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Gallery of Embroidery, a "dictionary":
The Sun Boat/Chariot
...................................................................... The Sun >>>>>>>
...................................................................... Ladies of Fertility >>>>>>>
...................................................................... Birds >>>>>>>
The ancient designs are alive even now >>>
(traditionally embroidered things we use in everyday life)

…Sun gods of many Indo-European pantheons were thought as riding a chariot or a boat. Greek Helios, Egyptian Ra, Vedic Indra could be mentioned among them. The most ancient images of The Sun Boat belong to cave paintings founded at Scandinavian Peninsula. A boat depicted there is pulled by a pair of waterfowls, probably, swans... more >>>>
  • From:
    Novgorod region.
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    a towel edge.
  • Technique:
    "painting"-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    private collection
    • This is The Sun Boat. It is pulled by a pair of swans (their heads are shown as ends of a boat). The Sun Maiden drives a vehicle. A checkered pattern covering the whole image means that characters depicted have a strong connection with The Sun and The Water - productive powers of the world. The Boat sprouts with tree branches. It emphasizes a fertilizing power of The Sun.


  • From:
    Archangel region.
  • Time:
    early 1800's.
  • What is it:
    a hemline of a woman's dress.
  • Technique:
    "painting"-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    a collection of the Traditional Crafts' Museum.
    • The Maiden crowned with The Sun drives a chariot. Two horses are harnessed into it. A checkered pattern covering the picture symbolizes its connection with The Sun and The Water - productive powers of the world. There are birds under a horse's belly: it means the chariot flies in the sky.


  • From:
    Olonets region.
  • Time:
    1870's.
  • What is it:
    a towel edge.
  • Technique:
    ""painting"-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    N.Polenova' collection

    • The Sun Maiden drives a chariot. Horses' mane looks like trees. It means The Sun causes plants to grow. Sun crosses are shown under horses' belly, and the bottom frieze consists of stylized birds. All that signifies horses run across the sky.


  • From:
    Olonets region, Kargopol district
  • Time:
    early 1800's.
  • What is it:
    a bed valance.
  • Technique:
    "painting"-stitch, "nabor"-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    M.Yakunchikova's and N.Davydova's collection.

    • This is the Sun Maiden driving a chariot. She holds tree branches (or, perhaps, candlesticks) in her hands. Fantastic beasts - half-horses, half-birds - are harnessed into a chariot.


  • From:
    Novgorod region.
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    a hemline of a woman's dress.
  • Technique:
    "painting"-stitch, "nabor"-stitch, satin-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    a collection of the Traditional Crafts' Museum.

    • This is another chariot pulled by half-horses half-birds. A driver is almost not a human being here. Though its position remains a "froggy" (The Mother-in-labour), the whole character looks like a fantastic plant.


  • From:
    Archangel region., Onega district
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    a towel edge.
  • Technique:
    "painting"-stitch, "nabor"-stitch, satin-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    a collection of the Ethnography Museum.

    • The Sun Boat pulled by birds. Birds are multi-colored (a sign of a relation with The Sun). Besides, their heads radiate. So, those are Sun Birds. A driver (The Sun Maiden) is replaced completely by something weird.


  • From:
    Olonets region., Kargopol district
  • Time:
    mid-1800's.
  • What is it:
    a towel edge.
  • Technique:
    "painting"-sitch, satin-stitch.
  • Acquired from:
    G.Maslova's collection.

    • The Chariot carries a vase with flowers (though its shape remains a "froggy" - The Mother-in-labour - yet). The whole image is covered by a checkered pattern. Besides, The Chariot sprouts. All that signifies a design's connection with a fertilizing ability of The Sun.