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Khanty ornaments. "magic patterns of yugra"

The material reflects the Khanty folk art of ornamentation. The material can also be used in the form of an album for children of senior preschool age, it is a regional component.

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Khanty ornament and its symbolism.

Khanty folk art of ornament

The clothing of the Khanty people is rich in ornamental patterns. Fur coats, cloth clothes, shoes are decorated with pima (cloaks). These are winter boots made of deer skins, which are removed from the legs of a deer. The work is long and painstaking, but such boots are very warm, light, durable and comfortable (they are not sewn with ordinary threads, but with the fiber of dried, crushed deer tendons).

Khanty ornaments are beautiful -
They have all the signs of my homeland.
You will no longer find all over Russia
Such flowers and fabulous animals.
Patterns on clothes and dishes
Red as the sun and white as snow
Looking at them since childhood, our people
The beautiful will not be parted forever.
They didn't just come to life
From under the needle, and the brush, and the cutter:
After all, masters of wood and bone
They put their hearts and souls into them.(M. Shulgin)

The ornamental system of the Khanty is based on two basic concepts: “trace” and “image”. Both concepts go back to the hunting worldview. Finding the trail of the beast is almost a prey, so the trail is sacred. "Trace" sets the border organization of the ornament. If the trace is sacred, then the parts of the animal's body that leave it are also sacred. Among the Khanty, who live a traditional life, you can find garlands of dried "paws" of various animals: the more of them, the more successful the hunter. Therefore, the names of ornament motifs often include the words “paws”, “claws”, “foot”. In continuous borders, the principle of synonymy between background and pattern was strictly observed. Another idea for continuous borders is the "head", the multiplicity of heads creates abundance. The "images" of an animal are the "traces" (imprints) of its soul.

Khanty motifs

Khanty ornament.
Brood of ducklings

Khanty ornament.

fox paw

Khanty ornament. small water ripple

Khanty ornament. goose wing

Khanty ornament. Bunny ears

Khanty ornament. The trace is white

Khanty ornament. Bear image

Khanty ornament. Otter

Khanty ornament. Man on a horse

Khanty ornament. cedar cone

Khanty ornament. Frog

Khanty ornament. Bug

Craftswomen are very proud of their ability to make beautiful things, because not every Khanty woman can carve an ornament, sew narrow strips of fur or leather beautifully and neatly. In the ornament, the craftswoman fills the most abstract geometric forms with a quite definite content, reflecting ideas about the surrounding reality. These are animals: navarne “frog”, shovyr fell “hare ears”, sniffing “sable”; birds: vasyolyn "brood of ducklings", pita onion "grouse", holhtykhl "black crow's nest"; plants: ai sumatnuv "birch branch"; natural phenomena: serhaynyuh "flowering bush", here humpi "rolling waves"; and the man himself: hashop "the torso of a man." The names of the patterns were given according to the similarity and likeness of the subject.

Some ornaments were carried out at a strictly defined time, on the occasion of an event, for example, the embroidery of a bear's footprint ornament on a mitten. Such a mitten was given to a hunter who caught a bear.

The pattern always has an applied side, it is rigidly connected with the function of the object on which it is applied, with its shape, material. And, finally, any ornament has one or another meaning. It can have the direct meaning of a letter, reflect the real rhythms of life, carry symbolic meanings fixed by tradition. The ornament performs three functions: communicative (the intention to convey information), magical and aesthetic.

It is traditionally believed that a thing is ready and can only be used when it is ornamented. It is for this reason that the ornament in the culture of the Khanty peoples is extremely stable and “dies” along with things. In a number of cases, the ornament survives them, turns out to be more persistent, more viable, since it is transferred to non-traditional things, included in a new culture.
Of interest is the geometric ornament and its symbolism in the arts and crafts of the Lower Ob peoples of the Khanty. One of the most characteristic is the ornament of pieces of light and dark reindeer fur.

His motifs are distinguished by rectilinear or stepped outlines and are quite large in size. On fur clothes, the patterns are made up of wide strips bent at a right or obtuse angle. Approximately the same ornaments adorn the spring-autumn clothes of Nuysakh. In everyday life, women rarely use the sacred ornament. His motives are associated with the animal or plant world, as well as with parts of the human body.

