A variety of jewelry for a modern woman is an integral part of her wardrobe. After all, they are the ones who make the beautiful half of humanity unique and charming.

We inherited the motifs of traditional jewelry from our ancestors. They invested deep sacred and protective meaning into these patterns. Even during the Trypillian culture, our ancestors wore jewelry and decorated their clothes with embroidery, appliqués, and painting.

Over the course of many centuries, clothing decorations have been changed and improved by folk craftsmen. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the most common traditional jewelry was finally formed among Ukrainian peasants: neck and chest items (necklaces, salba, dukach, patserki, ducats, zgarda, gerdans, silyankas and others) as well as ear jewelry.

Breast decorations, which performed ritual and protective functions, protected a person from the evil eye and any disaster, were worn on the body. But what was worn over clothes served as a colorful addition to the traditional Ukrainian costume.

Women's jewelry in Ukrainian life became an obligatory part of the festive attire; it also had its own purpose and certain features. By the number of breast decorations, one could determine how wealthy their owner was.

Exposition in . Photo credit: IGotoWorld Photo Group.

Ukrainian peasant women, even poor ones, tried not to be inferior to each other in the number of different different decorations. Such jewelry was collected over several generations and passed down as a family heirloom. Sometimes a set of women's jewelry was worth more than a house or a pair of oxen.

Jewelry was bought at rural fairs and in shopping arcades in large cities. Suppliers were mainly artisans, but some jewelry was brought from other countries.

Neck and chest decorations for clothing

Breast decorations occupied a special place in the attire of Ukrainian women. Removable jewelry, different in shape, color and material, harmoniously combined with each other and added unique sophistication to traditional Ukrainian clothing. The combination of different decorations was determined by local traditions. So:

in Polesie they wore coral and amber beads;
in Podolia, 5-10 threads of corals were supplemented with a thread of “troublemakers” (beads made of mother-of-pearl shells), a chain with coins and a small glass necklace;
The Dnieper region preferred corrals, dukach with a bow or glass beads with coins, the neck was decorated with beaded “bows”;
in Western Ukraine, traditional beads were supplemented with “written” patserkas and beaded “silyankas”.
in the Hutsul region, special importance was given to the brass (mosyazhny) necklace - zgarda, rustle.

Necklace

The necklace was distributed throughout Ukraine and had many varieties. The greatest value was a necklace made of expensive natural materials: corals, amber, pearls, garnets; as well as glass, smalt. Topping the list was a coral necklace., it was called: good necklace, real necklace, real corals, wise necklace. Corals at that time were not a cheap decoration; peasants with little income could not always buy such a necklace.

1 photo: necklace. Coral, metal. Second half of the 19th century. 2 photos: b mustache with buttons. Coral, metal. Cherkasy region, 19th century. Photo source: honchar.org.ua.

The material for making such a necklace was the skeletons of coral polyps, mostly red. They were mined in the warm waters of the Mediterranean region and brought to Ukraine mainly from Venice.

Coral necklaces varied in size, quality, finish and color. The so-called unprocessed “prickly” necklace was considered cheaper - it consisted of small cylinders cut into tube shapes. Red corals, processed into ovals or barrels, were highly valued, especially with large beads in the center. Often the largest central bead on each strand was set in silver. The number of threads of such a necklace often reached 25; such luxury testified to the woman’s wealth. Crosses, gold coins, and silver beads (reefs, buttons) were often added to the necklace.

Traditions of wearing a necklace

During fasting or mourning, the red necklace was not worn; it was replaced with a cheaper, glass one, with a dull color.
After 40 years, women generally did not wear a necklace, but this was not prohibited. Many people wore a necklace in old age, but mostly of a dark color and in small quantities.
Bad omen was to break the necklace, this foreshadowed misfortune.
People believed that whoever wears a coral necklace will not be affected by any spell.

