Archive
«The Ethnology Notebooks» 2019 year, issue 2 read »
The Ethnology Notebooks. 2023. № 3 (171). С. 503-824 DOI... read »
«Narodoznavchi Zoshyty» 2015 year, issue 5 read »
«Narodoznavchi Zoshyty» 1995 year, special issue "Thanatos" read »

« 2021. # 4 (160)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2021. № 4 (160), 849—863

UDK391+677.076.62(477)

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/nz2021.04.849

AN EMBROIDERY ON CLOTHES OF UKRAINIANS: SOME PROBLEMS OF CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE

BALUSHOK Vasyl

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1362-8270
  • PhD in History, Senior Research Fellow,
  • Maksym Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies,
  • Folklore Studies and Ethnology,
  • National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
  • 4, Hrushevskoho str., 01001, Kyiv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: grigras@i.ua

OLIYNYK Maryna

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2946-8243
  • PhD in History, Research Fellow,
  • Maksym Rylskyi Institute of Art Studies,
  • Folklore Studies and Ethnology,
  • National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
  • 4, Hrushevskoho str., 01001, Kyiv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: marina.oliynik@gmail.com

Abstract. Background. Recently, some authors started to allege the erroneous nature of a number of statements made by their predecessors and colleagues regarding the origin and evolution of Ukrainian garment embroidery. In their opinion, Ukrainian traditional embroidery is truly limited to rural (peasant) patterns, which emerged exclusively as a cultural borrowing from the «upper class» at the end of the XVIII—XIX centuries or later; The «upper class» embroidery was allegedly also borrowed in its entirety from other nations. Study purpose: To determine the extent, to which these radical statements are true, considering the relevant social context, time frames and ways, in which the Ukrainian garment embroidery emerged, as well as to identify possible solutions to this problem. Methods of these study included the review of literature concerning the patterns of cultural phenomena functioning as components of the relevant social structures, including, but not limited to the mechanisms of cultural borrowing and adaptation and their action — the works by F. Boas, A. Kreber, K. Hrushevska, S. Arutyunov, et al. («Social Life of Items»). Results. The study results emphasize the weakness of the critics’ arguments, including those concerning the alleged borrowing of entire Ukrainian garment embroidery by the peasants from the «upper class», and by the «upper class» from other nations. The «critics» tend ignore the social context of embroidery and the complexity of social structures during different historical periods and misunderstand the relationship between borrowing and adaptation of phenomena and their role in enriching culture. It is established that the skeptics paint a picture of impoverished Ukrainian traditional clothing, lacking decorations, which was typical for only one social stratum (peasants) of the later period. Conclusion. The study shows that the critical theses and doubts by modern skeptics regarding the antiquity and autochthony of traditions in Ukrainian garment embroidery are unjustified. However, the emergence of such trends as such indicates a need for further in-depth research in order to establish a true picture of the origin and evolution of embroidery.

Keywords: embroidery, traditional garments, peasants, social upper class, origins, borrowing, adaptation.

