck" on the roof of the house, etc. It is interesting that pysankarism was characteristic only of those ethnic groups that began to be called Ukrainians.

Given the physical characteristics of the egg shell, medieval pysanky have not survived to this day. However, the mass painting of eggs in Ukraine has existed for centuries. In the 19th century the production of Easter eggs in different artistic versions existed throughout the territory of Ukraine.

Pisanki were made in the spring, before Easter, by rural girls and women, monastery monks and icon painters, city ladies, bakers and others. Therefore, the decoration technique was different. In the village, eggs were dyed in one color, sometimes patterns were scratched out, ornamented with wax and painted in several colors, while in the city they resorted to various artificial methods - they glued pieces of colored paper, foil, fabric, thread, etc. Easter eggs were mostly made for themselves and only occasionally for sale at the fair.

Once upon a time, magical actions were performed with Easter eggs. To ensure the harvest, they rolled them on the spring Yuri over green wheat and buried them in the ground. On Easter mornings, the young people washed themselves with water, in which they had previously laid eggs and silver coins, which were supposed to give strength and beauty. The consecrated pysanky protected the dwelling from thunder and fire, and people and animals from the "evil eye", they were used as a cure for certain diseases. Pysanky served as an object of fun for children and youth. With them they arranged games “cue balls”, “wheelchairs”, etc. From empty Easter eggs, adding a tail, wings and a head of dough from colored paper, they made the so-called “pigeons”. They, as well as Easter eggs strung on a string (usually three), were hung near the icons, thus decorating the home.

Symbolism of pysanka flowers

Krashanki are considered the oldest - these are Easter eggs of the same color. Subsequently, multi-colored Easter eggs appeared, in which various natural dyes were used. Such paints, unlike modern ones, had pleasant soft shades. But the color in Easter eggs appeared not only for the sake of beauty, but also received its symbolic meaning, the origin of which is not accidental.

Yellow, golden, orange colors of pysanka affect a person like the sun's rays, give a joyful, bright mood. In Easter eggs they mean warmth, hope, heavenly bodies, harvest on the farm.

The red color on Easter eggs is probably the most significant. Not without reason, in the folk language, he became close to the concept of beautiful, the words "red" - "good" became synonymous. Red paint symbolizes goodness, the joy of life, for young people - the hope for a happy marriage. It is the red egg that is the main symbol of the Resurrection, sacrifice and heavenly fire.

Blue- sky, air, and also health.

Brown, brown- the earth and its hidden life force.

Black color - the color of the night, otherworldly, everything unknown and secret. In pysanka, being a background, it shows the power of other colors, just as in life darkness makes it possible to understand what light is. It also symbolizes the infinity of human life, the continuation of life after death.

Dark Easter eggs were painted on the farewells, as an expression of respect for those who had departed to another world.

Separation of the surface of the Easter egg

Remember children's tongue twisters that use numbers? And fairy tales, in which there are certainly either three kingdoms or three sisters? For our ancestors, the numbers were sacred, each had its own meaning and its own power. Therefore, the division of the surface of the egg into a certain number of parts and the steady repetition of certain elements is not accidental.

The division into two conveyed the idea of ​​two worlds. It was divided into three more often vertically, as the three celestial spheres were designated. When divided by four, a cross is formed, which means the four cardinal points.

The classical division of the hemispheres into four parts, each of which is divided into three, conveys the idea of ​​four seasons with three months. According to other ideas, the world was divided into six sides. This spatial orientation is conveyed by a hexagonal star.

Studying Easter eggs, scientists suggested that in ancient times there was an eight-year calendar cycle. In folk mythology, the sky has eight spheres - "clouds": seven are blue, and the eighth is red, on which God himself sits.

A very interesting section into forty parts, the so-called forty-wedges. Each wedge denoted a certain type of human activity or natural phenomenon, and in the Christian vision - forty days of fasting.

The ornament of Easter eggs is symbolic. It is based on three cardinal symbols that reflect the vertical structure of the Universe: it is a circle, a square (or rhombus) and a center, a world axis, in the form of a cross, a tree, an 8-shaped sign. Hence, there are three types of ornament: circular, key, weaving.

The design of the ornament is called a divorce and is a grid formed from the intersection of circles and ovals encircling the egg. Ornamental forms - magical signs-symbols - are placed in the divorce fields.

If the egg is divided vertically in two by a belt and its sides are mainly decorated, then such a pysanka is called a side egg. The main dividing belt can be in the form of a thread, ribbon, decorated or without decoration. It may be absent altogether, but the principle of placement of the main ornamental forms is preserved. Thus, we have Easter eggs "belted" and "unbelted". Divide the egg in two along the meridian, and then into four parts. The signs will be placed in the resulting egg slices, and such a pysanka will be called longitudinal by the type of divorce. The "eight-turn" divorce consists of eight spheroidal segments formed from four equal vertical lobes of an egg surrounded by the equator line.

The mesh is a symbol of fate. Protects from evil spirits, separates evil from good.

