page_title: Ukrainian embroidery
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Ukrainian embroidery / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Its height is 6 m. Circa 2 mln of tesserae were used in a mosaic set. It is one biggest monumental examples of Old Rus art. “Orans” in Greek means “praying”. This image is one of the main iconographic types of the portrayal of the Virgin Mary that presents her image with her hands raised in prayer. The Virgin Orans is called “the Unbreakable Wall”. From ancient times it is believed that as long as the image of the Virgin Orans is in St. Sophia so long the city of Kyiv and all Rus stand.
context_page_description: Ukrainian embroidery occupies an important place among the various branches of Ukrainian decorative arts. Embroidery has a rich history in Ukraine, and has long appeared in Ukrainian folk dress as well as played a part in traditional Ukrainian weddings and other celebrations. Appearing all across the country, Ukrainian embroidery varies depending on the region of origin. From Poltava, Kiev, and Chernihiv in the east, to Volyn and Polissia in the northwest, to Bukovyna, and the Hutsul area in the southwest, the designs have a long history which defines its ornamental motifs and compositions, as well as its favorite choice of colors and types of stitches.
context_section_description: Embroidery is an ancient and symbolic tradition in Ukraine.  In 513 BC, Herodotus, the famous Greek historian, in describing the invasion of Darius, mentioned that the Thracian-Dacian people who lived in what is now the Balkans and western Ukraine used embroidery to decorate their clothes.  Excavations of cities from the 1st century AD have revealed examples of embroidered clothing in the territory of Ukraine.  Other early examples of embroideries include pre-Christian goddess motifs, such as Berehynia.  There are eleventh-century examples of embroidery in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev on frescos and miniatures.  Many of these early examples have distinct similarities to the local embroidery throughout history.  Ukrainian embroidery was an everyday art in the common people's lives until the 19th century, when it became more of a craft.
  Embroidery was mostly used for the decoration of clothing and fabrics and for the decoration of homes and churches. Embroidered products, especially a rushnyk, are greatly symbolic for a series of ceremonies and rituals of Ukraine. 
  Most embroidery was used for clothing.  The primary object of clothing that was decorated with embroidery was the shirt or vyshyvanka. The shirt was mostly decorated with embroidery on the sleeves, and also on the neck, bosom, and the cuffs.  Other elements of clothing are also embroidered, including scarves, skirts, aprons, men's caps and trousers, sleeveless jackets, kozhukh and kozhushanka (sheepskin coats), sashes, ochipok, etc. In some areas, bed linens were also embroidered.  Aside from clothing, other items decorated with embroidery are towels, tablecloths, bench covers, veils and kerchiefs, and pillowcases.  Many of these items are used to decorate the interior of churches, for example a cover for the sacraments or a shroud for icons.
  According to Mary Doliszny, a Ukrainian-Canadian activist, the Soviet Union's attempts at Russification took a toll on the embroidery of Ukrainians.  Because of attempts to destroy the art of Ukrainian embroidery, diaspora Ukrainians worked to document patterns and revive the art.  Much of this research was done at the institutes of Ukrainian studies at Harvard University and the University of Toronto.
  Folk embroidery was symbolic and connected with a great number of beliefs, myths, and superstitions, including beliefs regarding protection and fertility. The lozenge shape is a common motif and represents a sown field and female fertility.
  In Ukraine, embroidery was developed by women and typically a women's activity and remains one to this day.  There was scarcely a woman who did not master it to some extent.  It is popular in both Ukraine and her diaspora, where many embroidery clubs exist.
  Embroidery is remembered as a national pastime and is a part of the Ukrainian cultural and national identity.
caption: 12th century icon of Virgin Orans in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. Notice the embroidered handkerchief on the belt.
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