Ornaments in the traditional culture of the Ural | ENG

The exhibition

"Symphony of patterns: ornaments in the traditional culture

of the peoples of the Ural" 

 Introduction

Ornament is among the most vivid and recognizable elements of traditional folk art. Like mysterious ancient script, it preserves the key to the earliest conceptions of the universe held by the peoples of the Urals. The everyday life of the communities that have inhabited the Ural lands for centuries - the Mari, Mansi, Russians, Bashkirs, and Tatars - has always been permeated by a rich system of images and symbols embodying the aesthetics of their long-established way of life. The descendants of those who settled in the Urals brought with them not only the traditions of their native homelands but also their own understanding of beauty and harmony, encoded in ancient ornamental patterns.

RUSSIANS

The active settlement of the Urals by Russian migrants began during the second half of the 16^th century. Among the first settlers were people from the Russian North. Later, in the 17^th century, they were joined by migrants from the central regions of European Russia and the Middle Volga area. The combination of northern and central Russian traditions laid the foundation for the emergence of the distinctive domestic culture of the Russian population of the Middle Urals.

The Izba as a Space of Paradise

The structure of the peasant house (izba - a traditional Russian log dwelling) was simple and functional: the appearance and placement of every object and every architectural detail followed a way of life established over centuries. Yet the inhabitants of Ural villages always sought to soften this austere simplicity with warmth and comfort. Intricate woodcarvings and brightly coloured decorative wall paintings helped them achieve this goal.

Already in the 18^th-19^th centuries, the architraves and gates of peasant izbas were decorated with ornaments of contour carving, triangular-notched carving, and bracket carving - the oldest and most widespread techniques of Russian folk art. The leading place here was occupied by geometric motifs of the solar type - circles and semicircles with many diverging rays, reminiscent of the rising sun. They could also be found on household items - spinning wheels, washboards, and parts of looms.

Sometimes craftsmen would color the carved ornaments, covering them with bright paints and detailing the designs. However, from the mid-19^th century, painted patterns increasingly became an independent type of decoration.

One of the characteristic features of Ural house painting was the free "sweeping" brushstroke: two colors were applied to one brush at once, so that the main elements of the painting - a fancy flower, leaf, or juicy berry - could be executed in just a few short movements, literally "in one sweep."

The houses "painted with little flowers" discovered in the Alapayevsk and Irbit districts of present-day Sverdlovsk Region were primarily the work of the Karmak painters. Villages situated along the Karmak River - including Verkhovino, Ryabovo, Gilyovo, Maltsevo, and others - gave rise to hereditary painter-decorators, who often worked in family enterprises - artels.

In the products of the Ural "painting" trade, craftsmanship and imagination were intricately combined. The interiors of houses were filled with motifs traditional for Russian paintings: the "flowering tree" or "flowering vase" surrounded by "guardians" - lions and birds of paradise, as well as garlands of bright, lush buds. Together these compositions transformed the interior of the peasant izba into a fragrant, idyllic garden. At times, however, echoes of modernity also entered this painted world: trains with smoking locomotive chimneys would appear on the walls of the "white gornitsa(upper chamber)," or outlandish, almost fairytale beasts would wander in - "ships of the steppes and deserts," camels.

Lush "bouquets" of Ural painting also bloomed on household utensils. A special phenomenon was the painted burak - as birchbark containers were called in the Urals, which from the 18^th century were made by craftsmen along the banks of the Salda River, in Nizhny Tagil and its environs. The painted branches of flowers and berries on the sides of the containers were sometimes complemented by embossed patterns encircling their tall walls.

In the last third of the 19^th century, the "Ural bouquet" also " sprouted" on the metal of Nizhny Tagil trays, displacing the more complex and intricate "urban" decor. The craftswomen of Nizhny Tagil lacquer painting opened the way for the transformation of the ancient floral motif into a new "Tagil rose." A hundred years later, in the second half of the 20^th century, masters of Nizhny Tagil presented many original variants of this pictorial bud, transforming the modest charm of the elegant "little flower" into the sophistication and refinement of the "Nizhny Tagil rose."

