From:

Siberia, Krasnoyarsk region (probably)

Time:

1920s-1940s.

Embroidery technique:

cross stitch.

Property of

George Bobashev.

As the shirt's owner told us, his grandfather brought this item "somewhere from Siberia". Taking into account specific features of a cutting pattern and embroidery (see below), we guessed this shirt was made in Krasnoyarsk region. The shirt's owner confirmed this guess: he said his grandfather worked in Krasnoyarsk region for a long time.

So, specific features, pointing out to Krasnoyarsk region, are:

1. Frontal (not on the side) cut
2. Embroidery, framing the cut, is much longer than a cut itself.
3. Color scheme is "black-and-blue", and a blue color is of specific "Krasnoyarsk" tint.
4. The shirt has a narrow collar.

An embroidered pattern is a "modernized" version of an ancient symbol "Krada and Mothers" (symbolically, unity and harmony of male and female aspects of the world). The central sign depicts a pile of firewood prepared for Krada - a sacred fire. A diamond in the middle of "a pile" is a loaf of bread - sacrifice offering for male gods.


Triangles by sides are remains of stylized images of Goddesses in a pose of delivery.

By the way, on the collar, "goddesses" are shown clearer (however, they are "triangulated" already).

1. F.M.Parmon, "Traditional Russian Costume as a Source of Ideas"
2. Siberian antiquities (a photoalbum)
3. N. Sosnina, I.Shangina, "Traditional Russian Outfit" (a directory)