The amber necklace was also very common in our country. Stones were mined in Volyn, in some places in the Middle Dnieper region, and in the Carpathian region. A string of amber sometimes reached below the middle of the chest and was most often worn in combination with coral. The owners of such a necklace believed that amber brought good health and improved complexion.

Written Patserki were considered one of the most expensive at that time. A blown necklace made of multi-colored Murano glass was brought from Venice. It consisted mainly of one thread. Round beads were hand-painted with colored enamels and inlaid with gold.

Photo 1: wedding necklace. Glass, inlay, gilding, silver coins, copper bells, brass clasps. Hutsul region, second half of the 19th century. Photo 2: necklace “written patzerki”. Glass, inlay, painting, gilding. Hutsul region, 19th century. Photo source: honchar.org.ua. From the monograph by Annie Vrochinskaya “Ukrainian folk women’s jewelry of the 19th - early 20th centuries.”

They also made more affordable patserki from cheap multi-colored glass. Often beads of different colors were strung on one thread, which gave the product brightness and uniqueness.

Necklace 1930-1950. Author of the photo: Irina Haluschak.

Screwtape- this is how mother of pearl was simply called in everyday life. By folk beliefs, this decoration personified girlish innocence; it was worn “so that men would not trouble women.” In Ukraine, such a necklace was considered a curiosity, so it was quite expensive.

Salba- neck decoration, worn mainly in Bukovina. The basis was a fabric on which coins, mostly silver, were attached. The number of sewn coins often exceeded twelve rows. Such decorations are also integral part national costumes of Turkic peoples.

Clothing and jewelry (salba) from the fund. Photo source: twitter.com/Cherries_UP.

Dukach (Lichman)- the basis of such decoration were Austrian ducats or Russian rubles. The coin was hung from a metal bow decorated with stones. Also, instead of coins, metal images with images of the Mother of God and saints were used, which were often made in workshops at monasteries.

The dukach was always worn on top of a necklace in the most visible place. Women were very proud of this decoration; its presence testified to the property status of the hostess. Dukachs were passed down from generation to generation and, together with other jewelry, often made up the dowry of the future bride.

Corals with silver coins(Polish zlotys with Jadwiga 1932-1933).

Ducats are a type of necklace. Using a specially attached eyelet, coins were strung on a colored woolen thread, often in combination with corals or beads, sometimes with silver crosses. They used silver or gold coins of royal mintage.

Zgarda- traditional Hutsul decoration of cult significance. Its basis is made of copper cast crosses, in the spaces between them there are tubes or spirals made of brass or copper. They were strung on a strap, lace or wire, from one to three threads. This decoration harmoniously combines paganism and Christianity - a metal cross and various religious ornaments. A large number of crosses on the zgarda indicated the prosperity of the family.

Scanned page from Oksana Kosmina’s book “Ukrainian National Assembly”, 2006.

Necklace made of Venetian glass and amber, Carpathians.
Women's chest decoration zgarda with crosses, Hutsul region.

Rustle- this jewelry was made and worn in the Hutsul region. The metal necklace consists of small round buboes (“rattles”), this ringing decoration is also called “Sorokovtsy”.

Beaded jewelry

Beadwork in Ukraine has a very long history. In our country, beads were known back in the days of Kievan Rus. For the first time, beads began to be made in the territory of Ancient Egypt. Artificial pearls made of opaque glass were called "busra" (plural "beads"). Beads came to Europe from Byzantium, and later from Venice. The period of greatest popularity of this decoration in Ukraine occurred at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries. At that time, the main supplier of beads was the Czech Republic.

Bead jewelry has become widespread in a significant part of the western regions of Ukraine and in some areas of the north and center.

Products made from cast colored beads perfectly complemented the outfit of Ukrainian peasant women. Such jewelry always looked elegant and delicate. They all differ in shape and color, as well as in execution technique. Beads were strung without a needle, only with thread; for this purpose, its tip was lubricated with wax to make it harder.

The most common were cervical and chest decorations made of beads, this gerdans and crises. Each of them had a certain ornament, color and local names. Very often the same decoration was called differently in different villages.

