Antique ornaments. Slavic patterns

The main purpose of the pattern is to decorate the thing on which this element is applied. There is little information about the origin of the art of ornamentation, since its use began many centuries BC. Ornaments different nations world differ in the individuality of perception of objects and environment. Different ethnic groups present the same symbols differently.

Varieties and motives

Decoration is one of the first But, despite its long history, it is an excellent decor for many modern things.

The ornaments of the peoples of the world are divided into four main groups. This:

• built on the geometry of figures;
• phytomorphic type, which consist of images of plants;
• mianda type - look like a complete broken line;
• combined or plot pattern.

Ornaments of the peoples of the world include the following motifs:

• the intersection of lines in horizontal and vertical order, called tartan;
• combining identical circles in the shape of a four- or trefoil;
• an ornament in the form of a drop-shaped curl - it is called paisley or;
• the image of a beautiful lush flower is reflected in damask;
• the curved, continuous line that forms the border of most patterns is called a meander.

Belarusian ornament - features and uniqueness

The original meaning Belarusian ornament there was ritual. Among the main features of ancient patterns are:

• decorative stylization;
• connection with objects on which the finish is applied;
• a large number of broken lines and geometric shapes;
• constructiveness;
• manifold.

The many geometric figures are explained by the personification of the forces of nature and the surrounding world that protected man. Although the ornaments of the peoples of the world differ from each other, they are used for the same purposes: decorating clothes, household items, homes, and tools. The number of repetitions of points, triangles, and diamonds explains the structure of society. The number three is the Divine Trinity or heaven, earth and the underworld, four is the seasons, five is sacredness, etc.

The Belarusian ornament contains a large number of crosses, which symbolize the image of the sun, fire and justice.

Symbols of fertility were depicted on the tools; the image of the Mother in labor in the form of a seed or sprouts signified a good harvest and wealth.

Most rituals used towels with ornaments. They were made by combining white and gray designs and various geometric motifs. Great importance has the color of the pattern: white - a symbol of purity and light, red - wealth and energy, black - the speed of human existence.

Egypt. Ornament - specificity and uniqueness

TO early forms visual arts Egypt refers to It shows different environmental objects in the form of intersecting lines and abstraction.

Main motives include:

• plant patterns;
• animalistic images;
• religious themes;
• symbolism.

The main designation is which personifies the divine power of nature, moral purity, chastity, health, revitalization and the sun.

To describe the life of the other world, a pattern in the form of aloe was used. Many plants, such as blackthorn, acacia, and coconut palm, were the basis for images in the ornamental art of Egypt.

Among the geometric lines it is worth highlighting:

• straight;
• broken;
• wavy;
• mesh;
• point.

Main characteristic features ornament in Egyptian culture are restraint, rigor and sophistication.

Patterns of the peoples of the world: Norway, Persia, Ancient Greece

The Norwegian pattern fully describes the climatic conditions of the country. A large number of snowflakes, drops, and deer are used to apply to warm clothes. The geometry of lines creates amazing patterns unique to this nation.

With amazing patterns are known all over the world. In Ancient Persia it was the most expensive family value. The paintings were passed down through generations and carefully kept. Ornamentalism is characterized by a predominance of blue and green colors, images of various birds, animals, including fictional ones, stripes in the form of a diamond-shaped fish, a drop-shaped pear.

The basis for the formation of a culture of ornamentalism in Ancient Greece became a meander. The endless repetition of patterns symbolizes eternity and infinity. human life. Ancient Greek paneling is distinguished by its wide depiction of subjects and diversity. Characteristics This culture is the decoration of vases and dishes with ornaments with wavy and broken lines.

Variety of Indian patterns

Indian ornamentation is characterized by geometric and spiral forms, it is expressed in the form of a spiral, zigzag, rhombus, triangle. From animalistics, the faces of cats and birds are used.

Many designs in India are applied to the body using henna. This is a special procedure; it means spiritual cleansing. Each tattoo carries a certain meaning.

An ordinary triangle symbolizes male activity, an inverted triangle symbolizes female grace. The meaning of divinity and hope is embedded in the star.