On Finery and Fashion

Russian settlers brought to the Urals a remarkable variety of regional forms of traditional costume. Although the principal garments remained largely unchanged - a shirt worn with a sarafan (traditional sleeveless women's dress) for women, and a shirt with trousers for men - the choice of cut, colour, and ornament could reveal much about its owner: individual taste, stage of life, and the social standing of the family.

Locally available materials - primarily flax and wool - were used to weave homespun cloth (domotkan, literally "home-woven fabric"). The creation of a garment began long before the cloth was cut, and even before the fabric itself had been woven. Elderly inhabitants of the Middle Urals recalled: "All winter we spun thread, and in spring Mother would say, 'Girls, choose the colour you want for your sarafan. Only then shall we begin weaving.'" Thus, the destiny of every patterned textile was determined already at the stage of preparing the yarn. The weaver knew in advance the purpose of every skein, deciding which colour it should receive and in what sequence the threads would be arranged on the krosny (a traditional horizontal loom).

A popular color, pattern, or method of dyeing often gave the fabric its name:

-       undyed yarn was used to produce coarse linen;

-       from plain-coloured (solid-dyed, single-ground) canvas - kubovina and dubas - they sewed sarafans;

-       variegated fabrics (pestryad) - fabrics with a simple pattern in small checks or stripes -were usually used for sewing casual clothes, tablecloths and towels.

For the production of some variants of "pestryad" (variegated fabrics), craftswomen used the complex technique of multi-heddle weaving. This technology also made it possible to create fabrics with more complex patterns - a "grid" of many cells, rosettes, ovals, and circles. Soft and dense, such fabrics often became the basis for festive tablecloths.

The ends of towels, men's and women's shirts were decorated with "ribbons" of patterns created using the technique of pick-up weaving (branoe weaving) ("branina"). Geometric ornaments were executed with red threads on bleached linen. But at the turn of the 19^th - 20^th centuries, woven ornaments were supplanted by counted-thread embroidery. Especially popular were "Brocard patterns" - geometric and floral motifs embroidered in cross-stitch. Their source was the products of the perfume firm "Brocard and Co.": color charts were printed on the packaging of cheap soap, and housewives received them as a fragrant "bonus" for their purchase. Unsurprisingly, soon "Brocard" ornaments spread throughout Russia - they could be found on clothing and household items.

At the beginning of the 20th century, dark aprons made of camlet - a thin woolen fabric - became widespread in the Middle Urals. Along the sides and hem, such aprons were abundantly decorated with bright embroidery - multicolored floral ornaments executed with woolen threads using the "chain stitch" technique In Perm Governorate, which at the end of the 19^th - beginning of the 20^th centuries included territories of modern Sverdlovsk Oblast, chain stitch was also used to decorate the ends of towels, collars, and shirt sleeves.   

Printed fabrics were also popular in the lands of the former Perm Governorate. The name of this decoration method - block printing (naboika) - comes from the technique of applying the pattern: the ornament was printed onto the cloth with a special stamp (a printing board – «manera»), tapping it with a mallet. Each master had his own set of maneras, often made by hand: patterns were carved on the board or composed of metal plates, rings, or rods driven into a wooden base.

Block printing was done in two ways:

-       white-ground printing, in which pigment was applied directly onto previously prepared cloth, whether dyed or bleached;

-       Vat-resist printing, in which no pigment was applied at first. Instead, artisans used a special resist compound consisting of clay, glue, wax, and other ingredients. This mixture was stamped onto the fabric before dyeing. Once the cloth had been dyed, it was thoroughly washed, removing the resist and revealing the undyed ornamental design beneath. 

In the Urals, entire craft artels engaged in block printing: large settlements had their own workshops, while itinerant masters plied their trade in small villages.