A variety of ornamented items were almost exclusively the work of women's hands. They sewed with purchased metal needles, but before they used home-made ones from the bones of the legs of a deer or squirrel, fish bone. When sewing, a thimble without a bottom was put on the index finger - home-made bone or purchased metal. The needles were stored in special needle cases made of reindeer skins or cloth, cotton fabrics. They were made in different shapes, decorated with applique, beads, embroidery, and provided with a device for storing a thimble. In fairy tales, magical powers were attributed to needle beds: they flew or swam across the seas. Our search for the roots of this seemingly inconspicuous object led to the felt carpets of the southern peoples, who had the idea of ​​a flying carpet. The woman kept needlework in a patterned birch bark box yinil or in a Tutchan bag made of skins and cloth, decorated with appliqués and pendants. There were so many pendants that they almost hid the ornament. Tutchan is a very expensive item for women, he passed from mother to daughter, or her mother sewed a new one for her for the wedding.

“We women have a hundred knots, a thousand knots: you tie one knot, you untie another.”

The wonderful art of embroidering on canvas with colored threads - woolen, paper, silk and garus - is now, unfortunately, lost. The last samples at the beginning of the 20th century. were collected for museums, some of them ended up in Hungary. This type of arts and crafts was developed only in the southern regions - on the Konda, Irtysh, Demyanka, Salym. Four techniques were known, and each had a special name: oblique stitch - keremkhanch, one-sided smoothness inside the contoured figure - khanty khanch (Khanty pattern), cross stitch - sevemkhanch, square embroidery - rutkhanch (Russian pattern). Women spared no time, their own hands and eyes, filling with patterns almost entirely a shirt or dress. The work could last up to two years. They also embroidered kerchiefs and scarves, men's trousers, and mittens. Ornamented stockings and mittens were also knitted on knitting needles. The wool was purchased, but the Khanty themselves dyed it. In fairy tales, one can also find such a description: “The mittens gleam in the sun, their top is knitted from pure silver.”

Khanty patterns

duck neck

birch branch

horse jaw

Antler

Mosaic patterns were applied not only on rovduga and fur, but also on purchased colored cloth. When working with fabrics, especially paper ones, another method of artistic processing was used - appliqué, that is, sewing on an overhead patterned strip on some part of the product. Purchased fabrics were used for sewing men's shirts, women's dresses and sakha robes, pillows, blankets for reindeer - riding and sacrificial, bags, mittens, etc.

If rovduga and fur direct the fantasy of craftswomen to search for new lines and shapes, then fabrics provide another opportunity - to express the color perception of the world more fully. In the first case, the pattern consists only of dark and light parts, that is, it is diachrome. In fabrics, the pattern can be not only black and white, but, for example, black and yellow, which is already an extension of the color spectrum. Fabrics make it possible to combine several colors, make the pattern polychrome. Interestingly, some color combinations achieve an even greater contrast effect than in black and white.

For example, the blue-red image of one of the deities - the heavenly rider Urt - is even difficult to look at, it blinds the eyes. And the craftswomen knew what they were doing, because, according to their ideas, you can look at the sun, but you can’t look at Urta.

In one Khanty song it is sung: The House of Urta hangs on chains between heaven and earth and sways from the wind along the south-north line. Urt rides a motley horse and sees who needs what. He helps only those who remember him from time to time and make gifts. But Urt will not help the one who remembers him only when he is already in trouble. Thus ended the long song.

According to observations of recent years, the farther to the north, the greater the play of colors in the Khanty cloth products. You try to comprehend why certain color combinations arise, and you find some explanation in nature. You will be amazed by the violet-blue spectrum in women's clothes, and then you see it in a bush of autumn blueberries with purple leaves.

