UKRAINIAN PYSANKY--EASTER EGGS

HISTORY:

THE EGGS HAVE THEIR ORIGINS IN PREHISTORIC TIMES. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF THEIR EXISTENCE FROM BEFORE 988 WHEN KIEV WAS CHRISTIANIZED. MOST LIKELY, THEY WERE DECORATED AS PART OF THE SPRING FESTIVAL. THEY WERE ALSO PLACED IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF HOMES, WHERE MANY HAVE BEEN PRESERVED AND DISCOVERED DURING ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGS. AFTER CHRISTIANIZATION, THE TRADITION REMAINED AN IMPORTANT ONE AND BECAME INCORPORATED INTO THE EASTER CELEBRATION. CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS, SUCH AS THE CROSS AND THE FISH, WERE ADOPTED.

COLOR SYMBOLISM:

THE TRADITIONAL COLORS ARE IDENTICAL TO THOSE OF EAST SLAVIC EMBROIDERY. THE BASIC COLORS (FOR BOTH EGGS AND EMBROIDERY) ARE BLACK, WHITE AND RED.

DECORATION, USES, TREATMENT AFTER DYEING:

THE EGGS ARE ALWAYS DYED ON THE THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER AND TRADITIONALLY DYES FROM SUBSTANCES SUCH AS BERRIES OR WILD PLANTS WERE USED. ON THE SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER THE EGGS ARE BLESSED ALONG WITH THE FOODS TO BE EATEN AT THE EASTER FEAST. THE EGGS ARE NEVER EATEN AND ARE EXCHANGED AS GIFTS. THEY ARE SAVED UNLESS THEY ARE DESTROYED. EVENTUALLY, THE YOLK CALCIFIES, BUT THE EGGS MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM LIGHT OR HEAT AND BE INVERTED REGULARLY EVERY MONTH UNTIL THIS OCCURS.

BEESWAX:

THE BEESWAX USED IN THE PROCESS IS SIGNIFICANT FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THE BEE ITSELF WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A MAGIC ANIMAL, BLESSED BY GOD. A SLAVIC LEGEND STATES THAT THE BEE WAS THE ONLY ANIMAL HONORED BY GOD BY BEING ASKED TO PROVIDE A FOOD (HONEY) FOR GOD'S TABLE. IT WAS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH SPRING AND THE REBIRTH OF THE LAND.

SYMBOLISM:

THE EGGS THEMSELVES SYMBOLIZE THE MAGIC OF THE SUN AND OF FIRE IN SPRINGTIME. THEY, LIKE THE EARTH IN WINTER, ARE COVERED IN DARKNESS (BLACK WAX) AND REBORN TO LIFE, REPRESENTED BY THE COLORS, THROUGH THE POWER OF WARMTH AND LIGHT (THE CANDLE FLAME).

SYMBOLISM OF THE TRADITIONAL DECORATIVE ITEMS: