The spring equinox. Easter. Symbols and traditions.

Since the time of the Scythians and Trypillians, our ancestors have revered nature. They raised their children to respect their elders and all living things - animals, plants, and the elements. They greeted every season with joy and gratitude. Thus, they laid a solid foundation for the future.

Spring rituals, traditions and symbols were aimed at awakening all living things, restoring them after the winter dormancy. Depending on the region and weather conditions, spring was called from early March to early April. By this time, women would have finished weaving their cloths. They would take a piece of cloth to the field, spread it out on the ground, bow to the four cardinal points, and turn to face the sunrise.  They would say to the spring that they had brought it a gift, put bread and pies on the cloth, and go home. This rite was performed for a good flax and hemp harvest. Older men would perform the rite of the first furrow in the field to make the land good and ensure a good harvest. They also brought gifts or donations to the spring - larks made of dough. Children would carry them through the streets and throw them up to the mountain to call for spring. In some regions, these were wooden birds - swallows. Both birds were the first to return from the wilderness, as if bringing southern warmth on their wings.

Our ancestors imagined Spring as a young, beautiful, healthy and very wealthy girl. They sang ritual songs to her - vesnianky, haiivky. Glorifying her beauty and asking for the blessing of a future harvest and prosperity for the family. While singing vesnianky, they danced in a circle, symbolizing the sun and the indivisibility of the world.

Come, spring, come

Come, come, beautiful spring,

Bring us grain,

Bring us colors

An important point in the year after the calls of spring was the Spring Equinox. It was then that the Slavs celebrated Easter. The days after the equinox increased, hence the name. Various sources mention Yarylo and Dazhboh in conjunction with the Equinox. Both of these deities personify the sun. Dazhbog is the sun god himself. His spring incarnation is a rapid, young sunshine. The sun has three more images according to the annual periods of the Circle of the Year. Kupala is the sun at its peak at the time of the summer solstice. Svitovid - the old sun at the time of the autumnal Equinox and the celebration of autumnal grandfathers. Koliada is the winter newborn sun-baby on the day of the winter solstice. Thus, for the Easter period, both the names Easter-Yarylo and Dazhbozhiv Easter carry the same symbolism-the victory of light over darkness, the time of the birth of new life. We should immediately mention Maren, Mara, the goddess of death. During the spring holidays, her effigy was burned to symbolize winter. In addition to the large central fire, smaller ones were lit, over which people jumped to purify themselves and gain vital energy. The power of water was also used for purification. People visited baths, doused themselves with water, and daredevils dove into a river or lake. Ritual bathing took place before Easter, and the day after the holiday, boys would play pranks, enter the yards where girls lived and pour water on them to make them beautiful and healthy. It was believed that water had a special magical healing power on these days. Doused Monday is still celebrated in the west of our country.

On Easter, housewives baked festive bread - a korovai or kalach. The higher it was, the bigger the harvest was supposed to be this year, and the healthier the cattle. The family was treated to the festive bread and offered it as a gift to nature. In addition, the gods were treated with grain, eggs, and milk, which were left at crossroads or in the forest.

During the Easter holidays, ancestors were honored. It was believed that they came to their homes to meet spring with their relatives. The week after Easter was called Tryznytsia or Radunytsia. People would organize “oklychky” - to call souls from winter sleep. Dinners were organized to commemorate deceased relatives.

The Annunciation, the day when our ancestors released birds, is also an important spring holiday.

When Christianity spread among European nations, it integrated many pagan symbols into its tradition of celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. Modern housewives make smaller Easter cakes, but they are as tall and fluffy as the spring loaves were. They are not at all like the lean Jewish cakes. The blessing of food in the church is an echo of the gifts that our ancestors brought to the forests and left at crossroads. The Resurrection of Christ echoes the springtime blossoming of nature. The Feast of the Annunciation was combined with the image of the Virgin Mary. There is another most recognizable symbol of Easter that Christianity adopted from paganism. Let's talk about it further.

 

An egg of Paradise is a cosmogonic symbol of the Slavs.

In various world cultures, the symbol of the egg is known as the origin of the universe. It is also identified with the sun. No wonder the egg is becoming one of the key symbols of spring holidays among the Slavs and a cosmogonic symbol in general. Most of us probably remember the children's fairy tale about the Egg of Paradise, a magic egg that has magical properties and can grant wealth, happiness, or fulfill wishes.

Easter eggs were used as a talisman and a symbol of health and longevity long before the Christianization of our land. Today, there are many different techniques for creating them. From those that we play with and taste with our families at the festive table to real collectible works of art. You can create your own amulet or gift for your loved ones by visiting the it`s Craft platform. And choose a set for creativity according to your preferences (color, style).

Symbols throughout Ukraine have similar meanings and echo symbols in embroidery, pottery, and woodwork - it is, so to speak, a constant value. The color scheme and method of creating an Easter egg have their own historical and regional peculiarities.

 

Edible or blown?

Easter eggs, katovki, and dyed eggs were painted for eating and consecration. Such eggs were boiled and not stored for a long time; they were eaten during Easter.

For long-term storage, eggs were created using the following techniques: pysanky, driapanky, maliovanky, etchings, krapanky, vytynanky, beadwork, and application pysanky. Two holes were carefully pierced in these eggs and the white and yolk were blown out. And then the pattern was applied.

Some modern pysankas are made on wooden, ceramic, or plastic bases, which is a practical option for souvenirs and collections.

So, it all depended on the purpose: if it was for food, it was boiled, if it was for amulets or jewelry, it was blown out or wooden and artificial bases were used.