The yellow grid is a symbol of the sun and the fate that is being built here.
The dots are a symbol of fertility.

Ornamental forms are placed in the fields along the vertical, diagonal, radius, segment. They alternate in a checkerboard pattern, repeat. The same sign can be placed in opposite directions.

If the ornament as a whole is characterized by rhythm, then the ornaments of Easter eggs allow us to talk about tempo-rhythm. Ornamental forms, based on a broken cross, a swastika, create the impression of movement - the rotation of the two halves of the egg in opposite directions .

The meaning of the symbols on Easter eggs

When the egg is separated, fields of various shapes and sizes are formed. They form the basis for the placement of ornamental elements. Each of these signs came to us from the depths of centuries, but most of them can be read, because even very strange signs basically express objects that are close and understandable to us. We, like our ancient ancestors, rejoice at the first spring leaves, listen in surprise to the singing of the lark, admire the flow of the river. To express the eternal, our ancestors created symbols. Let's look at the main ones.

Sun

The life of ancient people was very difficult. It was difficult to survive the cold winter, to wait for a new harvest. The arrival of the long-awaited spring was perceived as the birth of a new sun, the liberation of the heavenly body from the forces of darkness. Therefore, all the best that is in human life is associated with the symbol of the sun. Among the pagan gods, Dazhbog - the sun god - was one of the main ones. In Christianity, the sun has also become a symbol of God, since God is light.

Cross

One of the solar signs, a symbol of the universe, the four cardinal points, the four winds, the four seasons. It comes from a schematic representation of a bird, in ancient times the sun was represented by a bird flying across the sky.

In Christianity, the cross is a symbol of suffering, death and resurrection, with which the church begins, blesses and sanctifies everything.

Swastika, svarga or broken cross

Sign of holy fire, sun and perpetual motion. One of the oldest characters in general. For the first time, his images are found on the products of primitive hunters, and this is about thirty thousand years ago. According to popular belief, a broken cross foreshadowed good and protected from dark forces. Varieties of the swastika are widely used not only in painting eggs, but also in embroidery, ceramics, and woodcarving.

rose, rosette, star

Symbolizes the sun and the morning dawn. It contains an oblique cross, a straight cross, as well as a left-handed and right-handed swastika. In folk symbolism, it is an unchanging symbol of love. Giving a Easter egg with a star meant a declaration of love.

Infinite or krivulka

The sign of one of the main elements is water. Being necessary for all living things, water could be both evil and inexorable during the spring flood. Surprised by the strength and relentlessness of water, our ancestors denoted eternity with its sign. The wavy line is the forerunner of the cruciform symbolism. Rooted in Trypillia culture, this symbol of perpetual motion and the continuity of life is still an indispensable attribute of Pisankar art to this day. "Meander" is interpreted as a symbol of water, fertility and life cycle.

Rakes, combs, triangles with combs

Belong to the symbols that are associated with water. Depict clouds and rain. Pysanky with rakes were written during a drought, believing that by writing this sign, one could call up the long-awaited heavenly waters.

Deer

Symbol of prosperity, wealth. It has existed since the time of primitive hunters, when the meat of this animal was the main food, the skin was needed for tailoring and building housing, and weapons and jewelry were made from bones and horns. In folk mythology, the heavenly deer carries the sun on its antlers. The running deer was the prototype of longevity and good health.

Horse

The symbol of the horse is also associated with the worship of the sun. According to ancient legends, the sun rides across the sky on a chariot drawn by fiery horses. In Christianity, a horse is an image of a fearless soothsayer of faith, unrestrained, ready for self-sacrifice. The horse meant strength and love for work.

Bird

A symbol of the birth of life, fertility, offspring, prosperity, half earthly, half heavenly creature. The rooster was considered the conductor of God's sun and the watchman against evil, the dove - a symbol of love, fidelity and harmony. In Christianity, the bird is a symbol of ascension to God.

Duck feet, God's pen, glove, grandfather's fingers

The bird's footprint was also a talisman, like the handprint of the pagan God of the Sun, which in ancient times was associated with a bird. Such signs symbolized power, patronage, integrity - everything that was associated with respect for the hand.

Tree of life or flowerpot

The tree of life also symbolizes the development of the family - father, mother and child. Therefore, as a rule, a tree has three branches. In Christianity, it is a symbol of God's wisdom.