Decorations in the form of a narrow ribbon or a rounded lace collar were woven from colored beads on a hair or silk base.

Neck decorations made of beads were called “gerdans”, “gerdanki”, “edges”, “links”, “ladders”, “rows”, “navels”, etc.

In the photo is Gerdan. Pattern of the early 20th century, Snyatyn district, Ivano-Frankivsk region.

The names of clothing decorations come from the technique of stringing (strengthening) beads - “silyanki”, “silyovanki”, “silenki”. Interweaving of threads with beads among themselves - “braids”.

Reconstruction of an ancient “silyanka”, .

Crises represent round collars made of beads, covering the shoulders and chest of the young lady. Their width reached 20 cm or more. They mostly wore several collars of varying lengths and widths on holidays.

Ear jewelry

Ukrainian peasant women were very fond of various earrings; this is one of the oldest types of traditional women's jewelry. At that time, girls' ears were pierced quite often. early age, often starting at age two. To do this, they used thin, sharp earrings that remained until the wound healed. Children wore mostly copper earrings, girls and respectable married women mostly silver, gilded or gold, everything depended on the property status of the family.

There are quite a lot of different folk beliefs associated with this decoration:

people believed that wearing earrings helped remove headache;
first wedding night the bride had to take off her earrings;
during times of mourning or fasting, women wore modest hoop-shaped earrings;
Losing earrings was considered a bad sign; it foreshadowed misfortune.

At that time the range of earrings was quite diverse: chatterers, stomachs, forget-me-nots, snakes, knyshiks, teas, ducks, butterflies, berries, tops and others. Pendants - bolts, telipons - were often attached to earrings. In the Hutsul region, pear-shaped earrings were common.

Photo source: honchar.org.ua. Earrings in the photo:

a) Poltava region, late 18th century.
b) Cherkasy region, early 20th century.
c) Earrings “balls with butterflies”. Cherkasy region, late 19th century.
d) Cherkasy region, late 19th century.
e) Chernihiv region, mid-18th century.
e) Pendants for earrings. Chernihiv region, mid-18th century.

And yet the most popular were the so-called “months” and “crescents”, “inflated”, “donuts”. The shape was similar to a bent moon, suspended by the horns. They were flat and “blown”; the first ones were decorated with light engraving, often in the form of a branch with a flower framed in the form of small dots. Such earrings were worn mainly by married and elderly women.

Earrings from the private collection of S. Potapenko. Earrings from the late 19th - early 20th centuries, Chigirin region. Photo source: chigirinzapovidnyk.org.ua.

Where to see traditional Ukrainian jewelry

Works: all days except Tuesday. From 10:00 to 18:00.

Entrance: adults - 40 UAH. Students, pensioners - 20 UAH. Schoolchildren - 10 UAH.

Address: Lavrskaya street, 9, building 29.

Photo source: Kievtown.net.

. Center expositions folk culture illuminate the beauty of folk life, national and Christian ideals of Ukrainians.

Works: from Tuesday to Sunday. From 10:00 to 17:30.

Entrance: adults - 30 UAH. Students, pensioners and schoolchildren - 10 UAH.

Address: Lavrskaya street, 19.

Ukrainian jewelry, which has been formed over many centuries, fortunately, has not lost its attractiveness. Modern fashionistas People are increasingly using jewelry in the Ukrainian ethno style.

Today you can buy women’s jewelry with Ukrainian motifs, and even exact copies, in souvenir shops. Why not make the decoration yourself? You already know how our great-great-grandmothers made them.

Our National Costume called one of the most attractive and colorful in the world. Beautiful and wise Ukrainian women knew how to dress elegantly and choose jewelry to match themselves. Modern designers and jewelers admire the products of the past and create stylized, authentic accessories based on them. Previously, it was believed that jewelry had a special meaning and protected housewives from the evil eye and evil spirits. Many of them have long been forgotten, and some can be seen in museums. These masterpieces are worth remembering!