Khanty ornaments

Bag. Ur hir. Deer fur, leather. (E.K, Rebas, Shuryshkarsky district, s / s Vosyakhovo, s-Ust-Voykaryk)

Fur mosaic on a women's fur coat. Confusing the "birch branch". Nyoshas "sable" (M.S. Nenzelova, Shuryshkarsky district, s, Vosyakhovo)

Fur mosaic on a women's fur coat. Bow khansha "grouse". Khongat khanshi "deer horns" (N.G. Longortova, Shuryshkarsky district, Gorkovsky s / s, Ai Khishpai site)

Application on women's demi-season clothing. Ai lov ungal hanshi "mouth of a small horse". Hu shup "half-man"

Fur mosaic on a children's coat. Ohpushakh khanshi "head". Ailov nyal hanshi “mouth of a small horse” (E.K. Rebas, Shuryshkarsky district, s / s Vosyakhovo, Ust-Voykary village)

Application on women's demi-season clothing. Catching khanshi "horse nose". (E.K. Rebas, Shuryshkarsky district, r / s Vosyakhovo, Ust-Voykary village)

Ornamental systems of the Khanty people have been developed and polished in the process of long-term creative practice. Therefore, fur products with mosaic decor, as a rule, are characterized by a high level of artistic design and a pronounced originality.

Polychromy replaced diachromism thanks to another imported material - multi-colored beads. Khanty knew two techniques for making beaded jewelry: openwork mesh and sewing beads on fabric or leather. Women's gowns, dresses, collars, belts, shoes and garters for them, mittens, hats, handbags and pouches were decorated in this way. Pectoral ornaments were created from beads. At the end of the XIX century. beads seem to have gone out of fashion, and now they are flourishing again. Most of all, the Khanty valued opaque porcelain beads. Now he is rare. If there is a shortage of purchased beads, a substitute is found for him: they cut the wire insulation into small pieces. Some items gradually ceased to decorate, but beaded purses and bracelets appear. On clothes, stripes of strung beads replace ancient pewter castings that were once made by women themselves.

The Khanty decorated with ornaments not only clothes, but also household items. The cradles were especially lovingly decorated, not without reason in the Khanty tale it says: “Mother sewed for him a cradle of birch bark, decorated with legged animals, sewed for him a cradle decorated with winged animals.” The main figure here was a capercaillie guarding the soul of a child while he was sleeping. Other images were also applied - sable, deer horns, bear, cross.

Creating certain elements of the ornament, individual motifs dating back to ancient times - to the cult of water, fire, various natural phenomena, the man of the North deified many objects, worshiped them, felt like a particle of this big world. http://rudocs.exdat.com/docs2/index-586826.html


Consultation for parents "Ornaments of Khanty and Mansi"

“Khanty patterns are beautiful and simple.
Take a look, my friend, and soon
You will understand them with your heart.
Patterns of those plexus
Looks like fish
That on deer antlers,
That is on the river bend.

Every nation expresses itself through culture. In the culture of any nation there are features that speak of its originality. In the culture of the northern people, the ornament is peculiar. Ornament (from the Latin language - decoration) is a pattern based on repetition, intended to decorate various objects (clothes, dishes, weapons, furniture). It is as if words are encoded in it, signs are encrypted, as in cave paintings, from which you can learn about the origins of the culture of the people, its development over time. Ornaments are geometric figures, they consist of triangles, rectangles and squares, they represent the sun, earth, sky, animals. Ornaments arose as a result of observations of the surrounding world. Admiring nature, a person has long noticed in it many interesting, unusual shapes and colors: patterns of wings of butterflies and birds, patterns on snake skin or on the back of a caterpillar, patterns of leaves of various plants and tree bark. Nature for man is the source of everything, including inspiration. In the ornaments, the Khanty and Mansi people depicted the rich nature and their life in the north. An ornament is performed on fabric, paper, wood, metal.

The language of symbols of our distant ancestors, for whom every line, every geometric figure meant something. A symbol is a sign, an image of some thing or animal. Khanty and Mansi ornaments have a symbolic meaning.


For example, "frog" and "cross" were symbols of the hearth. "Cross" is also a talisman against the evil eye. On the clothes of the Khanty and Mansi, you can see deer, a bear, a sable, a mythical mammoth, a capercaillie, a cedar, a birch and much more. Ornaments are symbols with which a person expresses his attitude to natural phenomena. For example, a deer symbolizes the victory of good over evil, a cross with curved ends denotes a symbol of happiness, a bee symbolizes diligence, a mirror - truth, a lion - power, a sword - justice, wings - movement. Ornaments associated with a bear, as beings of a higher, heavenly origin, require a special attitude towards themselves, they can only be performed by a craftswoman with extensive experience.