One of the most common symbols on Easter eggs, as well as towels, wall paintings, carpets, dishes, is the symbol "Tree of Life", or as it is also called - "flowerpot". The oldest Ukrainian carols brought to us the ancient ideas of people about those times when there was neither sky nor earth, but only the open sea, and on it - green sycamore. So, in the form of a tree - poplar, willow, oak, birch, apple, pear - the core of the universe was represented, around which the balance of opposites was established. The world tree is always depicted not natural, but stylized, i.e. simplified, summarized. In such images, it is necessary to divide into three tiers vertically and observe a clear system of right and left sides. The lower part - the roots, entering underground, is often represented as a triangle, a pot. It contains snakes, fish, waterfowl and animals, therefore part of the tree is not only the underworld, but also the sea, river, any water. Also, the lower part of the World Tree is the world of the underground god, the lord of the underground fire and untold riches, the embodiment of ideas about the world otherworldly, the old days. The middle tier represents the earth, the real world, the world of the present. It depicts large animals - bulls, horses, deer, wolves, bears - and humans. The upper part of the World Tree rises to an infinite height - to God. Birds, bees, and celestial bodies settle in the upper reaches. It often happens that the sun shines at the top of the tree. The tree of life is also a family tree, where each flower denotes a relative, and all together is the embodiment of the genealogy of a certain person. The three-term designation of a tree-family is simpler. This is a trunk with three branches: father, mother, child.

An amazing property of the Tree of Life is its ability to turn into a Coastal Woman with her hands raised to the sky. By the way, in the ancient myths of some peoples of the world, a woman was formed precisely from a tree. The image of the World Tree is the image of embodied fertility, is associated with the Mother Goddess, is her symbol and attribute.

The great goddess was considered the mistress not only of the sky, but of all nature. Often, a sign of the earth was depicted on her feet (at the same time, the goddess's feet turned into roots) or she was drawn as a serpent, since the earth is the place where the Serpent resides. A similar image of a female progenitor was widely known among other peoples: among the Egyptians - Isis, among the Babylonians - Ishtar, among the Greeks - Hera, among the Thracians - Semele, among the Scythian farmers - Tabitha.

In Ukrainian ornaments, the "Tree of Life", as a rule, was depicted very realistically. Trees of unsurpassed beauty were embroidered on huge towels from the Kiev and Poltava regions. And on Easter eggs, they gradually acquired the laconic form of the now well-known "vases", "three-leafed". At the same time, even in ancient times, the abstract image of the "Tree of Life" - "trident", which later became the coat of arms of Ukraine, began to dominate.

oak leaves

Oak in Ukrainian traditions has always been associated with strength and power. Oak leaves are a favorite motif in the embroidery of men's shirts. According to pre-Christian beliefs, the oak was the world tree. Oaks are more often struck by lightning, and therefore it is also a symbol of God's thunder.

Tricorn or tripod, triquetra

On many folk Easter eggs there is an image of Fire, the Sun, Dawn. Fire, next to water, is a factor of the universe, a symbol of male power. Since Fire and Water are brother and sister, and, having united, they formed love, the earth and everything that is on it, then in many rites Fire is a symbol of love, which is the messenger of the Sun on Earth and gives people light, warmth, bread and any food, helps in crafts (forging), but, like the Sun, it can be good or dangerous depending on the attitude of people towards it. Therefore, Fire, like the Sun, must be respected and not angry - because then it can severely punish. There are strict prohibitions against spitting on fire, throwing garbage, etc. Triquetra- a symbol of fertility, fire, male power.

On Easter eggs, Fire is denoted by the sign “triple” (other names for this sign are “triquetra”, “tripod”). It is believed that the trinity is a sign associated with the Neolithic (Stone Age) god of the earth, and fire was one of his attributes. Also, this sign is a symbol of fertility, since the God of the earth was the bearer of the male, fertilizing factor. a treble hook consists of three rounded or broken hooks coming out of a common center, or from a circle or triangle.

Pines, firs, Christmas trees

They are considered symbols of eternal youth, health, growth and immortality.

Charm symbols

The exhibit, stored in the Kiev Historical Museum, has a symbolic name - "Bereginya". As we know, in pre-Christian times, our ancestors believed in the Great Goddess - Bereginya or Makosh. This symbolic image - a stylized female figure with arms raised up - subsequently turned into a narrative reproduction of the Mother of God.

Symbols of strength and endurance

In the old days in Rus', as soon as a girl was born, she was washed in a font from a decoction of viburnum and willow leaves. They gave feminine strength, a woman then becomes a good wife and gives birth to healthy children. When a boy was born, an oak tree was planted in his honor and the baby was bathed in an infusion of oak leaves. Oak leaf - so that the strength is not exhausted.

Symbols of love

Since ancient times, the dove has been considered a symbol of love. If you want to have a happy family, then draw doves on an oak tree. Love is also symbolized by spruce (smereka). In order to find out in how many years a girl will marry, they ask the cuckoo about it. Therefore, the cuckoo is a symbol of love. And in order to be always paired with a loved one, they draw flowers with paired petals.

Symbols that promote the birth of children

Symbols of health and longevity

So that no one gets sick, they draw the sun, a rose, a fish, a deer on the testicles. And the endless one helps people live long, so that misfortune comes to them, and so that the beekeepers have a good honey flow.

Symbols favoring a rich harvest

The rhombus is a symbol of the earth, the dots are seeds, and the rake is a symbol of rain.

square and rhombus

Four elements, four seasons, four life stages (birth, youth, maturity and old age), four directions of the world and time of day - were successfully encrypted in the sides of the square. The mesh "square" ornament "sieve" symbolized the eternal separation of the concepts of good and evil.