 

Symbolism of the Easter egg

If you are fond of folk art, you will surely find familiar symbols used in egg decorations.

Geometric ornaments: the cross symbolizes the sun, life, and the power of light, and in Christianity it was given the meaning of the victory of good over evil. The spiral represents the path of life and continuous development. It could also symbolize a “circle of fire” or “the journey of the sun.” The triangle means the trinity of heaven, earth, and water; or father, mother, and child. Also, depending on the context of the ornament, they are used to depict a fire element, symbolizing the sublime energy of fire, its heat, and warmth.  A rhombus is a sign of fertility, prosperity, and harvest. The square is a symbol of stability, balance and the four elements. Svarga (twisted sun) - the movement of life, the victory of light over darkness. A circle (spheres, dots) represents the sun, unity, and infinity of existence. The star (horned, octagonal star Alatyr) is a sign of light, cosmic balance, the beginning of the world, and God's blessing. Zigzags (with sharp corners, not smooth lines) depict fiery movement, symbolize a curling flame or lightning. Smooth wavy lines, snake, meander - symbolize water, purification, vitality. The dots and wavy lines around the egg represent rain, which gives the harvest, the blessing of Mother Nature.

Floral ornaments were common: The tree of life is a central symbol among the Slavs along with the sun. It symbolizes the family tree, the connection between generations and worlds, and growth. The willow branch is a talisman against evil, giving protection and strength. Oak leaves and acorns are a sign of strength, longevity, and power. Periwinkle is a symbol of eternal life (sometimes the afterlife), love, and loyalty. The viburnum is another symbol of family, immortality, and beauty.

And finally, let's recall zoomorphic ornaments (images of animals, birds, insects): birds (lark, cuckoo, swallow, rooster) bring good news, awakening of life, happiness. Deer and horse are symbols of vital energy, strength, and well-being. Fish is a symbol of faith and purity. It is one of the main symbols for Christians. The bee is a symbol of hard work and harmony in the family.

Now, when choosing a ready-made work or creating your own amulet, you can “pick up the code” for your request. How have the methods of creating Easter eggs changed from ancient times to the present day?

 

Types of Easter egg decorations

Pre-Christian times are known for Easter eggs and motanka (but this is not certain, scientists are still researching this issue). But for us, the main thing is that these methods have survived to this day. Krashanka is widespread all over Ukraine, and its name comes from the word “dyeing,” meaning coloring. These are single-colored eggs dyed with natural or artificial dyes. Their symbolism depends on the color - red (life, joy), yellow (sun, harvest), green (nature, rebirth), blue (sky, spirituality). Motanka is an egg (blown, wooden) wrapped with thread or cloth. They are common on the Left Bank and Polissia.

In the princely period of the X - XII centuries, pysanky created using the technique of wax painting appeared.  Ornaments are applied with wax, after which the egg is painted in different colors in stages. The colors and symbols were typical of the regions where they were made - Hutsulshchyna, Podillia, Polissia, Volyn, and Bukovyna.   

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, new types of Easter egg decoration appeared. Driapanka or shkriabanka - an egg is painted in a dark color, and then the pattern is scratched out with a sharp object.

Travlenka - the ornament is applied with the help of acid (vinegar), which bleaches the pattern. The most common scratches and etchings are in the Carpathians, Bukovyna, Podillia, and Galicia. In Poltava and Podillia, people made krapanky or kapanky - wax is dripped randomly on the surface of the egg, after which it is painted like an Easter egg, creating a chaotic pattern.

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries were marked by the emergence of new types of decoration using additional materials besides paint. Maliovanka is a hand-painted painting without the use of wax. It is popular in central and western Ukraine. Katovka is a technique where an egg is painted in a dark color (black, dark green, brown) and rubbed with wax or cloth until it shines. This method is popular among Lemkos and Hutsuls. There are research versions that show that katovky were made in the princely era. If you've been to the Carpathians at least once in your life, you've probably seen eggs fully or partially beaded among the souvenirs. This is the so-called beaded egg. It immediately brings to mind vytynanky - dark eggs decorated with light paper cutouts, or light eggs decorated with dark cutouts. Paper cutouts are glued to the surface of the egg. This technique is common in the central and western parts of our homeland.

Today, you can find many variations of egg decorations on the Internet. The courage and creativity of the artists is impressive. Among the simplest ones, we would like to mention farbovanky, which is a gradual multi-layer painting with different colors with a smooth color transition. Eggs are also decorated with beads, fabric, ribbons, beads, buttons, and grain. Gluing various materials to their surface. Conventionally, this technique is called application pysanka. Craftsmen of Zakarpattia and Hutsul region who work with wood create incredible engraved carved eggs. They repeat the geometric ornaments inherent in classical Easter eggs.

The world of Ukrainian traditions is full of deep meanings and indescribably beautiful material manifestations. Once again, we are convinced that our customs and traditions are rooted in depths that researchers have not yet reached. And we unconsciously cherish them and pass them on to our descendants. Smile at the sun, enjoy the flow of water in the river, dream while looking at the fire, taste Easter bread, win the game of “head-to-head” and at least once in your life create your own pysanka, krapanka, or maybe even vytynanka or beads

 

 

Prepared by Olena Koval

Sources used

Oleksa Voropay, “The Customs of Our People,” volume 1, Munich 1958, 308 pp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AciZSeH_dx0

https://portal.lviv.ua/article/2015/04/06/105238

https://svarga.com.ua/

https://zaxid.net/chim_vidriznyayutsya_pisanki_krashanki_dryapanki_ta_navishho_vzagali_rozmalovuvali_yaytse_n1584627

 

Photo/drawing references: all images from Pinterest