The use of the image of a bird in the ornament carries the power of a talisman of sleep and the health of the child.

For the manufacture of products, several colors are used, each has its own symbol: white - the color of snow - good luck; red - well-being, blue - rivers, lakes; green - taiga; yellow - the sun - joy, black - a symbol of the underworld. To decorate the hem of the dress with a national ornament, long narrow stripes of all these colors are used.

Ornamental art is an important part of modern Mansi culture. The ornament can be found in products made of fur, leather, birch bark, beads, fabric, wood, bone and metal. Even today, the Mansi decorate their clothes, shoes, scarves, belts, bags and other household items with an ornament.


Ornaments serve not only to decorate clothes, but also have a secret meaning. Ornaments are part of the culture of the Khanty and Mansi people, they represent the sun, earth, sky, animals, depict the rich nature of the North and the life of the indigenous people, and also serve as amulets.

To preserve peace on earth, we all must honor, remember and preserve, passing on from generation to generation the traditions of our people, respect the traditions of those peoples who live next to us, closely manage their households, live in the same territory, wish each other warmth and kindness.

Khanty ornaments and sacred images

Cross, rhombus

straight line, zigzag

Triangle

corner

Bodukhina Valentina Alexandrovna,

teacher MBOU "Lyaminskaya secondary school"


Presentation Goals

1. Get acquainted with the features of national ornaments; identify the elements that make up the sacred nature of the ornaments; find the relationship of ornaments of different peoples.

2. Deepening knowledge about the fishery, highlighting more complex elements, their development.

3. Strengthen the relationship with the parents of children through joint work in collecting information


  • The cross is found both in direct and in oblique execution. At present, there are still tattoos in the form of a cross on the arms: to protect from pain and to “hide from illness”. In general, the cross has a protective function, it plays the role of a border between the worlds.
  • The oblique cross is also called the "dog's paw". The meaning of the oblique cross is the delimitation of the world of people from the hostile entities of the other world. For example, the last person walking from the cemetery must put two sticks crosswise on the road: it is believed that the soul of the deceased will not be able to step over them.
  • On Kazym, in the event that it is impossible to let the herd along any path (road), then it is blocked. In this case, it would be easier to take two poles and put them crosswise. However, this is forbidden by custom, so you have to cut a large number of poles and put them vertically one to the other. The ban on cross-shaped poles is explained by the fact that with them you will forever block your way back.
  • In connection with the cross, it is necessary to note a special way of tying knots on the deceased. The ends of the ties, located perpendicular to the main cord, form a cross, as it were.

Snake

These ornaments are revered due to the fact that snakes are considered the braids of the Kazym goddess.

It is believed that these images are able to "suck out the disease", and they were made in case of a serious illness.

In a dream, to see a snake or a lizard - “I saw the disease with my eyes”, and this, in turn, means that the person will recover.


Rhombus

A single rhombus is called a "deep heart", also called rows of rhombuses on knitted and beaded products. Depending on its location in the pattern, the rhombus depicts the vital organs “head” and “heart”, in addition, it is thought of as a “receptacle for the soul”.

On the cradle there is a diamond-shaped segment, which is also called the "heart recess", and it is forbidden to apply a pattern on it, so as not to "spoil the life of the child."

There are many patterns with an empty rhombus inside and "hook-shaped" processes extending from the tops. Such patterns are called "frog". There is a well-known custom of honoring the frog, “between the bumps of a living woman”, “jumping woman”, which is able to give family happiness, facilitate childbirth.


  • The image of a frog, embroidered with beads on a scarf, gave the newborn health and longevity.
  • In folklore, the concept of happiness and abundance is associated with a frog. The hero says: “Let one corner of the house overflow with furs, let the frogs jump in the other corner.”
  • In a Russian folk tale, the princess turns into a frog by putting on a frog skin.
  • In the same way, the spirits of the Khanty take the form of animals.

Why can't you kill bugs?

  • The rhombus, as a universal symbol of fertility and childbearing, is associated with the idea of ​​the Mother Ancestor, who was thought of both as Mother Nature and as the Great Woman Mother.
  • A rhombus figure is sewn into the shoulder part of the garment, plus two zigzags located on opposite sides of the chest neckline, closing at its end, form rhombuses. There is a persistent expression "protect the strength of the back, protect the strength of the chest."