Spiral

This symbol was a primitive idea about the structure of the universe. The line, twisted in a spiral, also meant water or a coiled snake, personifying the female head. In addition, the spiral was identified with a labyrinth that "confuses" evil forces on the way to a pure soul.

Symbols that heal

Warning Symbols

So that disasters do not happen, take care of your households. And Easter eggs with warning symbols will also help you. “Wolf teeth” and “bear paws” will remind you of predatory animals, “hare ears” will remind you of the need to protect vegetables, and “raven's beak” on pysanka will remind you of the danger of birds of prey. If such Easter eggs are kept at home, they will protect pets and remind them of danger.

Christian symbols

These were Christian symbols. On one was a beautiful church, on the other - 40 wedges, and there were also Easter eggs with crosses surrounded by an infinity, and with the inscriptions "Christ is Risen".

The triangle is often found on Easter eggs and denotes the trinity of the world: sky, earth and water, father, mother and child.

The triple beginning - earth, man and sky - found its expression in this symbol. A triangle filled with net or linear hatching, among our ancestors, meant a plowed field. In the Christian interpretation, forty triangles acquired the meaning of forty days of fasting or forty martyrs.

Plant and animal motifs

Easter eggs constantly drew inspiration for their patterns from the natural world, depicting flowers, trees, vegetables, leaves and whole plants in a highly stylized manner. Such symbols reflected the renewal of nature and life.

The most popular floral ornament is a flowering plant in a pot or a tree that symbolized life. Cherry, a symbol of girlish beauty, was supposed to bewitch love. On Hutsul pysanky, you can often see a stylized pine branch - a symbol of eternal life and youth. There is a belief that those who wash their face with sacred water, in which there were Easter eggs, will always be young, healthy and beautiful. The grape motif symbolized brotherhood, goodwill and long-term, true love.

The ornament of apples and plums was supposed to bring wisdom and health. Among the flowers depicted on Easter eggs were roses, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, sunflowers, tulips and carnations. All of them were supposed to help the plants ripen.

Wanting an addition to the family, the pysanka was decorated with images of flowers: bluebells, periwinkle, lilies of the valley, carnations. Viburnum leaves meant strength, endurance, faith in justice. Oak leaves symbolized faith in the forces of nature and admiration for the gods.

Although animal motifs are not as popular as plant motifs on Easter eggs, they are still found, especially on Hutsul products. These symbols had a dual meaning: to provide their owners with the best signs of animals, such as health and strength, as well as to assure a long and fruitful life for animals. Animals such as deer, sheep, horses, fish and birds were drawn abstractly; sometimes Easter eggs reproduced only parts of animals - duck necks, hare ears, chicken legs, ox eyes, ram horns, wolf teeth, bear paws.

The rooster and the dove were considered a bird of God that would wake up the sun and the human conscience, keeping everyone living in the house under its wing, the latter were written as a symbol of the soul and the Holy Spirit.

The dove is a symbol of the soul.
Swallow - the long-awaited arrival of spring.

Types of painting Easter eggs. Colorful Easter eggs

Krashenki

Krashenki- from the word to paint. You can color eggs in different ways.
Some housewives boil hard-boiled eggs, and then immerse them in a solution of warm water with food coloring, which can be bought at the store, for 10-15 minutes.
Other housewives like to paint eggs in a decoction of onion husks. To do this, raw eggs are placed in a pot of water, onion husks are added and boiled for 15-20 minutes until the eggs get the desired color.
And earlier eggs were dyed in a special way: they were wrapped with dry leaves of oak, birch, nettle, tied with thread and boiled. It turned out beautiful "marble" eggs.

Drapanki

For drapanki it is better to take brown eggs. The shell of such eggs is stronger than white ones.
First, the eggs are boiled, then painted in some darker color, then dried. The pattern is applied to the shell with a sharp object - a knife, an awl, scissors, a thick needle, a clerical knife. But before scratching out the pattern, it must be applied to the egg with a sharp pencil. During operation, the egg is held in the left hand, and a sharp object in the right.
The openwork pattern on the drape looks good on brown or other dark paint.
The drawing on the drape can be anything, in contrast to the pysanka with its strictly traditional geometric patterns. With the tip of a clerical knife, we scratch the contours of the picture. To create shades inside the contours, we scratch the pattern not with the tip, but with the entire surface of the knife blade. Erase the pencil sketch with an eraser. The drawing is ready. For shine, you can wipe the egg with a cotton swab with a drop of oil. Pysanky are elaborately painted Easter eggs. Ukrainian Easter eggs are real works of folk art.
For the drawing of Easter eggs, elements of the plant and animal world, geometric shapes are used. Each region of Ukraine had its own characteristic ornament and color. In the Carpathian region, eggs were dyed yellow, red and black, in the Chernihiv region - in red, black and white, in the Poltava region - in yellow, light green, white.
Pysanka was not drawn, not painted, but written on a raw chicken egg. Every line on a Easter egg is an arc. The arcs form circles and ovals and, intersecting, divide the surface of the egg into fields, the name of which is the baptismal pisanka.
Easter eggs were supposed to be painted with the first strike of the bell. First, the egg was dipped in yellow paint - “apple tree”, and kept in it for three “otchenash”. Each color of the pattern was protected with wax. By the end of the work, the eggs turned into black gloomy koloboks. They were dipped in hot water or brought to the fire. The wax melted, and the pysanka was born, just as the sun is born from the blackness of the night.
To make the pysanka shine, it was smeared with fat. They put it with a whisk around the Easter cake - for God, on a dish with grain - for people, and krashenki on sprouted oats - for parents. And three candles burned in honor of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Currently, the art of painting Easter eggs is being revived. Forgotten equipment is restored, new masters appear. In the city of Kolomiya, Ivano-Frankivsk region, a museum of pysanka was created.