An integral and perhaps the most colorful detail of the traditional Russian costume is the belt. In the Urals, belts were usually made from woolen threads, and worsted (garus) threads - a fine, high-quality purchased wool - was especially valued. And for particularly expensive belts, festive and bright, silk was used, making the belt ribbon smooth and durable.

To create belts, a full range of weaving and braiding techniques was used. Using the inlay technique, simple geometric patterns of stripes, stars, or zigzags were obtained; pick-up weaving (branoe weaving) gave more complex ornaments - diamonds, crosses. And a special technique combining elements of both weaving and braiding - working on tablets ("topkás" or "kártas") - made it possible to create belts "with words": along the belt ribbon ran lines with good wishes or words of prayer. It was customary to give such belts to men called up for military service: "When a man left for the army, words were woven into his belt so that he would not be killed. He wore both his cross and the belt directly against his skin throughout the entire war";

Items of clothing and home textiles, falling into disrepair, became the "raw material" for rugs (doormats). The material was cut into narrow strips (remki), twisted into a thread and put into use. Long ones (up to 20-30 m!) came out of the loom. the ribbons are «colored» with bright stripes or studded with large stars. The housewives spread such rugs along the walls and cut them to the desired length, which is where their name "walls" came from.

MARI

The Mari of the Urals are descendants of the ancient population of the Middle Volga region. Historically, the Mari of the Urals belong to the Eastern branch of the Mari people, originating from the Meadow Mari, who settled along the left bank of the Volga River in ancient times. Today, the Ural Mari live in compact communities in the southwestern part of Sverdlovsk Region, primarily within the Artinsky, Achitsky, Krasnoufimsky, and Nizhneserginsky districts.

The Mari of the Middle Urals have preserved not only their ancient language but also the faith of their ancestors. According to traditional Mari beliefs, nature is inhabited by gods and spirits, whom contemporary Mari continue to honour with profound reverence. Many Mari families still observe ancient customs and faithfully perform traditional rituals, in which elements of the national costume frequently serve as essential ritual attributes. It is therefore no coincidence that the colours and ornamental patterns of historic garments provide one of the clearest keys to understanding the distinctive culture of the Ural Mari.

Red "Kyez" and White "Osh"      

Traditional Mari costume was generally made from linen or hemp cloth. Both men and women wore a long linen shirt known as the "tuvyr" (traditional Mari long shirt) fastened with a woven belt called "üshtö" (woven belt).   Over the shirt they wore a caftan known as the "shovyr", while women additionally wore an apron called "onchyla sakyme". The costume was completed by distinctive headwear: men wore the felt cap "terkupsh", whereas women wore the pointed "shÿashovycho" (literally, "mosquito headscarf" in Mari), For the wedding, brides wore a special headdress - a beaded cap "takya", and over it a headscarf"solyk".

From the second half of the 19^th century, the most common material for Mari costume was homespun pestryad (variegated fabrics) "kez vyner" made of black and red threads woven into a fine check.  Another variant of patterned fabric was the checked "olacha vyner", where the ornament was composed of white and black threads. When washed, olacha vyner often acquired a gray-blue hue, and therefore it was sometimes called "kande olacha" (lit. «blue olacha»).

The Mari also had a complex of special ritual clothing. It was made from undyed or thoroughly bleached linen (Mari: "osh" - white) Once a year, Mari men and women donned this ceremonial attire to offer prayers to Osh Kugu Yumo - the Great White God, the embodiment of light and goodness. Amidst the greenery of sacred birch groves, after washing with water from a holy spring, the white color of the garments attuned the worshippers to purity of deeds and thoughts. Furthermore, the white variant of traditional costume participated in wedding and funeral rites: on the second day of the wedding, brides wore it, for the first time donning with it the headdress of a married woman. And some elderly Mari women, even today, following tradition, bequeath to be buried in white.

"Tür" and "Chep": Geometry in Every Detail

Practically no element of traditional Mari costume is complete without traditional embroidery - "tür." Complex geometric patterns are concentrated around the key structural elements of clothing: the collars of caftans and shirts (Mari: "logar tür"), the chest slit ("mel tür"), cuffs ("shokshmuchash")  and the lower edge of the hem ("urvalde").  