The rhombus is the basis of many patterns: "beetle", "sun", "half of a man", "woodpile", "spruce", "mouse".

According to today's ideas of the Khanty, bugs should not be killed - these are our grandparents. After death, one of the souls "leaves in the form of a small invisible bug."


  • Spruce had the status of a sacred tree.
  • Spruce with roots and a disk at the top symbolizes the bridge connecting the Lower and Upper worlds.
  • It is believed that if, for some reason, a person wants to meet a forest spirit, then, spending the night in the forest, firstly, he must lay fir branches under the bed, and secondly, cut fir shavings and also put them under him.

Mouse

In the form of a mouse, the sacred spirit Yem vozhiki destroys all hostile entities of the Lower World.

A common plot is when a deceased hero appears in the form of a mouse (alegorically, “an animal walking on the ground”, “garbage animal”, “little squirrel”) to convey this or that information.


Straight line. Zigzag

  • Straight line. This is the simplest geometric ornament, a very common element of clothing decoration. Straight line - "straight track", "straight path", "straight path".

Zigzag. Most often present on birch bark, when applied with cloth on cloth. The sinuous line in the center of the image is considered a sign of life and a living being. With the zigzag, tradition associated the concept of the living, animated, the function of reviving the inanimate, protecting life is assigned to it, therefore this pattern is most often found on birch bark cradles both on the back of the cradle and on its sides.


Triangle

  • Symbolic meaning ax very large.
  • It is used in many rituals: wedding, funeral, bear games.
  • The ax has a cleansing function: for the purpose of ritual cleansing, women must step over it.
  • It is an indispensable attribute of the fortune-telling process of a certain category of people who have an "ax sign".
  • In folklore, the ax appears as a military weapon - it is enough for him to stick to the enemy (his dwelling), and he will be defeated.

The triangle in the ornament (line of triangles) has different names:

"pike teeth", "duck broods", "cedar cone" - if the base is placed horizontally and the top is directed upwards;

"head", "one half of the head" - if the top is turned down;

"axe blade" - if the base is placed vertically.


  • plays a significant role in the mythology of the Ob Ugrians.
  • She acts as the creator of the world, gets the earth from the depths of the primary oceans.
  • In the Mari myth, the structure of the world was carried out by a drake, which took out a clod of earth from the day of the sea; in the Mordovian version, a piece of land, from which all living things arose, was taken out by a duck (gogol, dive).
  • In Volga Bulgaria, temple rings often depicted a duck with a golden ball in its beak.
  • According to today's ideas, firstly, the concept of abundance is associated with a duck. Secondly, the duck foot serves as a toy for the child and at the same time is his amulet.

  • There are many images of birds on children's and women's things.
  • On the back of the cradle against the place where the child's head is located, a "capercaillie sleep pattern" is usually applied.
  • Many researchers have pointed to the magical meaning of the "sleep bird".
  • The meaning of this image is that one of the human souls has the appearance of a bird and can leave the body during sleep.
  • The image of a bird serves as a receptacle for the soul and keeps it in one place. Over time, the "motley capercaillie" gets used to a specific person and follows him everywhere.

  • The two-headed bird is also called "two-headed crane", "headless crane" or "two-headed headless crane".
  • When asked why he is two-headed, they usually answer “he looks at two sides”, i.e. able to simultaneously cover with his gaze the entire surrounding space, all-knowing and all-seeing; the bear has the same abilities.
  • The crane is one of the main characters of the Bear Games, where he acts as an avenger.
  • According to the sacred song, the bear destroys the crane's nest, destroys its chicks and must be punished for this. In the final scene, a crane flies in, sings its song, then begins to turn over the food bowls in front of the bear, rips off his jewelry, and breaks his house.

  • Currently, sacred patterns are found on ritual belts, mittens, and hats. Items with their images are placed in the butts of guardian spirits or used at Bear games.
  • It is believed that sacred patterns conceal a certain power, a certain charge of energy that can sacredly cleanse the object on which it is applied, and then keep it in this state. Thus, women, as it were, maintain a constant source of purification, primarily for men. Often new ornaments are seen in a dream.

