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Ancient people worshipped the sun, which warmed the earth and was the source of all life. In winter, earth was dormant and appeared to be without life. Likewise a whole egg appears to be lifeless. In spring the earth renewed herself, and new life sprang from the egg. Thus the egg is a perfect symbol of the sudden burst of life from dormancy.
Ancient Ukrainians believed that eggs had special powers. Eggs were decorated with symbols that had magical and protective powers; these powers were thus transfered to the egg, which was used for talismanic purposes.
When Christianity came to Ukraine (Kyivan Rus), the egg was incorporated into Easter celebrations. Easter is the culmination of the Christian year, and celebrates the victory of life over death. The pysanka, which had been created in ancient times during spring festivities celebrating the rebirth of nature, was an ideal symbol for then new Christian Easter holiday.
Pysanky created for Easter had many purposes. The original purposes were protective and magical. Pysanky were left in a bowl in the house to protect it from evil. They were placed in the stables and beehives to not simply protect the beasts of the household, but to insure their future fertility. Pysanky were hung in fruit trees to assure a plentiful harvest, and farmers buried eggs in their fields to assure a bountiful harvest.
Pysanky were also given as gifts to friends and family: children received light, colorful pysanky with floral designs, while teenagers received eggs with lots of white, indicating that their future was a blank page. Married couples received 40 triangle eggs, which represent power in all facets of life, while older people received black eggs with ladders and gates, representing the ascent to heaven.
Making pysanky was not a social event, but an important religious ritual. The women of the family would gather on the given day, say a few prayers, and work together to produce a family's pysanky. Men rarely participated (it was unheard of), and this ritual was performed in near silence at the end of a day sanctified by refraining from gossip, argument, or sin. The pysanka maker prayed that the recipient of her eggs would be endowed with joy, good fortune, happiness, and protection from harm.
In the mid-19th century traditions began to change as the world grew more modern. Pysanky were less and less considered magical objects, and more and more considered mere objects of art. They began to be sold, and used mainly as pretty decorations. The knowledge of the meaning of their symbols began to be forgotten. And rather than being made and given away during the great spring holiday (velykden), they began to be given away year round.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoPysanky were originally made for ritual reasons. They were magical talismans that were used for protection, to insure the return of the sun in the spring, and to insure fertility of farm animals and crops. Traditional pysanky usually had fairly simple designs.
In modern times, they have become an art object, and the designs have often become quite complex. These are made for enjoyment.
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What countries are famous for pysanky?
Pysanky are, by definition, Ukrainian Easter eggs, so Ukraine is famous for pysanky. Pysanky are also made in the diaspora (by emigrants), particularly in the USA, Canada and Brazil.
When did pysanky eggs start being made?
Nobody knows for certain. The oldest pysanka yet discovered is about 500 years old. Most of the designs on pysanky predate christianity, which was introduced into Ukraine in 988. The priests tried to eradicate many pagan customs, but were unable to, becasue they were so entrenched; pysankarstvo was one of these.
Which country did the Pysanky eggs originate?
Maine i dont know where did it come from :))
What does Pysanky mean?
The word "Pysankа" is Ukrainian, and comes from the word "pysaty (писати)," which means "to write." Pysanky (plural) are eggs that have been written rather than just dyed. They are created by a process of wax-resist (aka batik). Pysanky are quite beautiful and and can be quite intricately decorated. They have a rich and ancient history associated with spring (and, in more recent times, Easter). Traditional pysanka designs have been passed along for many generations, and possibly thousands of years. Many pysankary (pysanka artists) both in Ukraine and the world over create wax resist that depart from the traditional colors and patterns, but are often still referred to by that word "pysanka." To see a list of Pysanka FAQs, check out the WikiAnswer "Pysanky Egg Art" section, which is categorized under Hobbies and Collectibles/Arts and Crafts. To see examples of pysanky, and to learn how to make them, see the list of "Related Links" in the following section.
What is the best way to display pysanky?
There are many ways to display pysanky, but you should never to display them in direct sunlight. Aniline dyes will fade when placed in prolonged sunlight, making your pysanka dull and drab. (It's probably a good idea to keep the eggs out of any strong direct light to avoid fading.) Also, if the pysanka hasn't been emptied, the heat from the sun or other light source could cause the gases within it to expand and the egg to explode. Pysanky are small works of art, and should be treated as such. They may be displayed in baskets or bowls, in individual egg holders, hung from a stand, or placed in specially made display cabinets. If you have many pysanky to display and not enough room, then a riser might be useful.
What country has the strongest tradition of Pysanky egg coloring in Easter?
"Pysanka" is a Ukrainian word, so the creation of pysanky is most common in Ukraine. Other countries, especially Slavic ones, also have traditions of wax resist egg decoration, but give it different names.
What colors would you use on a pysanka?