To depict protection, reliability and stability, a square or octagon is used.

Popular designs consist of flowers, fruits and plants and represent joy, happiness, hope, wealth and health.

Patterns of the peoples of the world: China, Australia, Mongolia

Chinese ornaments are easily distinguished from others; they contain large and lush flowers, which are connected by inconspicuous stems.

The wood carving represents Australian ornamentation. Among them are:

The patterns of Mongolia are represented in the form of a circle, which embodies the rotation of the sun and the sky. Used for application to clothing geometric figures, which are called hammer patterns.

Main motives:

• network;
• quilted mattress;
• hammer;
• circular.

The ornaments of the peoples of the world are distinguished by a variety of forms; they reflect the individuality of cultures and perceptions of the outside world.

Russian women did not have the European abundance of fabrics to create clothes. All that was available to them was linen, cotton and wool. But still, the Russians managed to create outfits of amazing beauty from little. And this was achieved thanks to the ornaments of Russian folk costume. At that time, the ornament acted not only as decoration, but also as a talisman. Thus, elements of folk costume were enriched with protective embroidery and patterned weaving. This kind of amulets were embroidered on the edges of clothes, namely on the hem, cuffs and collar. These were embroidered ideogram letters that protected a person from harm. Ornaments were made in certain colors, which also have special significance. The most popular color is red, which symbolizes fire, life and blood.

More details...

The main element of Russian folk costume was a shirt with a collar richly decorated with embroidery. The sleeves of the shirt had to be wide and long, but bound with braid at the wrist. Women wore it over their shirt. It had the shape of a high skirt with straps and was made of linen, wool and cotton fabric. Ribbons, fringe, braid and colored stripes of chintz were used as decoration. The third integral element of the outfit was the skirt. It is worth noting that married women they wore a poneva, which differed from a regular skirt in a swinging style with an unstitched slit on the side.

Don't forget about the apron. Women wore it over a shirt or sundress. The apron, as an element of the Russian costume, was also equipped with a rich symbolic ornament, personifying Russian ancient traditions and amulets associated with nature.

The final element of Russian national costume there was a headdress, which at that time was a kind business card. From it it was possible to determine the age and place from which the woman came, and her social status. Girls' hats had an open crown. Bandages and tapes were most often used. But married women completely covered their hair. The headdresses were decorated with beads, ribbons and embroidery.

Since ancient times in Rus', on every piece of utensil, on every piece of clothing, as well as on houses, various elements and symbols were depicted, which formed patterns. Each detail had its own meaning and place. This is how the Russian folk pattern was formed.

Historical information about Russian folk patterns

It should be understood that there are two terms - pattern and ornament. And it was not the same thing from the beginning. Even now, not every pattern can be called an ornament. For example, if this is a constantly repeating pattern (rapport).

In Rus' it was believed that the pattern was much deeper, it meant more. The word ornament is borrowed from Latin, and it appeared much later and means decoration. In Rus' there was an analogue to it - “decorations”. It was believed that it was intended for decorative stylization. However, later these two concepts became intertwined and began to complement each other.

Russian folk pattern is a collection of various lines, symbols, and other elements that can be repeated or be in a single version. Pictures may vary in different areas. Thus, in the eastern regions of Rus', in the pattern you can find such an element as the “Indian cucumber,” which is still popular today.

Also, each locality had its own color scheme patterns and ornaments.

Signs and symbols in the Russian pattern

If we consider the Russian folk pattern from the point of view of symbolism, then we can say that not a single element is depicted there just like that. Each has its own meaning and is in its place.

The most popular symbols in the pattern are:

• The star of Alatyr, or, as it is also called, the cross of Svarog. It has eight petals and symbolizes the Universe, its cycles of folding and unfolding.
• The symbol of Beregini (Rozhanitsa) is also very popular. This is a schematic representation of a woman who protects.
• A very significant symbol is which is sometimes also called the World Tree. It combines the world axis, the universe and the race.
• Everyone knows: During the time of Hitler, the swastika became a symbol of war and fascism, but initially this was not at all the case.
• Also popular is the Orepei symbol, which is a comb diamond. This symbol brings happiness, balance and peace of mind.
• In addition, flowers, stars, spirals and other symbols are used in the pattern and ornament, each of which carries a specific meaning, enhancing the positive and protective energy of a person.