Malevanka

Malevanka- an egg painted with its own invented pattern.
They do not carry a symbolic meaning, they can be signed with paint (and not with wax).
The name "malevanki" came from the word to paint, Easter eggs are painted with invented patterns using paints.
Artists, painting Easter eggs, often, in addition to patterns, draw plot pictures, flowers, landscapes, landscapes.

yaychata

yaychata- eggs carved from wood and stone, made from porcelain and clay were made in Rus' in the 13th century.
Later, eggs began to be decorated with beads, lace, knitting, etc.
The most famous in the world "Yaychata" was made by the imperial jeweler Carl Faberge.

This type of folk art is widespread in many Slavic peoples, including Ukrainians.

Pysanka//galunka// - symbol of the Sun; life, his immortality; love and beauty; spring revival; goodness, happiness, joy.

In the myths of many peoples of the world, it is the egg that is the peacekeeping principle. Among the pagan Slavs, Easter eggs already existed in the time of the Ants - our great-ancestors / III - VIII centuries. n. e./ and were a symbol of the solar cult. Birds are the messengers of spring resurrection, the Sun, and their testicles are the emblem of the sun - life, birth.

The egg of a bird in general is the germ of life, a symbol of the sun god; in ancient times it symbolized - goodness, joy, happiness, love, wealth, success, the location of good forces, the protection of a person from evil forces.
Kilimnik S. Ukrainian year. - Book 2. - p.176

Researchers believe that Ukrainian pysanka has over 100 symbolic drawings.

With the introduction of Christianity, the symbolism of pysanka also gradually changes. She became a symbol of joy and faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a symbol of forgiveness. Easter eggs were used as an objectified symbol of love, giving them to the young. In folk medicine, they "pumped out" diseases. The consecrated Easter eggs were buried in the ground /for a high harvest/, put in a coffin, in a manger for cattle. The husks from pysanky were thrown "for good luck" on the roof of the house, etc. It is interesting that pysankarism was characteristic only of those ethnic groups that began to be called Ukrainians.

The ornament of Easter eggs is symbolic. It is based on three cardinal symbols, reflecting the structure of the Universe vertically: it is a circle, a square (or a rhombus) and a center, a world axis, in the form of a cross, a tree, an 8-shaped sign. Hence, there are three types of ornament: circular, key, weaving.
The design of the ornament is called a divorce and is a grid formed from the intersection of circles and ovals encircling the egg. Ornamental forms - magical signs-symbols - are placed in the divorce fields.

If the egg is divided vertically in two by a belt and its sides are mainly decorated, then such a pysanka is called a side egg. The main dividing belt can be in the form of a thread, ribbon, decorated or without decoration. It may be absent altogether, but the principle of placement of the main ornamental forms is preserved. Thus, we have Easter eggs "belted" and "unbelted". Divide the egg in two along the meridian, and then into four parts. The signs will be placed in the resulting egg slices, and such a pysanka will be called longitudinal by the type of divorce. The "eight-turn" divorce consists of eight spheroidal segments formed from four equal vertical lobes of an egg surrounded by the equator line.
Mesh- a symbol of fate. Protects from evil spirits, separates evil from good.
yellow mesh- a symbol of the sun and the fate that is being built here.
Dots is a symbol of fertility.

Ornamental forms are placed in the fields along the vertical, diagonal, radius, segment. They alternate in a checkerboard pattern, repeat. The same sign can be placed in opposite directions.
If the ornament as a whole is characterized by rhythm, then the ornaments of Easter eggs allow us to talk about tempo-rhythm. Ornamental forms, based on a broken cross, a swastika, create the impression of movement - the rotation of the two halves of the egg in opposite directions.