Here are the 10 most famous and popular Ukrainian national jewelry:

1.Zgarda

This traditional neck ornament-amulet consisted of several rows of copper crosses, between which there were metal tubes, corals or spirals. All this was strung on a wire, strap or cord, and small disks with solar symbols were used as a clasp. The abundance of crosses on the zgarda was a sign of family wealth. It is worth saying that all the women tried to acquire the most beautiful jewelry so as not to be inferior to their neighbors. Sometimes the contents of the boxes were worth more than a house or a pair of oxen.

2.Salba

This was the name given to a bib made of fabric, embroidered with local and “overseas” silver coins. Their number could exceed 12 rows. Salbs were adored in Bukovina.

3.Dukach

This decoration was a medal-shaped coin with a metal bow, which was worn over a necklace. The dukach was considered a valuable decoration and a source of pride. It was worn prominently and passed down from generation to generation. The first dukachs were awarded to the Cossacks for their service. And they gave them to their lovers and daughters.

4.Balamuts

Such necklaces made of mother-of-pearl beads were otherwise called “white troublemakers.” They personified beauty, innocence and were designed to protect girls from excessive male attention. Charms and medallions were often added to the beads. In Ukraine they were considered a curiosity.

5. Rustle

Metal beads made from miniature bells were the hallmark of the Hutsul region. They say this is one of the most ancient Ukrainian jewelry.

6.Gerdans

These oblong breast decorations made of two strips of multi-colored beads were worn by both men and women. Their ornament served as a protective symbol and differed depending on the area. Gerdan could not be given away or lent to other people.

7.Crises

This name hides the wide round beaded collars that covered the chest and shoulders. IN holidays women wore several multi-colored krises of different sizes at once.

8.Coral beads (corals)

This popular piece of jewelry made from many rows of small coral beads was also called the “wise necklace.” The corrals differed in finish, size and quality. Large red oval beads bound in silver were especially prized. Girls from wealthy families wore up to 30 coral threads, which were a symbol of their wealth and health.

9.Pissed pasjorks

Blown beads made of painted cheap or expensive Murano glass. The design was applied by hand using colored enamels. Sometimes these bright items were inlaid with gold.

10.Hryvnia

This short metal necklace resembles a crescent-shaped hoop. The hryvnia was made from gold, silver or inexpensive alloys. It gained popularity back in the 10th century and symbolized the status of its owner.

Conclusion

Ukrainian women also loved earrings. Little girls wore copper ones, while young girls and married ladies preferred silver or gold ones. It was believed that earrings help relieve headaches. Among the favorite shapes are crescents, months, bagels, as well as animal and plant patterns. And if you complement the look with embroidered shirt and a lush wreath... A sight for sore eyes!

Ukrainian women have always been bright and irresistible. Our national jewelry is an unsurpassed masterpiece of folk craftsmanship. Many of them have not lost their relevance and are waiting in the wings. This is a subject of our pride and sincere admiration. Do you have coral beads or a beaded necklace? We would try everything on the list! You need to love yourself and be sure to pamper yourself with beautiful jewelry. In our stores you will find many “precious surprises” and interesting collections. We will be glad to meet you!

Any outfit will sparkle in a completely new way if you add one small detail to it - a correctly selected and, importantly, original decoration. Silver and gold, stones and wood, fantasy and minimalism, neoclassicism and art nouveau...We selected 7 brands jewelry, among which, we are sure, you will find exactly the product that will become a highlight in your image. And, as always, they are all made in Ukraine!

kochut

The idea to create a jewelry brand kochut belongs to three brothers from Uzhgorod: Yuri, Roman and Igor. The brothers-jewelers began making their first products while still at school. Having seen these jewelry at least once, you will never confuse them with any other brand - each product is original and modern. We think that fantasy lovers will especially appreciate their rings, they look so magical. Jewelers make almost all their jewelry with their own hands, sometimes using modern technologies 3D modeling, and also use the rare Mokume Gane metal joining technique. And, by the way, it was they who came up with the idea of creating the first jewelry in the world with gallium.