As with symbols, colors have true symbolism only in traditional Ukrainian folk pysanky, those designs created over the centuries and used for talismanic purposes. Modern pysanky, their colors and symbols, have only the meanings that we personally assign to them. Symbols and colors have to be considered within the whole of the design of the egg, not as individual components. Different localities may have assigned them different meanings--this should be taken into consideration as well. That being said, some generally accepted meanings for the colors used on pysanky are given below. ColorsYellow: Light, wisdom, spirituality, recognition and reward. Green: Spring, hope, growth, victory of life over death, bountifulness. Orange: Endurance, strength, attraction, everlasting sun. Red: Divine love and passion of Christ, spiritual awakening, happiness in life. Blue: Good health, trust. Pink: Success. Black: Death, remembrance, absolute constancy, fear of ignorance. White: Purity Brown: The earth Purple: Patience and trust
What are pysanky eggs used for?
Almost all bird eggs are suitable for pysanky. Non-white eggs, such as Rhea or Emu, require special techniques, but can still be used for pysanky. Chicken, Duck and Goose eggs are most commmonly used. They require no special preparation, only simple cleaning to remove dirt. Ostrich eggs have a heavy glossy outer coat with amny irregularities. They are usually sanded to a smooth finish before using. Rhea and Emu shells come in shades of dark green to light green. The light green shades can be dyed without removing the outer shell. To use the dark green shells one would have to remove the top layer by etching or sanding. Finch eggshells can be used, but they are fragile to the touch. Pigeon eggs tend to be oily and do not dye well. Parakeet shells are the best if you want to make tiny pysanky.
What has the author Joan Brander written?
Joan Brander has written: 'About the pysanka--it is written!' -- subject(s): Pysanky, Bibliography
Are there special paints for pysanky eggs?
Pysanky are not made with paints, they are made with dyes. In earlier times, pysanky were dyed with natural (and usually botanical) dyes mades from flowers, onion skins, grasses, bark, etc. Today most pysanka makers use chemical dyes of the same sort used to dye silk and wool known as acid dyes (often referred to as aniline dyes). They are quite different than the dyes (food coloring) used to dye the traditional monochromatic Easter eggs (Paas, etc.). These dyes can be purchased from craft stores (some) and pysanka supply sites. You can also purchase powdered dyes meant for wool or silk, and mix them up by adding about half a teaspoon to a cup and a half of boiling water along with a tablespoon of vinegar. See the link below for more information on dyes and other pysanka supplies.
What are the origins of pysanky?
Ancient people worshipped the sun, which warmed the earth and was the source of all life. In winter, earth was dormant and appeared to be without life. Likewise a whole egg appears to be lifeless. In spring the earth renewed herself, and new life sprang from the egg. Thus the egg is a perfect symbol of the sudden burst of life from dormancy. Ancient Ukrainians believed that eggs had special powers. Eggs were decorated with symbols that had magical and protective powers; these powers were thus transfered to the egg, which was used for talismanic purposes. When Christianity came to Ukraine (Kyivan Rus), the egg was incorporated into Easter celebrations. Easter is the culmination of the Christian year, and celebrates the victory of life over death. The pysanka, which had been created in ancient times during spring festivities celebrating the rebirth of nature, was an ideal symbol for then new Christian Easter holiday. Pysanky created for Easter had many purposes. The original purposes were protective and magical. Pysanky were left in a bowl in the house to protect it from evil. They were placed in the stables and beehives to not simply protect the beasts of the household, but to insure their future fertility. Pysanky were hung in fruit trees to assure a plentiful harvest, and farmers buried eggs in their fields to assure a bountiful harvest. Pysanky were also given as gifts to friends and family: children received light, colorful pysanky with floral designs, while teenagers received eggs with lots of white, indicating that their future was a blank page. Married couples received 40 triangle eggs, which represent power in all facets of life, while older people received black eggs with ladders and gates, representing the ascent to heaven. Making pysanky was not a social event, but an important religious ritual. The women of the family would gather on the given day, say a few prayers, and work together to produce a family's pysanky. Men rarely participated (it was unheard of), and this ritual was performed in near silence at the end of a day sanctified by refraining from gossip, argument, or sin. The pysanka maker prayed that the recipient of her eggs would be endowed with joy, good fortune, happiness, and protection from harm. In the mid-19th century traditions began to change as the world grew more modern. Pysanky were less and less considered magical objects, and more and more considered mere objects of art. They began to be sold, and used mainly as pretty decorations. The knowledge of the meaning of their symbols began to be forgotten. And rather than being made and given away during the great spring holiday (velykden), they began to be given away year round.
In what country did the pysanky egg art begin?
"Pysanky" is a Ukrainian term, so technically the answer to your question is that pysanky egg art began in Ukraine.Decorated eggs have traditionally been created by Slavic people of the many nations and ethnic groups of what is now Central and Eastern Europe. The wax resist and dye method reached its greatest perfection in the territory now known as Ukraine. Each region within Ukraine has its own particular style and traditional colors, symbols, and designs. The intricate and detailed designs that most of us associate with pysanky developed from styles common to the Hutsul people of the Carpathian mountain region of Ukraine.Incidentally, some ethnographers postulate that the original homeland of the Slavic peoples was in the territory now occupied by Ukraine, most likely Western or Northwestern Ukraine.