Meanings of symbols used when painting Easter eggs

Sun

One of the most common elements in Easter egg ornament is the image of the Sun in the form of various solar signs. The sun is a heavenly fire, about which people at different times had their own idea, but always respected and exalted. It was represented as a hole through which one can see the real bright sky, a spark, it is not known how it stays in the sky, like the Eye of God, a candle worn by angels, like a big wheel that can be obtained even by hand when it falls to the ground in the evening. Sunrise revives, awakens the whole world, gives warmth, light and strength to all living things. spring The sun destroyed the cold, broke ice bridges, opened heaven and earth with its rays (golden keys), released birds from warm lands, green grass, spring wheat. Easter eggs Sun marked with signs a circle, a circle with dots, a circle with a cross inside, circles with rays, as well as in the form of six- and eight-beam rosettes, stars.
Easter eggs with the image of the Sun are often called "roses", "roses", which can be full, simple, half, vertical, in the form of "spiders". Under the name "Stars" we also meet the image of the Sun as a bright star, but in folk poetry the image of the morning and evening dawn of Venus is sung. Dawn is a red-haired girl who opens the heavenly gates with keys in the morning and releases the Sun, chasing after her. The dawn is scattered on the ground with dew, and the bees collect God's dew and give people honey. The dawn is compared to a good, beautiful girl. "Spiders" were often called and are now called "sleeves", "woman's sleeves", "grandfather's sleeves"; asterisks - "roses", "full roses", "Ruzhechka".

Christ is called the Sun of Truth. The Savior said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever comes after me, do not blukatime in darkness, but will have the light of life" (Yo. 8, 12). His light is internal, spiritual. God is the light, and truth, Freedom. So, the Sun is the sign of God. Solar light - It is a symbol of unity, the order of the world.It is also a symbol of a clear and sober vision, Justice.

Cross and svarga (swastika)

Cross symbolizes the creation of the world. The vertical line of the cross means heaven, spirituality, the horizontal - the earth, its feminine. The cross is eternal life because it is infinite.

To the oldest signs symbolizing the universe, belongs "Cross". Known since the Stone Age, it is a sign of the three-dimensionality of the Universe The full cross is a three-dimensional, spatial symbol, since it is formed by the intersection of two planes. The vertical line of the cross is a heavenly, spiritual, active, masculine line. This is the sign of Fire. The horizontal line is earthy, passive, feminine. This is the sign of Water. At the intersection (combination) of these two factors, a third force arises - the force of Love, Life, Creation. The cross is able to expand infinitely in any direction, therefore, it denotes eternal life. In the ancient beliefs of the Stone Age, the cross was associated with the God of the Earth, denoted the 4 cardinal points, and later, in the Bronze Age, it became the emblem of the Sun. The graphic designation of this sign comes from the schematic designation of a flying bird, since in ancient mythology the Sun was identified with it. "Svarga" is one of the varieties of the cross. Other names for this sign are “swastika”, “chotirinig”. This graphic symbol, found in almost all ancient or primary cults of the world, is found on ancient monuments of the Indo-European peoples.

The word "swastika" is of ancient Indian origin (Skt.) and means "celestial rotation".

The basis of the graphic image of this sign can be a cross (a symbol of the Earth, and later the Sun in the center), a circle (a symbol of the sky), a square (a sign of the Earth). In the Bronze Age, the svarga was already associated with the solar cult, and the rounded spurs symbolized the movement of the Sun. There are two types of svarga: direct (right-handed) and reverse (left-handed). A straight svarga with rounded spurs to the right, clockwise, symbolizes the sunrise, creation, the movement of the sun in spring and summer, good, positive, male energy (Yang). The reverse svarga with rounded spurs to the left, counterclockwise, symbolizes the sunset, destruction, the movement of the Sun in autumn and winter, evil, negative, feminine energy (Yin). Svarga is also a sign that promotes the birth of children, a symbol of good wishes, good luck, longevity, fertility, health and life. In Ukrainian Easter eggs, svarga is also called “broken” or “hooked cross”, “leeches”, “cock combs”, “duck necks”.

The tree of Life

One of the most common symbols on Easter eggs, as well as towels, wall paintings, carpets, dishes, is tree of life symbol, or as it is also called - "vase". The oldest Ukrainian carols brought to us the ancient ideas of people about those times when there was neither sky nor earth, but only the open sea, and on it - green sycamore. So, in the form of a tree - poplar, willow, oak, birch, apple, pear - the core of the universe was represented, around which the balance of opposites was established. The world tree is always depicted not natural, but stylized, i.e. simplified, summarized. In such images, it is necessary to divide into three tiers vertically and observe a clear system of right and left sides. The lower part - the roots, entering underground, is often represented as a triangle, a pot. It contains snakes, fish, waterfowl and animals, therefore part of the tree is not only the underworld, but also the sea, river, any water. Also, the lower part of the World Tree is the world of the underground god, the ruler of the underworld fire and untold riches, the embodiment of ideas about the other world, the old days. The middle tier represents the earth, the real world, the world of the present. It depicts large animals - bulls, horses, deer, wolves, bears - and humans. The upper part of the World Tree rises to an infinite height - to God. Birds, bees, and celestial bodies settle in the upper reaches. It often happens that the sun shines at the top of the tree. The tree of life is also a family tree, where each flower denotes a relative, and all together is the embodiment of the genealogy of a certain person. The three-term designation of a tree-family is simpler. This is a trunk with three branches: father, mother, child.