Received 15.05.2021

REFERENCES

  • Vovk, Khv. (2012). Characteristic Features of South Russian Folk Ornaments. Ethnographic Heritage of Khvedor Vovk. Ed. H. Sripnik. Kyiv. Vol. 1 [in Ukrainian].
  • Savitsky, P. (1914). About Ukrainian Embroidery of the 18th Century and its modern Revival. Chernihiv Zemstvo Week. 24 (June 13), рр. 1—5; 25 (June 20), рр. 1—5 [in Russian].
  • Miller, A. (1911). Lotus in Little Russian Ornament. Proceedings of the IV Archaeological Congress in Chernigov. Vol. ІІІ, 1908. Ed. P.S. Uvarova. Moscow, pр. 81—88 [in Russian].
  • Modzalevs’kyj, V. (1918). The main Features of Ukrainian Art. Chernihiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Spaska, E. (2015). Ethnographic and Art Studies. Еd. Н. Skripnik. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Olena Pchilka. Ukrainian Peasant Painting on the Walls. Notes of the Historical and Philological Department of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. 1929. Vol. XXIII.
  • Mihajlov, K. (2007). Early examples of Old Russian Gold Embroidery from Chernigov and Shestovitsa. Chernihiv in the medieval and early modern History of Central and Eastern Europe. Collection of scientific Works dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the first chronicle mention of Chernihiv. Chernihiv, рр. 138—153 [in Russian].
  • Kara-Vasyl’ieva, T. (2008). History of Ukrainian Embroidery. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Kosmina, O. (2015). Outfits of the Ukrainian Elite of the XVII—XVIII Centuries. Sotsium: Almanac of Social History. Kyiv: Institute of History of Ukraine NASciences of Ukrainе. Vol. 11—12, pp. 330—364 [in Ukrainian].
  • Kosmina, O. (2015). Some Preconditions as to Formation of Symbolics in traditional Ukrainian Clothing: an ancient Ruthenian Dress. Ethnology Notebooks, 4 (124), 830—840 [in Ukrainian].
  • Zaichenko, V. (2015). Embroidery of a Cossack Sergeant of the XVII—XVIII Сenturies from the Collection of the Chernihiv Historical Museum named after V.V. Tarnovsky. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Zaichenko, V. (2019). Embroidery of Chernihiv region. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Kosmina, O.Ju. (2011). Ukrainian Shirt: from Linen to ethnic Symbol. Fashion and Design: historical Experience — new Technologies. Materials of the XIVth International Scientific Conference. St. Petersburg, June 27—30, 2011. St. Petersburg, рр. 370—373 [in Russian].
  • Kosmina, O. Zaporozhye Cossacks carried not Sirwal, but narrow linen Trousers. Retrieved from: https://www.istpravda.com.ua/articles/2020/03/2/157122/ (Last accessed: 28.09.2020) [in Ukrainian].
  • Hordiienko, Ya. (2015). Errare humanum est: 50 Essays on the Ukrainian Science of Ghosts. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Boas, F. (1927). Primitive Art. Oslo (Harv. Univ. Press).
  • Kroeber, A.L. (1901, april-june). Decorative symbolism of the Arapaho. American Antropologist, 3,  308—336.
  • Hrushevska, K. (1927). Collection and Publication of Dumas in the XIX and early XX Centuries. Ukrainian People’s Dumas [in 2 vols.] Ed. K. Hrushevska. Kyiv. Vol. 1, pp. ХІІІ—ССХХ [in Ukrainian].
  • Sahlins, М.D. (2009). Evolution: specific and general, Anthropological Theory: A Sourcebook. Eds. R.A. Manners, D. Kaplan. New Brunswick and Lindon [in Ukrainian].
  • Arutiunov, S.A. (1989). Peoples and Cultures: their Development and Interaction. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Kosmina, O. (2005). Foreign Ethnic Borrowings and their Influence on the Formation of Clothing of Ukrainian Burghers (Based on Materials of the XIV—XVI Centuries). Folk Art and Ethnography, 5, 80—88 [in Ukrainian].
  • Biletska, V. (1929). Ukrainian Shirts, their Types, Evolution and Ornamentation. Materials on Ukrainian-Ruthenian Ethnology, 21—22, 43—109 [in Ukrainian].
  • Oliynyk, M. (2017). Ukrainian Clothing in the System of Urban Culture of Kyiv (Second Half of the XIX — Beginning of the XXI Сentury). Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Interview Grubnik L. with O. Kosmina: Symbolism of Ukrainian Embroideries: Ethnologist revealed the Meaning of Ornaments and Colors. Retrieved from:  https://fakty.com.ua/ua/ukraine/20200521-symvolika-ukrayinskyh-vyshyvanok-etnolog-rozkryla-znachennya-ornamentiv-i-koloriv/ (Last accessed: 28.09.2020) [in Ukrainian].
  • Maerchyk, M. (2018). «Erotic Folklore» as a Discursive Category. Cryptadia of Fyodor Vovk: the Invention of Shame. Ethnography of Sexuality at the turn of the XIX—XX Сenturies. Eds. M. Maerchyk and O. Boryak. Kyiv, pp. 1—35 [in Ukrainian].
  • Yakovenko, N. (1997). Essay on the History of Ukraine from Ancient Times to the end of the XVIII Century. Kyiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Frojanov, I.Ja. (1980). Kievan Rus’. Essays on socio-political History. Leningrad [in Russian].
  • Adadurov, V. (2002). History of France. The Royal State and the Creation of the Nation (from the Beginning to the End of the eighteenth Century). Lviv [in Ukrainian].
  • Mikulski, К., Zieliсska-Nowicka, А. (2006). Between the West and the East. Ethnic, cultural and religious Borders of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth the 16th—18th Centuries. Toruс [in Polish].
  • Semchyk, V. I. (2003). Peasantry. Legal Encyclopedia. Ed. count Yu. S. Shemshuchenko [Etc.]. Kyiv. Vol. 5. Retrieved from: https://leksika.com.ua/11090324/legal/selyanstvo (Last accessed: 10.03.2021) [in Ukrainian].
  • Klepatskij, P. (2007). Essays on the History of the Kiev Land. Lithuanian Period. Bіla Cerkva [in Russian].
  • Basovskaya, N.I. (1985). The Hundred Years War of 1337—1453. Moscow. [in Russian].
  • Lebedev, G.S. (1985). The Viking Age in Northern Europe. Leningrad. [in Russian].