The most widespread embroidery techniques were forms of counted-thread embroidery: "cross-stitch" ("kanba"), "pattern darning" ("chop") counted satin stitch, oblique stitch ("kashtan").  The latter variant is notable for being worked from the wrong side of the fabric - during the process, the craftswoman can only occasionally glance at the result of her labor. The simplest variant of "oblique stitch" is in 2-3 colors: the embroiderer creates a complex pattern, densely filling the space with broken, zigzag, and meander lines.  Many geometric motifs have figurative names: "sheep's hoof" (shoryk kych), «ram's horns" (taga tukd), "cat's paw" (peres yol), and others.  Very often among both woven and embroidered patterns, one can find a cross with broken rays (Mari: "maryski"). Floral motifs are also frequently found in traditional Mari embroidery - especially in the decoration of the white (ritual) clothing complex: shirts "osh tuvyr," caftan "osh shovyr," scarf "solyk."

Along with embroidery, for shirts "tuvyr," aprons "onchyla sakyme" and wedding towels "kugu vene" multicolored pick-up weaving (branoe weaving) was also used - "chop" ("chep"). Over time, craftswomen began to imitate its patterns using the technique of counted embroidery, which received the same name.

A bright detail of the traditional Mari costume was invariably the "tup kadyr" - a complex "curl" on the back of the caftan "shovyr" or shirt "tuvyr." Laid with a crimson ribbon using appliqué technique and decorated with neat embroidery, this detail covered the seam joining the outer layer of fabric with the lining. And in ancient "prayer" white caftans, all seams and edges of the panels were trimmed with appliqué of narrow (1-2 cm wide) red ribbons.

TATARS AND BASHKIRS

The lands of the southwestern part of present-day Sverdlovsk Region have long been inhabited by Bashkirs and Tatars. Since ancient times, these two peoples have been united not only by the close relationship of their languages - both belonging to the Turkic language family - but also by their traditional way of life, based on semi-nomadic pastoralism and agriculture. Living side by side in the Urals for centuries, the Tatars and Bashkirs formed a complex ethnocultural community that preserves characteristic features of the ancient heritage of both peoples.

Patterned Weaving: Fields and Stars

The main elements of traditional Tatar and Bashkir costume are largely similar:

-       a shirt ("kulmek"), decorated with many frills for women;

-       wide trousers/ baggy pants ("yshtan"), found in both men's and women's attire;

-       open-front clothing - a robe "chyba" or sleeveless jacket "kamzul" (kamzol or doublet).

An obligatory element of a married woman's costume was the "tüshelderik" - a trapezoidal bib worn under the shirt, and an apron "alyapkych.". Colorfulness was added to the clothing by bright geometric ornaments executed using pick-up weaving (branoe weaving) and elective weaving techniques.

The skill of Tatar and Bashkir weavers made it possible to create pestryad/ variegated fabrics ("alacha") of the most varied patterns and colorings: both checked ("shakmakly," from "shakmak" - "check") and striped ("kezhe" or "buily" - from "bui," i.e. "stripe").  The pattern of traditional fabrics was characterized by a variety of colors: often bright "stars" were lit on the checkered field – ornamental rosettes made in the technique of elective weaving. Such fabric, as a rule, was used for the most significant parts of the costume - trousers, shirt sleeves, aprons, as well as household items - and festive tablecloths.

The ends of the "tastymal" ceremonial towels were also decorated with bright patterns made in the pick-up weaving (branoe weaving). The characteristic "Turkic" ornament of many elongated diamonds filled wide strips of fabric - significantly wider than in rushnyky (ritual towels) of many other peoples. In addition, in the Urals, the decoration of festive towels also acquired greater colorfulness: alongside the traditional red-and-white palette, there are patterns executed against a background of yellow, red, and shades of brown.