An amazing property of the Tree of Life is its ability to turn into a Coastal Woman with her hands raised to the sky. By the way, in the ancient myths of some peoples of the world, a woman was formed precisely from a tree. The image of the World Tree is the image of embodied fertility, is associated with the Mother Goddess, is her symbol and attribute.

The great goddess was considered the mistress not only of the sky, but of all nature. Often, a sign of the earth was depicted on her feet (at the same time, the goddess's feet turned into roots) or she was drawn as a serpent, since the earth is the place where the Serpent resides. A similar image of a female progenitor was widely known among other peoples: among the Egyptians - Isis, among the Babylonians - Ishtar, among the Greeks - Hera, among the Thracians - Semele, among the Scythian farmers - Tabitha.

In Ukrainian ornaments, the "Tree of Life", as a rule, was depicted very realistically. Trees of unsurpassed beauty were embroidered on huge towels from the Kiev and Poltava regions. And on Easter eggs, they gradually acquired the laconic form of the now well-known "vases", "three-leafed". At the same time, even in ancient times, the abstract image of the "Tree of Life" - "trident", which later became the coat of arms of Ukraine, began to dominate.

Triquetra or tripod

On many folk Easter eggs there is an image of Fire, the Sun, Dawn. Fire, next to water, is a factor of the universe, a symbol of male power. Since Fire and Water are brother and sister, and, having united, they formed love, the earth and everything that is on it, then in many rites Fire is a symbol of love, which is the messenger of the Sun on Earth and gives people light, warmth, bread and any food, helps in crafts (forging), but, like the Sun, it can be good or dangerous depending on the attitude of people towards it. Therefore, Fire, like the Sun, must be respected and not angry - because then it can severely punish. There are strict prohibitions against spitting on fire, throwing garbage, etc. Triquetra- a symbol of fertility, fire, male power.

On Easter eggs, Fire is denoted by the sign “triple” (other names for this sign are “triquetra”, “tripod”). It is believed that the trinity is a sign associated with the Neolithic (Stone Age) god of the earth, and fire was one of his attributes. Also, this sign is a symbol of fertility, since the God of the earth was the bearer of the male, fertilizing factor. a treble hook consists of three rounded or broken hooks coming out of a common center, or from a circle or triangle.

Charm symbols

The exhibit, stored in the Kiev Historical Museum, has a symbolic name - "Bereginya". As we know, in pre-Christian times, our ancestors believed in the Great Goddess - Bereginya or Makosh. This symbolic image - a stylized female figure with arms raised up - subsequently turned into a narrative reproduction of the Mother of God.

Sigma- the symbol of the snake. It is found on ceramics of the Trypillia culture. Means water, thunder, lightning. The snake guards the hearth.

Symbols of strength and endurance

Symbols of love

Symbols that promote the birth of children

Symbols of health and longevity

Symbols favoring a rich harvest

Symbols that heal

Warning Symbols

Christian symbols

Plant and animal motifs

The egg is the symbol of the creator of all nature,

omnipotent, omnipresent

and containing everything.

The greatest holidays of our ancestors: New Summer, Easter (Pasika) and Christmas of the Universe (Great Day) - were embodied in the current Bright Resurrection of Christ.

Christianity found in Rus' both the worship of an egg as a symbol of the transition from non-existence to existence, and the custom of preparing krashenka and Easter eggs. They commemorated their ancestors with a boiled painted egg and saw off the winter. Easter eggs met Zhiva-Spring and sang the awakening of the creative forces of nature.

Pysanka was not drawn, not painted, but written on a raw chicken egg. Its ornaments are sacred writings: prayers, carols, the laws of God, which are more than one thousand years old. Every line on a Easter egg is an arc. The arcs form circles and ovals and, intersecting, divide the surface of the egg into fields, the name of which is the baptismal shirt of Easter eggs.

According to legend, pysanky are stars born by the Mother of God-Bee. Once a year, a Slavic woman had the great honor to represent the Mother of God on earth. On Maundy Thursday, at the hour before dawn, she brought a magical whorl to the threshold and spun a woolen thread, turning the spindle against the salt: she knitted the "ovary" - the golden germ of life. During the day she bathed the children, baked bread, and then simmered paints for Easter eggs in a warm oven. Water for paints was taken on Wednesday evening from seven springs or wells, behind the current - in honor of the seven stars of the Pleiades of the constellation Taurus, where, according to legend, the Creator himself lived. She carried her home silently, in secret. Dried herbs, flower petals, the bark of a young wild apple tree were poured with this unopened living water and put in the oven for a couple of hours.