Four groups of sacred patterns

Sacred patterns can be divided into four groups: the first is associated with a bear, the second - with the image of a man on a horse, the third - "spirits pattern", the fourth - "happy nests" of various revered animals: lizards, snakes, wagtails.

They don’t say “killed” about the bear, but they say “lowered”, which is connected with its heavenly origin, he is the son of Torum.

  • In addition, when a bear is killed, only one of its souls flies out, at the end of the Bear Games festival, seven deities take away the second soul, and one more soul remains with the bear if he wants to be a household spirit, i.e. the bear is still "alive": his soul sees everything, understands, feels.
  • Previously, as a spirit, a dressed bear skin was left along with the head. The image of a bear corresponds to just such a bear, which has become a spirit - a top view.

How to become a successful hunter?

  • Sometimes a bear's footprint is depicted ("bear pattern"). We can talk about the complete identification in the consciousness of the trace and the animal. Having a trail before his eyes, especially in the snow, it is not at all necessary for an experienced hunter to observe the animal itself, it is already in front of his mind's eye.
  • The hunter knows whether the animal is full or hungry, where and for what it is going, what the weather will be like tomorrow and, therefore, what this animal will do. The image of the bear's footprint is for the Khanty the bear itself.

In sacred patterns, much is depicted indirectly: not a bear, but its footprint, not a lizard, but its nest, etc.

A lizard, a snake, a wagtail have no practical significance for a hunter, these are attributes of spirits, symbols of their presence, they are sacred. The more these symbols are stored in the "sacred corner", the more this part of the space is saturated with "spiritual energy" and the more successful a person is in fishing and everyday life.


Other images

deer pattern should symbolize the land "filled with deer"

  • « Sun "-" Sun-hiring mother ", the giver of strength, energy for the reproduction of earthly life.
  • Strokes near the sun are the seeds of life, traces of their presence, from which "both man, and animal, and plant" can be born.
  • Patterns extending from the central circle are “sun rays”, and small protrusions on the circumference are called “unexploded hand (ray)”, i.e. not yet formed nascent rays.
  • The idea of ​​the ornament is such that the sun gives life, both present and future.

  • In this image, the patterns extending from the tops of the quadrangle symbolize the "abandoned camp of the road."
  • According to stories, in the old days people specially left the camps to create another piece of fertilized land, because even in the most lean year a large juicy berry will grow on it.
  • In all cases, the places where the camps used to be stand out sharply against the background of the rest of the area, there is more lush, abundant vegetation, the needles on the trees are large and bright green.
  • Thus, the proximity of the configuration of the patterns "sun" and "abandoned camp" is explained by their common idea - the reproduction of earthly life.

« Cedar cone»

In folklore, there is the following turn:

"A doll like a pine cone, a doll like a cedar cone."

Both expressions mean the same thing: after the era of gods and heroes, the era of the life of the Khanty people, whom the gods call "dolls", appears on earth.

Thus, a cone is a symbol of a Khanty person or a person in general.

The cone is the home for the nuts. Nuts are the seeds of new life.

However, the special state of the nut, that is, its ability to germinate, is associated with the presence of nutcrackers, since it is they who bury the nuts in the ground.

It is possible that initially the “cone-man” was thought of as a pregnant woman.


corner

The corner is the basis of many significant ornamental patterns. You can name the following patterns.

"Hare Ears"("ears of a little hare"). There is an idea that if the snow falls in large flakes, then Torum the father is angry with his wife and tears her hare coat. Hare paraphernalia is also present in the maternity rite.

  • "Little Branch", "Fox's Elbow", "Hare's Foot" - oh again more complex patterns.

"Little deer antler". These are double "hare ears" in pattern.

According to the meaning, if a person has a large number of “horned deer”, then he is protected twice: this is material well-being (warm clothes, food) and he always has the opportunity to make a sacrifice and thereby ingratiate himself with the deity.

Pieces of skin from the ears of a deer, cut off when marking the ears, were collected by women into garlands and decorated with needle beds. They had to be sewn on very securely so as not to lose them, otherwise the family would lose their deer. Thus, magically, a woman participates in the protection of the herd.