In addition to the above elements, there are many others. In addition, almost all patterns of the scheme are quite diverse. The same symbol can be depicted in different ways, maintaining, however, common features and lines. This is how whole protective phrases arise, as well as short stories or conspiracies.

The sacred meaning of the pattern

You should know that the same symbol, but depicted in different parts of clothing, could have different meanings. For example, the Orepei sign, depicted in the elbow area on women's clothing, denoted an ancestor. If he was depicted on the hem, then he was the entrance to the other world.

The ancient gods who rode in chariots were also symbolically depicted. They were harnessed to various animals that personified a specific deity.

Some Russian patterns (photo below) carried a certain code in their numerical repetition. So, the following numbers were important:

• three (Absolute, Trinity, time, space);
• four (cardinal directions, seasons);
• seven (symbol of harmony);
• twelve.

Such patterns and ornaments also reveal the attitude towards Mother Nature of our ancestors. With their images, they seemed to ask her for protection and patronage from various evils, troubles and misfortunes.

Where are Russian folk patterns used?

The use of patterns is quite varied. They are used in towels, napkins, for painting utensils, houses, and for carving wood and metal. In the old days, not a single object was left without a design.

Russian patterns (photos of them are in our review) are not only the beauty of an object, but also protection, a talisman for its owner. It is known that even before the advent of writing, people already depicted various symbols (diamonds, lines, dots) on utensils.

Differences in patterns in different regions

Each region of Russia has its own history of painting, embroidery, patterns and ornaments. Let's look at the Russian folk pattern (pictures of some will be presented below) for some types and areas:

• Gzhel painting - characterized by blue and white colors in the drawings that are made on ceramic and porcelain products;
• paintings, for which the village of Zhostovo is famous, on metal trays;
• Khokhloma painting with various patterns is very interesting; it is characterized by a golden color (there are also red, yellow and orange);
• in addition, in many regions they made their own special toys (Dymkovo, Kargopol, Stary Oskol), each of which had its own unique pattern in the painting;
• Pavlovo Posad shawls are also very famous, which are made in red and black colors, with floral patterns.

And these are not even all the known crafts where Russian folk patterns are used.

The most ancient patterns

The most ancient patterns include a set of various signs, which in ancient times had a special meaning and were simply not applied to any product. Each family had its own set of embroideries and paintings, which were passed down from generation to generation. They even have a special meaning for the family, being its own symbol. Of course, over time, knowledge was lost.

Ancient Russian patterns breathe mystery into us, the power of amulets, the meaning of every curl or sign.

Nowadays, many people collect similar images that make sense.

How to start drawing Russian folk patterns

Now people are increasingly turning to our ancestral heritage, wanting to revive lost traditions. For example, many people wonder how to draw a Russian pattern. Where to start?

First, you should understand that in Rus' there are many techniques of painting and embroidery, which have their own characteristics. For beginners, you need to take patterns that are not very complex, having a repeating pattern. This will make it easier to grasp its very essence.

Before drawing itself, you need to practice with its simple components: dots, lines, strokes, droplets, loops, etc. In fact, the most difficult pattern consists of the above details. Of these simple shapes After some time of training, you will be able to create more complex ones.

In order to understand how to draw a Russian pattern, you should not rush. Some forms may indeed seem complex, but you need to remember that they are all made up of simple ones. First, lay out the repeating pattern into details, start depicting it with the easiest and most basic ones, for example, a point. Gradually draw other shapes around it, and so at the very end you can get your finished pattern. Take a look at the photo below, which shows all the stages of drawing. And make sure that this process is not so complicated.

Thus, you can learn how to create ornaments and patterns yourself. In principle, you can take it already ready-made diagrams, and then transfer them to the surface.