While the paint was being prepared, a letter to God was written on a raw chicken egg with hot wax using a bone-fork taken from a rooster breast. Eggs for Easter eggs were only suitable for those that were laid between two lunar months. A real Velikodensky pysanka retained its vitality until the next Maundy Thursday: it did not become rotten and did not dry out.

Easter eggs were supposed to be painted with the first strike of the bell. First, the egg was dipped in yellow paint, the "apple tree", and kept in it for "three otchenash". Each color of the pattern was protected with wax. By the end of the work, the eggs turned into black gloomy koloboks. They were dipped in hot water or brought to the fire. The wax melted, and the pysanka was born, just as the sun is born from the blackness of the night.

To make the pysanka shine, it was smeared with fat. They put it with a whisk around the Easter cake - for God, on a dish with grain - for people, and krashenki on sprouted oats - then for parents. And three candles burned in honor of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The main colors of the ornament: black, red, yellow, green. The Black (Ryaba) Hen laid a luminiferous golden egg from which the Universe was born. The earth is black, throwing off the white veil of winter. Velikden is red, Yegory is green, Kupala is golden (yellow).

On the Bright Resurrection of Christ, windows were thrown wide open so that as much sun as possible entered the house. Pysanka was placed in water, and young girls washed themselves with this water, getting ready for matins, in order to take a blush from the dawn. On Monday, the children thanked their godmother with pies and pysanka. Bands of young men, drawers, went from house to house, sang Christ-glorifying songs, and as a reward they received a Easter egg from the girl, in which the very spirit of God and his forty mercies. Pysanka unlocked the heart for love, gave strength to fertility, protected from the evil eye and spoilage, slander, disease, natural disaster, poverty, bestowed beauty and wealth, hope for a happy marriage and harvest. She was kept in the house as an icon. The gift of pysanka strengthened kinship. Through the pysanka there was a transfer of spiritual warmth from person to person, there was a transfer of sacred knowledge from generation to generation. Selling pysanka is an unforgivable sin; bestowing it meant giving honor.

A well-known researcher of pysanka, a full member of the Russian Imperial Geographical Society S.K. Kulzhinsky left us information about the Orenburg, Samara, Ufa, Tula, Kuban, Voronezh Easter eggs. At the end of the 19th century, the landowner E. Skarzhinskaya collected more than 2,000 Easter eggs for her ethnographic museum in Lubny, among them Kursk Easter eggs from Great Russian villages, of extraordinary beauty and very fine workmanship. A Slav can be recognized by pysanka, as by a birthmark. It is already being written in Siberia and the Urals, in Yaroslavl and Tver, in Moscow and St. Petersburg... There is no death. There is a transformation. Christ is Risen!

How to write a pysanka

Materials needed: fresh white chicken eggs, beeswax, candle, soft pencil, brushes, matches, paper and cotton napkins, special dyes for Easter eggs or aniline dyes for wool, white vinegar, spoon.

The instrument used to write Easter eggs is called a brush. From foil or thin tin, roll up a cone-shaped tube. Roll it around the needle so that the bottom hole is as narrow as possible. Fasten the tube to a wooden stick with a thin copper wire.

Dilute the paints with hot boiled water. Strain. Add 2 tbsp. tablespoons of vinegar for 0.5 liters of paint. Instead of vinegar, add 1 teaspoon of salt to yellow and orange paints.

Wash white eggs in boiled water at room temperature and dry on a towel.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Take the egg in your left hand and the pencil in your right. With the little finger of the right hand, maintain the balance of the egg and with a pencil divide its surface into fields. At the same time, rotate the egg towards you, and draw the line away from you. Try not to change the position of the pencil. Distribute the pysanka ornament in the fields.

Light a candle. Heat the brush head and fill it with wax. Cover with hot wax those lines and parts of the ornament that should be white. Try not to interrupt the line.

Place the egg on the spoon and gently dip it into the yellow paint for 1-2 minutes. The paint should be warm, but not hot, so that the wax on the egg does not melt. Blot the yellow-colored egg with a paper towel, dry it and wax the yellow elements of the ornament. If there are green specks in the pysanka letter, put them on the shell with a match, blot with the tip of a paper napkin, cover with wax and dip the egg in red paint. Having protected the red color with wax, dip the egg into the final - dark red, black, brown paint or bleach "Whiteness", "Lily", if you want to have a Easter egg on a white background. To get a green background, you need to lower the red egg first into water, then again into yellow paint, and only then into green.

Now bring the egg to the fire. When the wax melts, wipe it off with a soft cotton napkin, and Easter eggs will shine in your hands, like the sun after a thunderstorm.

Grate the finished pysanky with unsalted lard. Do not varnish! Store in the shade, in a well-ventilated area.

Each craftswoman had her own repertoire of the divine writing of Easter eggs. The letter was passed down from generation to generation, from century to century, from millennium to millennium. The symbols of Easter eggs have divine power. So they taught me, so I tell you, so you will tell your children when you teach them to write Easter eggs. For your Easter basket, I offer samples of Easter eggs from the late 19th - early 20th centuries.