  • Mel’nikova, E.A. (1987). Sword and Lyre: Anglo-Saxon Society in History and Epic. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Polischuk, V., & Bilous, N. (2002). [Review] Act Book of the Zhytomyr Castle Government of 1611. Zhytomyr, 2002. Ukrainian Humanitarian Review. Kyiv. Vol. 8, pp. 235—242 [in Ukrainian].
  • Vasianovych, O. (2004). From the past of the okolychnу Nobility Central Polissya. Berehynia, 3, 55—65 [in Ukrainian].
  • Balushok, V. (2016). From the History of the Nobility of Fastiv Region. «Pres-muzej». Scientific information Bulletin, 2 (43),  3—54.Fastiv [in Ukrainian].
  • Brekhunenko, V. (2011). The Cossacks in the Europe’s Steppe Frоntier. Kyiv. [in Ukrainian].
  • Golovatsky, I. (1868). About Costumes or Folk Decoration of Rusyns or Russians in Galicia and Northeastern Hungary. St. Petersburg [in Russian].
  • Stamerov, K.K. (1978). Essays on the History of Costumes. Kyiv. Vol. 1. [in Ukrainian].
  • Kontamin, F. (2001). War in the Middle Ages. [Translated from French by Y.P. Malinin and others] St. Petersburg [in Russian].
  • Geijer, A. (1938). Birka III. The textile Finds from the Graves. Uppsala [in German].
  • Kosmina, O. (2008). Traditional Costume of Ukrainians. Forest-steppe. Steppe. Kyiv. Vol. I [in Ukrainian].
  • Kosmina, O. Ukrainian Ornaments in Paris 1878. Olena Pchilka’s Album: Myths, Fictions, Reality. Retrieved from: http://likbez.org.ua/ua/ukrayinska-ukrayinski-ornamenti-v-parizhi-1878-albom-oleni-pchilki-mifi-vigadki-realnist.html (Last accessed: 28.09.2020) [in Ukrainian].
  • Feest, K. (1983). Art of the Indigenous Peoples of North America. Translated from English by A. Vashchenko. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Ostjak Embroidery. (1921). With the Reproduction of an Autochrome Photograph, 4 Photographs and 31 Color Lithographs. Budapest [in German].
  • Simchenko Ju. B. (1963). Nganasan Ornaments. Soviet Ethnography, 3, 166—171 [in Russian].
  • Sokolova, Z.P. (1982). Travel to Ugra. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Mitljanskaja, T. B. (Ed.) (1983). Rural Teacher about Folk Arts Crafts of Siberia and the Far East. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Niederle, L. (1924). Life and Culture of the Ancient Slavs [in Russian].
  • Pavlyk, M. (Ed.). (1910). Correspondence of Mikhail Drahomanov with Meliton Buchynsky 1871—1877. Lviv (Collection of the Philological Section of NTSh, vol. XIII) [in Ukrainian].
  • Fechner, M. V. (1993). Old Russian Gold Embroidery X—XIII Centuries. in the Collection of the State Historical Museum. Medieval antiquities of Eastern Europe (Pp. 3—21). Ed. N.G. Nedoshivina. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Stasov, V. (1872). Russian Folk Ornament. Issue I. Sewing, Fabrics, Lace. St. Petersburg [in Russian].
  • Kendrick, A.F., & Cole, A.S. (1910).Embroidery. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information (Pp. 309—314). Cambridge, England at the University Press New York.
  • Kagan, Yu.M. (1988). About Latin words for clothing. Life and History in Antiquity (Pp. 127—142). G.S. Knabe (Ed.). Moscow [in Russian].
  • Forrer, R. (1891). The Graeber and textile Finds from Achmim-Panopolis. Strassburg [in German].
  • Schlumberger, D. (1985). The Hellenized East: Greek Art and its Heirs in Non-Mediterranean Asia. Translated from French by N.P. Alampieva. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Desrosiers, S., Rast-Eicher, A. Luxorios Merovingian Textiles Excavated from Burials in the Saint Denis Basilica, France in the 6th‑7th Century. Retrieved from:  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301224237_Luxurious_Merovingian_Textiles_Excavated_from_Burials_in_the_Saint_Denis_Basilica_France_in_the_6th-7th_Century (Last accessed: 24.09.2020).
  • Daim, F., Andrasi, J. and other (Eds.) (2000). The Avars on the Edge of the Byzantine World: Studies in Diplomacy, Trade, and Technology Transfer in the Early Middle Ages. Innsbruck [in German].
  • Schwab, Ch. Embroidery in the 12th Century — Techniques and Materials [in German]. Retrieved from: https://www.vianostra.at/scriptorium/handarbeiten/historisches-sticken.htm (Last accessed: 11.12.2020).
  • Christie, G. (1912). Embroidery and tapestry weaving: a practical text-book of design and workmanship. London.
  • Livre de modиles pour broderie et tapisserie. (1500) [in French.]
  • Siebmacher, J. (1604). New Model Book made of Copper: contains all kinds of Newer Models of thin, medium and thick cut-outs, also for use with other artificial new Works that have been made with hard Work [in German].
  • Lessing, J. (1882). Pattern of old German linen embroidery. Berlin [in German].
  • Costume exhibition in the K. K. Oesterreichisches Museum. (1891). Foreword by J. Lцwy. Vienna [in German].
  • Dietrich, B. (1911). Asian Minor Embroidery. Plauen I.V.: Dr. Dietrichs Self-published [in German].
  • Symonds, M. (Mrs. Guy Antrobus) and Preece L. (1928). Needlework through the Ages: Short Survey of Its Development in Decorative Art, with Particular Regard to Its Inspirational Relationship with Other Methods of Craftsmanship. London.
  • Hough, H., & Ruessinck, F. (2016). Design Elements of Renaissance Embroidery. Arlington [in English].
  • Jakovchik, M.S. (2018). Golden Threads in the Territory of Ancient Russia of the pre-Mongol period. Abstract Dis. … Candidate of historical sciences. Moscow [in Russian].
  • Archive of Southwest Russia. (1859). Kiev. Part. 1, Vol. 1 [in Russian].
  • Lithuanian Metric. The first Book of Court Cases. (1903). Russian Historical Library. Vol. 20. St. Petersburg [in Russian].
  • Sreznevskij, I. (1912). Materials for the Dictionary of Language of Ancient Rus’ on the written Monuments. St. Petersburg. Vol. 3 [in Russian].
  • Bilodid, I.K. (Ed.). (1980). Dictionary of the Ukrainian language: in 11 volumes. Kyiv. Vol. 11 [in Ukrainian].