Using patterns on household items

Also, patterns and ornaments in ancient times were made on household items. For example, in Rus', a six-petalled rosette was depicted on salt shakers. It had symbolic meaning. This rosette represented the sun, and salt was considered associated with it. Also, her image was often found on spinning wheels, as a symbol of endless time.

In addition to the symbolic painting of utensils, there was also simply decorating the product. Of course, it did not appear immediately, but the technology was developed over the years.

It should be noted that some patterns, the patterns of which are quite complex, are still made by craftsmen. This is, for example, Khokhloma painting, which looks very beautiful and rich. However, its production is quite complex and multi-stage.

Using patterns in embroidery

Russian embroidery in Rus' traditionally not only decorates clothes, towels, bedspreads and other linen products, but is also a talisman. The interweaving of patterns is by no means random. All symbols are in their place.

In addition, the color of the thread that is used also matters in embroidery. Let's consider some points:

• Suitable for baby protection embroidered rooster or a horse in red or black colors;
• For successful activities embroidery should be done in blue or golden-green tones;
• woolen embroidery is suitable if there are already some energy holes; it is done in the area of ​​a person’s chakras;
• flax is used for peace; it is used to embroider trees, birds, stars or the sun;
• for women, black color should be used in embroidery to protect against infertility;
• for men - green (protects from wounds), blue (protects from the elements).

In addition, symbols are also used in embroidery - a cross (barrier and protection from evil), a star (heavenly fire), a circle (denotes fertility, abundance and motherhood) and others.

Thus, Russian embroidery is a whole set of knowledge that our ancestors used in ancient times, protecting themselves, their relatives and their clan.

The use of patterns on clothing in the old days

Probably the most famous use of pattern and ornament is Even the most ignorant person in this matter will recognize this embroidery. True, colors and patterns again vary by region.

For example, the further south the area, the brighter the clothes people wore. This was due to the fact that previously the paint was of natural origin, and the warmer it was, the greater the variety in the possibilities of producing it.

If we talk about men's and women's clothing, then the first had almost no differences in the regions, except perhaps for preferences in color and pattern. But women's clothing was quite varied and significantly different.

And also embroidery of various animal figures was very popular in the northern part of Russia. But the southern ones had more colored embroidery (often red).

The use of Russian folk patterns in modern clothing

Russian folk patterns on clothes periodically return to fashion. Famous fashion designers produce collections with folk motifs (for example, in 1976, Russian Collection from Yves Saint Laurent).

In our time, Russian patterns have long been a priority among true connoisseurs. In addition to colorful traditional ones, bright floral (or other folk) prints are used. I remember the ancient patterns that craftswomen embroidered on clothes for their family and friends. You can also certainly order similar clothes for yourself if you wish.

Products that have long earned recognition both in quality and style (for example, Pavlovo Posad shawls) also remain popular.

Thus, the Russian pattern simply cannot go into oblivion. His influence on the people is undeniable, this is his legacy, and one day he will rightfully take his rightful place in the hearts of people. After all, ancient Russian patterns truly carry the harmony and beauty that was known to our ancestors. This is also our history, which should not be forgotten.

Folk ornament of weaving and embroidery - ancient writings. But at the same time, this is an unusual sign system for transmitting information with a strictly fixed meaning of each element, since the components of the ornament are always mythological image and a whole complex of ideas associated with this image. Having arisen at the origins of time, in the depths of proto-culture, where thinking was not yet differentiated, ornamental symbols are in principle the same among all peoples of the world, differing only in the type of graphics or minor details. Thus, there is a known case when a Mexican weaver recognized her national pattern ornament of the Arkhangelsk province of Russia. Elements of ornament will have different names (and sometimes meaning!) among different peoples, but everywhere they will denote a similar mythological complex of ideas, a similar archetype, the assessment and interpretation of which can be polar opposite. Therefore, an ornamental composition cannot be read as a simple set of certain signs: when deciphering it, the meaning of each symbol must be chosen from a number of options depending on all the elements used in it, as well as the color and location, purpose of the ornament, clarifying certain shades of the described images .