"Kayu" Embroidery: Gardens upon the Hem

The introduction of factory-produced textiles further expanded the creative possibilities available to Tatar and Bashkir needlewomen. Seeking to make traditional costume even more colourful and elegant, craftswomen increasingly turned to embroidery. Over time, the technique known as "kayu" became especially popular - tambour embroidery executed with a fine metal hook rather than a needle. The black field of shirts "kulmek" and aprons "alyapkych" made of purchased satin was abundantly embroidered with a dense "carpet" of intricate floral ornament. On large embroidery hoops "kerge" under the hands of the craftswomen, lush buds of all kinds of flowers and shades bloomed, so that the traditional women's attire resembled a wondrous, paradise garden. "Kayu" embroidery can also be found on items of men's wardrobe - for example, on the "groom's handkerchief" kiyaú kulyaulygy, with which, according to tradition, brides presented their betrothed.  

MANSI: The Memory of the Clan

The Mansi (formerly known as Voguls) are a people of highly skilled hunters and fishermen who have traditionally inhabited the valleys of the northern rivers - the Sosva and the Lozva. Today, only a small number of Mansi remain within the territory of Sverdlovsk Region, yet they continue to preserve the customs, beliefs, and spiritual traditions of their ancestors.

The centuries-old way of life, dictated by the harsh conditions of the Ural taiga, shaped the appearance of this people. The favorite materials used by the Mansi for clothing and utensils were the skins of fur-bearing animals, reindeer, fish skin and bones, and birchbark. The basis of both men's and women's Mansi costume is the shirt "sup," woven from linen, nettle, or made from purchased cloth. Over it, men wore closed-cut clothing - cloth or fur malitsas(jumper) и soviks/hooded fur coat ("vuikan-kushch") with wide leather belts adorned with bone and metal plaques.

The Mansi woman's "sup" shirt was longer than the man's and more resembled a dress.  It, like the men's attire, was decorated by Mansi craftswomen with ornaments executed using the "fabric-on-fabric" appliqué technique. Over the shirt, Mansi women wore open-front fur coats made of reindeer fur - "sakhi" (reindeer-skin clothing) And for the warmer season, there was also a lighter version of the sakhi (reindeer-skin clothing) — "nui-sakhi". The footwear of the Mansi consisted of short boots-"nyary" (reindeer-skin winter boots) and high, like boots, "kisy" boots. They were worn with stockings knitted from sheep or dog wool.

The "sakhi" fur coat (reindeer-skin clothing) was decorated using a special "fur mosaic" technique: the ornament was created by tightly sewing together pieces of fur of different shades. Making such a "patterned" fur coat could take a craftswoman 5-6 years, and a "sup" shirt a little less - 1-2 years. And it was not only a matter of laboriousness: some ornaments could not be sewn on during certain times of the year. And making a mistake in the pattern was a terrifying thing: there was a belief that such a "misprint" would certainly bring misfortune.  There were other prohibitions too: for instance, the "bear's trail" pattern should not be embroidered anywhere except on the mitten of the hunter who had killed that animal — thus the Mansi expressed respect for the warrior who had managed to overcome the mighty and formidable " The Master of the Taiga."

The Mansi are among the very few peoples of the Urals who still preserve the ability to "read" the ancient knowledge encoded in ornamental designs. The most common motifs ("swamp hummock," "axe," "capercaillie tail," "fox's elbow," "the curled-up sable," and others), reflect not only the richness of traditional symbolic thought but also serve as a key to the historical memory of individual families. For generations, hereditary patterns were sewn onto clothing or incised into the walls of birch-bark vessels. Many of these clan-specific ornaments were directly associated with the ancestral territory occupied by a particular Mansi lineage or with the craft or occupation for which that family had long been renowned. However, there are also symbols equally close to all Mansi - such, for example, is the "capercaillie hen" (or "bird of dreams"). It was often depicted on the backs of daytime cradles ("apa"), so that it would guard the peace of the infant - the main treasure of any mother.