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Gallery of Embroidery, a "dictionary" : birds
............................... ("peacocks", "swans", "hens")
................................................................ The Sun >>>>>>>
................................................................ The Ladies of Fertility >>>>>>>
................................................................ The Sun Boat/Chariot >>>>>>>
The ancient designs are alive even now >>>
(traditionally embroidered things we use in everyday life)
...in Russian folklore The Bird carries a lot of meanings. It symbolizes the spring, The Sun itself, and different aspects of The Sun (its warmth, light, and power). Fire essence of the Bird is reflected in fairy-tales of Firebird, and in Russian euphemism for a fire ("red rooster"). The Bird promises a good harvest and prosperity. The Bird depicts the idea of love, marriage, and motherhood. So, we cannot speak about The Bird pictograph alone. We need to decipher each design as a whole to understand its meaning... more >>>>
  • From:
    Archangel region, Onega district
  • Time:
    the beginning of the 1800's.
  • What is it:
    a shoulder part of a woman's shirt.
  • Technique:
    counted threadwork, "painting", cross stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    State Historical Museum colleclion
    • It is a part of a composition with Mother of the World in the center and two "peacocks" at Her sides.


  • From:
    Olonec region, Kargopol district
  • Time:
    the beginning of the 1800's.
  • What is it:
    a body of a woman's shirt.
  • Technique:
    counted threadwork, "painting", picked out with spangles.
  • Acquired from:
    M.Yakunchikoba and N.Davydova collection
    • It is a part of a design with a two-headed eagle (Russian state emblem), and two "peacocks". A peacock has a pictograph on its head. This pictograph resembles both Tree of Life and Mother. Also, the peacock's tail looks like the Tree.


  • From:
    Olonec region, Kargopol district
  • Time:
    the beginning of the 1800's.
  • What is it:
    a body of the same woman's shirt.
  • Technique:
    counted threadwork, "painting", picked out with spangles.
  • Acquired from:
    M.Yakunchikoba and N.Davydova collection
    • The main symbol here is Tree of Life. "Peacocks" emphasize the divine essence of that Tree. Also, two "peacocks" at the bottom level have a little pictograph of a Sun Wheel at their back.


  • From:
    Novgorod region, Vesiegonsk district
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    a towel.
  • Technique:
    "painting".
  • Acquired from:
    G. Maslova collection
    • This design shows this is not "just a bird", but the Sun Bird. First, the Bird is calico (calico means divinity in Russian pre-Christian beliefs). Second, the Bird bears the Sun at its head. And, last but not least, the Mother of the World with a sun crown rides this Bird. So, this is exactly the Bird that carries the Sun around the sky.


  • From:
    Novgorod region, Vesiegonsk district.
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    a forehead part of soroka (a married woman's headdress).
  • Technique:
    "high" stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    State Museum of Ethnography, A.Kolobov collection
    • "Swans" or "Geese" are by the sides of a human-like (and, at the same time, a tree-like) figure. In Russian tradition we have one more similar design: Mother between horses. According to scientists, myths of a bird as a soul's guide are older than the same stories about horses. So, looks like that designs with birds are more ancient.


  • From:
    Yaroslavl region.
  • Time:
    late 1700's.
  • What is it:
    a forehead part of a "crown" of a young unmarried girl.
  • Technique:
    golden embroidery.
  • Acquired from:
    Yaroslavl museum collection
    • Here you can notice how a "swan" design tends to change itself to a floral one (a latter type of girls' headdress decoration).


  • From:
    Vologda region, Solvychegodsk district
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    an unmarried girl's "crown".
  • Technique:
    golden embroidery ("skew stitch") on red cloth.
  • Acquired from:
    G.Maslova collection.
    • The design is very formalized. "Swans" here are to be guessed only.