  • What is the function of a straight cross in an ornament?
  • What is the function of the oblique cross in the ornament?
  • In what case was the “snake” ornament made?
  • What is the purpose of the rhombus in the ornament on the cradle?
  • Why is the frog pattern considered feminine?
  • What pattern needed to be embroidered with beads on a scarf for the health of a newborn?
  • Why can't you kill bugs?
  • What is the spruce a symbol of?
  • What is the symbol of the mouse?
  • With what pattern did the tradition connect the concept of the living, animated, the function of reviving the inanimate, protecting life?
  • What is the purpose of the ax and its image in the pattern?
  • What pattern is applied to the back of the cradle against the place where the child's head is and for what purpose?
  • What is the name of this ornament?
  • What patterns are considered sacred?
  • How to become a successful hunter?
  • What is the connection between the patterns of the sun and the abandoned camp?

Each nation has its own peculiar features, which are considered the hallmark of its original culture. From the history of the northern indigenous peoples (Khanty and Mansi), it is known about Khanty patterns and ornaments. The pictures of our article will give you some idea about the features and symbolism of such motifs. After all, these are not just drawings, they encode information about the culture of the people, its development. The northern people used these patterns for embroidery, wood and bone carving, and beading. Pictures of Khanty ornaments and patterns enliven any thing, make it noticeable, beautiful and original. The Siberian land is rich in hardworking craftsmen who, with the help of patterns, were able to convey the beauty of the nature of their land, the rich spiritual world of its inhabitants. We invite you to get acquainted with the Khanty ornaments and their meanings.

A bit from the history of the indigenous peoples of the North

Created long before the annexation of the Siberian lands to Russia, they tell about the tribes of northern Asia, who were the ancestors of the current peoples of Siberia - the Khanty, Mansi, Nenets. The Khanty became an ethnic community in 1,000 AD. e., when the southern Ugric tribes and the tribes of fishermen and hunters of the taiga Trans-Urals merged. Literature speaks about some features of the culture and language of different Khanty groups. Southern and northern Khanty - this is how their experts divided them.

In the north, the main occupation of the Khanty people is fishing, reindeer herding, and hunting. They build wooden houses and tents. Fishermen and hunters can have several dwellings in different places. Reindeer herders have a habit of placing a tent where they stop. Any building they have is called hot. They are birch bark, earthen, plank.

Khanty men and women share a way of life. Men are engaged in products made of wood, bone and leather, and women make fur clothes, weave cloth, and decorate outfits with beads. Peculiar elements of pagan culture have survived to this day - patterns and Khanty ornaments. Pictures of these motifs prove a peculiar vision of the world of the northern peoples. These ornamental compositions have their own artistic principles. The Khanty people expressed their moral and aesthetic ideals with them. After all, you need to be courageous in order to live on this earth, you need to have a generous heart in order to love the harsh north. Indigenous people like its soft colors, stingy spring and white summer.

What was the ornament for the peoples of the Khanty and Mansi?

The artistic language of the Khanty people is diverse. The very word "ornament" has the meaning - "decoration". The ornament was an element of the artistic style for architecture, sculpture, painting, graphics. Patterns for were not an end in themselves, they created them to decorate something. They used them quite widely - from drawings on the outer and inner walls of buildings - to dishes. They were used to decorate fabrics, embroideries, lace, metal products, and trim clothes. Ornaments gave new life to everyday objects, expressed attitude to everything around, created a special artistic world.

Khanty patterns and their names confirm that they were used in applique, edging things. With their help, parallel rows, vertical and inclined stripes were made. Contour motifs give weight and completeness to these drawings. It is important to note that, like all ornaments, Khanty motifs also consist of rapports, constantly repeating parts.

The basis of the Khanty ornamental system

The main elements of the ornament of the indigenous peoples of the North were a triangle, a square, a rhombus, a zigzag, a cross. All these elements were connected as a result of a long observation of the outside world. Many people are interested in Khanty ornaments with names that were given by similarity and likeness to objects, plants, animals, natural phenomena. Such patterns enlivened things, made them more visible, added beauty and originality.

Most often, ornamentation included a symbolic image of representatives of fauna and flora. Shades were characterized by brightness and contrast of colors.