The images of archetypes underlying ornamental compositions are associated with the image of two main schemes of the cosmogonic process, known to ancient mythology.

Scheme 1

At a time when Heaven and Earth were not yet separated from each other, in the center of the World Ocean rose the World Mountain - Alatyr-stone of the Russians folk conspiracies and fairy tales - at the top of which there was a deep well full of water and leading into the bowels of the mountain - the other world - where in the underground palace - cave - Labyrinth lived the God of the Earth - the Underworld - the Thunder Bear:

Most of the time the Bear slept in darkness and cold, vigilantly guarding his treasure - fire, in the form of a cauldron full of molten gold or gemstone. Once a year, the Goddess of the Sky, the Horned Deer, descended into the Labyrinth, bypassing the water whirlpool-tunnel: , dipped her horns in gold and returned back to Heaven. The Heat and Light emanating from the horns melted the snow and ice; the water penetrated into the Labyrinth and woke up the sleeping Thunderer: .

When he woke up, he took off his bear skin , turning into a bird, and rushed in pursuit of the kidnapper.

Having overtaken the fugitive, the God of the Earth entered into marriage with her, causing a thunderstorm and pouring streams of life-giving waters onto the Earth:

.

Mighty wings raised fiery whirlwinds, carrying the seeds of life in different directions: .

(Later the whirlwind transformed into an independent deity of the wind - Stribog .)

The deer shed her golden horns, which were returned to the winner as a guarantee of the marriage, and hid in the underground palace.

Deprived of heat and light, the Earth was covered with snow and ice. The giant bird fell asleep, gradually growing overgrown with wool and fur, and again turned into a Bear.

It is easy to see that this diagram describes the alternation of polar day and night in the northern latitudes of the Earth with the absence of solar eclipses characteristic of this region. The penetration of myth carriers into the middle and southern latitudes, their encounter with the phenomenon solar eclipse and contact with the inhabitants of the southern regions develops the myth...

One day, when the Deer with fiery horns had already risen into the Sky, and the Bear had not yet woken up, a Dragon (Lion, Leopard, Cat, Boar...) crawled out of the depths of the Abyss (Pekel World), attacked the defenseless Deer, and, tearing her apart pieces, took possession of the Golden Horns. Not knowing how to handle fire, the Beast caused a world flood, and then almost caused a world fire, but the awakened Thunderer in a fierce struggle defeated his opponent, chained him as an eternal guard at the entrance to the palace and returned the fire.

The Thunderer watered the remains of the Deer with dead and living water, causing the Horns to grow into the World Tree , separating Heaven from Earth. On the branches of this tree, the Fleece and Horns of the Deer rose into the sky, turning into the Sun, Moon and Stars. The Thunderer could now ascend to Heaven and descend to Earth along the trunk and branches of the Tree, connecting the worlds in the image of the Moon: .

To prevent the misfortune from happening again, he placed guards on the four cardinal points to protect the Tree from the penetration of creatures from the Abyss.

Scheme 2:

At the beginning of time, the Great Virgin Goddess

fell into the waters of the primordial ocean and found salvation on the back of a giant Snake (Lizard, Turtle, etc.):

Having become pregnant, she became the mother of two twin sons, one of whom was very stubborn (angry, cruel, etc.), and the other fair (kind, warm-hearted, etc.). When the due date approached, the stubborn child, despite the warnings of his brother, made his own exit from the mother's body, killing her, while the second child was born in the proper manner. The soul of the Goddess ascended to Heaven along the branches of the World Tree that grew from her body, but since with her death evil entered the world, the inhabitants of the Heavenly World surrounded the “affected” area of ​​space with guards so that death and evil could not penetrate into other worlds.

Born twin brothers started creating own world, moreover, one of them constantly interfered with the other - spoiling or destroying what was created.

A variant of the same myth is the legend about twins - brother and sister, who, out of ignorance of their relationship, entered into love affair. Upon learning of the incest, one of them dies (or a brother kills his sister), as a result of which the world is desecrated.