Lena Yastreb

Jewelry brand Lena Yastreb on the Ukrainian market for several years. His main directions are neoclassicism and animalism. The main motive is convenience, aesthetics and individuality. Interestingly, in addition to original decorations made of silver and gold for women and men, there is also a children's line. This year's plans include working with new materials such as plastic and wood, their combination with precious stones and metals, development of limited editions and art objects. You can view the products and purchase them online on the website, and you can try on new items and exclusive jewelry, even something that is not yet on the website, in the concept store 11SilverSpace in the center of the capital on the street. Malaya Zhitomirskaya 9-B (you can also get a discount for checking in there).

Dari Jewelry

Dari Chernikova has been in the field of jewelry design for about 5 years, but the decision to found her own brand came 2 years ago. The main vector for the designer is simplicity, which, of course, is manifested in the style of her sophisticated products. Rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets look quite laconic, but at the same time they have life. For example, two “Sea” rings will never be identical: the enamel coating is mixed anew each time and consists of several colors, which after baking acquire a unique gradient. Or take the “The Universe” series of jewelry: the entire lunar surface is created by hand and looks very mesmerizing. Coming soon brand Dari Jewelry presents a small collection that will be a real surprise for spring. Jewelry can be found in the showrooms “The One”, “Apartment 31”, in the concept store “Window to the Courtyard”, in Lviv in the gallery “Shchos Tsikave”, deliveries are expected soon to “Cocoon space” in Odessa and “ MEL" in Kharkov.

Hovsepyan Designs

Designer Arthur Hovsepyan began his experiments in jewelry in 2012, and three years later he launched his own brand Hovsepyan Designs , specializing mainly in the production of bracelets, earrings and rings. Arthur makes his unusual products himself using the traditional handmade method in a minimalist style. The material for them is mainly silver, although the master likes to experiment with alloys of metals such as copper and gold.

Maya

Brand Creator Maya— jewelry artist Maya Kotelnitskaya, graduate of the Lviv Academy of Arts. In her work, the designer combines boldness and complexity of ideas, paying attention to how jewelry works on the human body. Maya studies both the ancient jewelry traditions of the peoples of the world and the most sophisticated and vibrant period in the history of jewelry - Art Nouveau. When working on her amazing jewelry, she prefers to experiment with stones and metals, and also use such non-standard materials, like wood, glass, porcelain and fragments of antiques.

Modern jewelry amazes with its variety of styles, shapes, and materials. Among them, recently fashionable necklaces and beads with large, rough beads and other elements, assembled from several threads, attract attention. The source of their design is the ethnic jewelry of the peoples of the world, which have always been distinguished by an abundance of various symbolic components, the purpose of which had its own meaning. Basically, they were amulets that protected against evil forces, and also informed others about the status and wealth of their owner.

The beauty of natural raw materials

In the old days, when ordinary people did not have the opportunity to process the materials from which they made jewelry, their products were quite primitive, from the materials that were available to them. Nowadays there are many lovers of beads and necklaces made from natural unprocessed material, only in our time such beads are made not from simple ones, but from semi-precious stones and are refined so that they are pleasant to wear with modern clothes.

History of Ukrainian folk jewelry

The ancient ancestors of the Slavs created their jewelry from materials that the rich vegetation provided them with. We are still familiar with necklaces made from rowan fruits, nuts, large seeds and other forest gifts. During the Trypillian period, crafts began to develop that made it possible to make more complex multi-tiered jewelry from clay, amber, coral, and pearls.

In the Middle Ages, when coinage developed, jewelry that included numerous coins and pendants of various shapes became very popular. These jewelry were worn by women of different classes, since the metal of the coins and the design of the necklace could be very simple, or they could have a very high price, affordable only to the most noble families. Jewelry in this style attracts fashionistas even today.
Famous designers they create their masterpieces from coins and pendants for wealthy customers, among whom popular artists are often found. Traditional craftswomen, whose products are distinguished by originality and novelty, do not lag behind them.

