Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
22 “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЧЕРВЕНЬ 2011 passage. Again, beaded neckwear served a dual purpose — physical and symbo lic. While it enhanced the appearance of people and their attire, the neckwear was also a symbol of power and majesty, tribal identity, wealth, and the extent of how much a husband loved his wife. Prototypes of the gerdan that we are familiar with first a ppeared in the 10th to 12th centuries. The materials used for these early gerdany were small stones, and it was during this period that Ukrainian artisans began to refine the notion of balancing the decorative and protective functions of the gerdan. Kyivan noblewomen of the 11th and 12th centuries wore wide round collars that covered the entire chest and neck — protection from evil for bearers of children. Most of the women of those times knew the importance of various metals and other substances used to cre ate their gerdany and wore them accordingly and appropriately. Gold and silver were known to hold antiseptic powers; a silver cross warded off evil; copper took away muscle pain; metal coins regulated blood pressure; coral alleviated headaches and improved vision; and amber regulated the function of the thyroid gland. If the material used in creating the adornment changed, the change often indicated a change in the body wearing it — if red coral faded, for example, a woman was ill. During the Kozak Era/Baroq ue Era (17th century to early 18th century) semi - precious and precious stones became the vogue. Imported by those who could afford them, they were sewn onto clothing (often velvet). For neckwear, the precious and semi - precious stones were sewn onto a ribbo n, often with other objects that made noise when the wearer moved, for the purpose of warding off evil. By this time, beaded neckwear had established itself as part of the folk costume and was also viewed as an investment or protective talisman. And nearly every woman, no matter what her status in society and station in life, had a few strands of coral, freshwater pearls, or glass beads. The art of making glass beads was a great secret known by the Egyptians, who made them and exported them. Over the ages, the art was lost. The Venetians rediscovered the technique in the 12th century, and, hoping to control the glass bead market, they moved production to the island of Murano. In the 18th century, the Bohemians found an easier way to manufacture beads, introd uced different colors and textures, and eventually began Seminar presenters Olga Kolodij, Lubow Wolynetz, and Maria M. Rypan . to make seed beads. By the mid - 19th century, seed beads were also manufactured in Ukraine. Seed beads, explained Ms. Wolynet z, were used mostly in Western Ukraine. The designs reflected the embroidery of respective regions. Some designs imitated stones with purported protective or healing powers. It is likely that peasant women imitated what the nobility wore. The meaning of ma ny of the popular symbols is lost; in some cases, the meaning is obscured behind as yet unbroken codes. One of reasons for the mystery is a confusion engendered by Ukraine’s geographic expanse — peasants from one region of Ukraine saw a symbol and gave it a name; peasants from another region saw the same symbol and gave it a different name. And because much of the work of crafting a gerdan was done by ordinary people and tutored artisans, there was little reason to accommodate uniformity in symbol nomenclatur e. Village girls were the real creators of the gerdan. A maiden was judged by the community by how skillfully she embroidered and how well she made gerdany. The gerdan was judged on four characteristics: artistry; how it hung on the neck; combination of c olors; and combination of symbols. Maidens made gerdany for their future husbands’ hats in the form of a ribbon with sewn seeded beads. Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