The same type includes myths about the struggle between the Virgin-Sun and the Serpent, or myths about the furious Fire-Virgin-Sun, rushing across the sky in a chariot drawn by two charioteers .

***

No matter how this world arose, traditional thinking ordered the people living in it to behave in the image and likeness of the ancestors-Gods who created it: things, clothes, housing were made according to a once and for all established model, weddings were played, significant events and dates. In ornamental compositions this was reflected by the use of identical symbols with different meaning depending on their location on clothing. For example, the same sign "Orepei":
in the shoulder area a woman’s costume will be read as a world mountain or Alatyr-stone with a Deity sitting on it: ;
in the elbow area as "ancestor" ;
on the hem- as an entrance to the other world , or also "ancestor".

A characteristic auxiliary pattern allows one to highlight the images of the Gods - the image of chariots, in which, according to the ideas of the ancients, the Deities moved in space. These chariots were driven by animal charioteers characteristic of each Deity - snakes, birds, horses, deer, animals...

With the identification of new Divine hypostases, shades appear in the reading of certain elements of the ornament, and their graphic changes. Thus, the selection from the Archetype of the World Deity of images that personify its individual qualities - the wind (Stribog), Thunder (Perun), the Water King (Vodishche), the Lord of the Other World - Svarga (Svarog), the Deity of the Earth, Fertility (Veles), the Guardian of Grain, Harvest, Grain Reserves, Fruit-bearing power of Grain (Yari), fruit-bearing fire (Pereplut, Yarilo, Semargl) - leads to the emergence of symbols based on one graphic image, just as the mythological characters themselves preserve general properties or attributes - the ability to control waters, cause a whirlwind, rain, etc., forge, command lightning:

With the change of leaders social roles in society - with the emergence and development of the patriarchal structure - cultural heroes change their gender and the “gender” interpretation of symbols similarly changes:

But the meaning of the combined symbol - the eight-pointed cross

remains the same: the connection of the feminine and masculinity, monad, fertilized egg, life and death - fate. It is no coincidence that with the adoption of Christianity he receives popular name"Star of the Virgin Mary" The interpretation stands out somewhat due to the variant of this symbol - . A number of ethnographers note the presence in the languages ​​of the peoples of the North Caucasus and Ancient Scythia of traces of the ancient idea of ​​the Universe as a five-fold structure: in addition to the familiar concepts of the three-dimensional level - Heaven, Middle World, Earth (or Underworld) - it also contained Peklo and Bok (Lateral space ). At the same time, the most ancient cosmogonic models usually characterize the Universe as feminine. The five-row space of the Universe - the Great Mother, stretching to the four cardinal directions and generating Life - is approximately how one can clarify the reading of this symbol.

How does symbolism “work”? Let's start with the fact that any graphic image has a weak torsion field that bends the surrounding space:

Energy (leptonic) models (damage, evil eye, etc.), falling into the zone of curved space, are either repelled or become fixed in the image zone, or self-destruct as a result of uneven curvature. Uniform mesh of graphic images on the surface of clothing or household items, created by patterned weaving or embroidery, provides its energetic effect. At the same time, the most uniform grid (and, therefore, a stronger effect) is given by an ornament of a geometric and geometrized type, in which the thickness of all lines is the same (Reference: the famous Mezen knitted patterns were always typed according to the following principle - at the beginning of the pattern there was a row of alternating 3 loops of the colors used - the ornamental grid was initially uniform). Another important principle of the energy work of the ornamental network is the principle of changing polarity in the ornamental line and in the composition as a whole.

Color also contributes. For example, on the territory of our Ryazan region, the leading element, from which the pattern received its name, was always made white, and the background field was filled with color, mainly shades of red; White color the ornament passed the influence of surrounding energies to the owner or “reflected” the negative, as if “refracted” through the prism of the form and meaning of the symbol, dispersing everything else; and the background field is energy of a certain frequency...

And, of course, magical meaning symbol...

In women's and men's costumes, zones corresponding to Heaven, the Middle World and Earth can be distinguished. Depending on the location in a specific area, the magical effect of the applied image changes.