With the advent of wonderful multi-colored beads, which merchants brought for our needlewomen, a monisto, woven from beads with ornaments that protect the girl from evil forces and bring happiness, became part of the Ukrainian costume. Such decoration in a more modern form can often be seen today on Ukrainian fashionistas.

Types of Ukrainian jewelry

The Ukrainian style in jewelry is represented by products that have come down to us from the ancient past and have little-known names, although the jewelry itself is worn with pleasure by Ukrainian women and others, complementing and enlivening modern clothing with them. The most interesting are hryvnias, gerdans, dukaches and kryzys, which deserve special attention.

A hryvnia is a short necklace in the form of a hoop, shaped like a crescent. The hryvnia was made of metal. It could be gold if its owner was rich enough, and for representatives of the middle class - merchants and townspeople, they made hryvnias from silver and tin. It was a beautiful, heavy, expensive decoration that emphasized the wealth of the owner, so the hryvnia became very common in the 10th century and later.

It is not often that you come across a gerdan - a very interesting and beautiful wicker, creating a Ukrainian ethnic ornament throughout the decoration, reminiscent of embroidery. Gerdan serves as a talisman thanks to the magical symbol embedded in the ornament.

Dukach was worn by Ukrainian women back in the last century, but now it is an almost forgotten decoration. It represents jewel in the form of a medal pendant or large coin on chains. The pendant was attached to a necklace made of corals, beads, pearls, or hung around the neck on a wide ribbon on top of numerous beads. Dukachs were made from gold, silver, copper and other metals, so they were widespread in all levels of society.

Kryza is a luxurious beaded decoration in the form of a very wide collar covering the shoulders. The kryza is woven into colorful patterns. To create something like this is amazing. beautiful decoration it takes a lot of skill and a lot of work. Kryza will make even the simplest clothes elegant and attractive.

Ukrainian decoration - Silyanka is a gerdan, or another name for silyanka made of beads - an ancient decoration of Ukrainian women - a solid, even or openwork strip that fits tightly to the neck, tied at the back or fastened with a hook. It was woven from multi-colored beads on a hair or thread base, 0.5 to 4 cm wide, with a geometric pattern.
Silyankas wore one stripe or two or three narrow stripes of different colors and patterns around their necks, connecting them with several threads of glass beads and corals.

Multi-colored beaded necklace with an interesting pattern, a wonderful necklace in ethnic style.

In the east of Ukraine this decoration was unknown. Found in Podolia and Volyn. And in Galicia it was extremely common. Probably, the silyanka came to Galicia from Hungary. Similar to gerdans products called margele are also common in the Romanian part of Bukovina.
And according to this pattern I weaved mine silyanka, it can be seen in the “Works” section. Only the color scheme is slightly different from the scheme.

According to this pattern, I wove several Silyanok. Not difficult at all, but very beautiful.

Ukrainian jewelry has always performed two functions - protective and informative. The first had amulet and ritual jewelry that was worn only on the body - wedding rings, bracelets and crosses. Well, those that were worn over clothes spoke eloquently about the wealth of the owner: six threads of coral alluvium, for example, cost as much as a pair of oxen. Gerdany- beaded chest decorations in the form of a loop of two strips connected by a medallion at the solar plexus. They were worn mainly by men, but women also wore them. In Bukovina, the ends of the gerdan ribbons were connected by a mirror suspended from them.

The name “silyanka” comes from the method of making such jewelry (“silyannya”, threading - a method of stringing beads on a thread. Not wide (two to three centimeters) silyankas women wore it every day as a talisman (the power of the silyanka as a talisman was always determined by the ornament). For greater strength of the Hutsul amulet, for example, a beaded ribbon with a protective ornament was sewn onto a red strip of linen.

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