Read»

Our authors
Kuzmenko Oksana Senior Researcher, Candidate of... read »
Yaroslav Taras. Head of Department, Professor, Doctor... read »
Boliuk Oleh - kandidate of sciences in arts, Doctoral... read »
Oksana Sapeliak. Senior Research Fellow, Ph.D. in... read »
On field exploration of russian and belarusian ethnologists and etnolinguists in Ukrainian Polisia 1945—1980s
In the study based on a wide range of literary materials have been comprehensively characterised field research in Polisia of Ukraine, performed by Russian and Belarusian ethnologists during 1945—1980s as well as Moscow ethnolinguists and other researchers from ethnologic centres of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in the course of realization of Ethnolinguistic Atlas of Polisia program. Particular attention has been paid to geography, methods, themes and research results of scientific projects.
Read »

Maternity ritualism by volhynians in publications of the second half XIX to the early XXI cc.
In the article have been considered some basic landmarks for fixing and publication of ethnographic materials on the maternity rites of Volhynia with analytical study in ritual elements, their kinds and territories of origin. The article has also raised a problem of gaps in studies of maternity rites of Ukrainian historio-ethnographic Volhynia.
Read »

Wax candle as ukrainian Christmas and epiphany ritualistic text
For the first time in native ethnology the article has brought some results of special study in sign functionality of a wax candle under the context of Ukrainian Christmas and Epiphany ritualistic text (ritualism of Christmas Eve, New Year, Epiphany Eve and Feast of Epiphany). The study has stated extremely high semiotic position of a wax candle as projection of Sun, mediator between the spheres of sacral and prophane elements, symbolic analogue of human existence, apotropy, cultural symbol re-establishing borders of acculturated space.
Read »

Boikos’ pandemonium: categories of evil deceased
In the article have been presented some research-work on peculiarities of Boikos’ traditional demonological notions as for so-called evil deceased; on the basis of field records and ethnological literary sources quite a number of scum categories have been defined as well as essential habits, modes of behavior and functions of these personages of people’s demonology.
Read »