Female

Male

In addition, the places where the most dense ornamental mesh is applied coincide with the locations of the largest nerve plexuses human body, corresponding to the main energy centers or chakras. The zone of the heart center is intensively protected - literally “on four sides.” There is one more subtlety - in a woman’s suit, the pattern located on the front always primarily protects its owner and her expected child, but in a man’s suit it primarily actively influences those around her (the same woman, for example), and The protective pattern itself comes from the back - this explains the presence of “female” symbols on the chest embroidery of men’s shirts, especially festive and wedding ones.

Where did the symbols come from? Why are they almost the same for all nations? Symbols are information. The most ancient of them have a geometric or geometrized shape. Let us assume that it is based on information about some universal processes.

There is an interesting scheme of ideas about the structure of the Universe among the ancient Slavs-Russians, published by A. Ivanitsky in the essay “The Ways of the Great Russian” (almanac “Slavs”) and given in abbreviations by M. Shatunov (“Russian Health”, M., 1998, p. 159). Let's continue this diagram, completing it in accordance with the movement of the Solar ecliptic across the sky from the position of an earthly observer relative to the change of seasons (Fig. 1). Let us obtain an egg-shaped matrix (in accordance with Russian traditions, I will call it “Roda’s egg”) and look at this egg from the end side (Fig. 2). Comparing both projections with the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci and the spirals of the “golden ratio” of Drunvalo Melchizedek (D. Melchizedek. " Ancient mystery flower of life", vol. 1, pp. 229-230, "Sofia", 2001), we will see that Egg explains their origin. Now let's connect all three pictures. The result is a matrix in which it is easy to see all the elements of Russian known to us ( and not only) ornaments, also divided according to their belonging to the Worlds of Pravi (frontal projection), Navi (lateral projection) and Reveal (geometrized shape of the “golden section” spirals).

Mara Minina

Since ancient times, people have decorated their clothes, homes, tools and household items with various ornaments. These were not just drawings, but magic symbols, which were supposed to protect their owners from evil spirits. In addition, the ornament invariably gave things an elegant and festive look.
The most typical patterns of ancient Russian fabric ornaments are plant, zoomorphic, everyday, and cult motifs. From ancient Russian handwritten books one can also trace the history of ornament in Rus'. The ornaments in them were decorated with headpieces for each chapter and initials (the first letters of chapters and psalms). Since the 12th century, new motifs have appeared in book designs - griffins, dragons and others. mythical monsters, intertwined with branches, belts, entangled in their tails and necks to such an extent that nothing can be made out.

Wood carving has also been distinguished by a variety of ornaments since ancient times. There are several wood carving techniques: geometric, openwork and artistic. In geometric carvings made in the form of recesses various shapes, pagan symbols were often present, for example, the so-called “rosettes” and “radiances”, denoting the sun. Such images were often found on household items: spinning wheels, dishes, kitchen utensils. Artistic carving was a real drawing on wood and decorated the walls of the house, the ridge on the roof, and the porch. As in textile ornaments, plant, zoomorphic and cult motifs were common in wood carvings, which in ancient times were supposed to protect the house from evil forces, and later turned into simply elements of home decoration.

After the adoption of Christianity at the end of the 10th century, Byzantine culture began to spread in Rus', which was reflected primarily in architecture, language and ornament. Even the word “ornament” itself is of Latin origin and is translated as “decoration”. From the 12th century to Old Russian ornament elements characteristic of Italian, Persian, Indian began to penetrate, and during Tatar-Mongol invasion and ornaments. The mixture of all these styles in the 16th-17th centuries gave rise to a special ornamental style, characteristic only of the Russian people.

It contains both geometric shapes and various plant patterns, images of animals, existing and mythical, fantasy patterns of intertwining ribbons, branches, leaves, climbing plants, forming, despite all their intricacy, various figures animals, birds and people. In different centuries, various ornamental motifs were used to decorate various objects (be it clothing or a handwritten book, a box or a towel), some of them were characteristic only of their time, others have been preserved from ancient times to the present day.