The main theme of the patterns is the sun, because in those parts every ray of it is worth its weight in gold. The second most important is the image of a deer or its horns. Indeed, for the northern peoples, the deer is considered the best friend, breadwinner, cab driver, savior. Bone is taken from it for making weapons and veins for sewing.

The most common Khanty patterns

Strict order is inherent in the geometric Khanty ornament. It is based on a strict geometric alternation. After the geometric pattern, a floral motif follows. It is most often used in woodcarving.

And now in more detail about the geometric pattern. Very often, the Khanty used a cross. With it, they tried to protect themselves from pain and hide from illness. The cross has a protective function, it is the border between the worlds. There is an oblique cross called "dog's paw", which limits people from hostile creatures in this world.

The Khanty gave a special place to the rhombus, it was called "heart deepening". It is no longer possible to apply a pattern on top of it, so as not to spoil the fate of a person. There is a rhombus with a void inside or in the form of a frog, which was revered by the northern people. She was associated with a "jumping woman" capable of giving happiness.

Often in stripes of ornaments there are straight lines and zigzags. A straight line is considered the simplest geometric ornament, but a fairly common element of decoration among the Khanty. Zigzags were used for birch bark products, as well as appliqués with fabric on fabric. The sinuous line in the center of the ornament was considered the personification of life and a living being. Everything alive and animated is connected with the zigzag. Often, birch bark cradles for children or the backs and sides of cradles were decorated with them.

Some pattern motifs are associated with the triangle. It is he who looks like an ax, with which the Khanty have a lot to do. The ax was used in many wedding, funeral ceremonies, bear games. The ax has a cleansing function. To be cleansed, every woman had to step over the ax. Also, the triangle was used for ornaments "duck brood", "pike teeth", "cedar cone".

Khanty ornaments and their meaning

Patterns for the Khanty people is a whole system that replaced writing and accompanied a person from his first steps to death. The Khanty patterns and their names, which have all the motives, are also interesting. These names say where the owner came from, whether he has wealth, about the color of his deer, about the needlewoman-wife. Craftswomen using a birch bark stencil cut out patterns from kamus (skin that was removed from a deer's leg). Camus was selected according to the shade and length of the pile. Then, with the help of deer tendons, the details were sewn together, and the seams were trimmed with inserts of colored cloth. We invite you to take a closer look at some of the patterns:

  1. "Hare ears". It is used to decorate children's things and is associated with fertility.
  2. "Capercaillie". This bird is considered the guardian of the child's sleep and his health.
  3. "A brood of ducklings".
  4. "Fox paw".
  5. "Small ripples of water".
  6. "Goose Wing".
  7. "Hare ears".
  8. "Squirrel Trail".
  9. "Otter".
  10. "The Man on the Horse"
  11. "Cedar cone".
  12. "Frog".
  13. "Bug".
  14. "Antler".
  15. "Birch branch".
  16. "Bear trail".
  17. "Flowering bush".
  18. "Rushing Waves".

With the rhombus, the Khanty are associated with the patterns "beetle", "half of a man", woodpile", "spruce", "mouse". The peoples of the North have a special relationship with beetles, they see their grandparents in them. They believe that after death souls turn into small bugs. Spruce is considered a sacred tree. In the spruce itself and its roots, the Khanty saw a combination of the upper and lower worlds. The destruction of all hostile creatures of the lower world is associated with the mouse. As you have already noticed, the names of the patterns were given according to the similarity and similarity with the object.

In addition to the above symbols, one could see the mythical mammoth, sable, and cedar on the ornaments. The deer is associated with the victory of good over evil, with the bee - diligence, with wings - movement.

Of the animals in the patterns, there is a snake, a creeping snake, a sable. On the theme of birds, you can see the tail of a black grouse, the wings of a seagull, the neck of a duck. The theme of plants is presented by cones, tops of spruce twigs, broken birch branches. The phenomena of nature are reminiscent of the rolls of waves, ripples of water. All of these patterns are either linear or rosette type.

And now we will present you the names of ornaments in the language of the northern people:


Applying embroidery patterns

There are three ways of Khanty embroidery: "kerem-khanch", "ektem-khanch", "sevem-khanch". The first two are similar to Russian double-sided embroidery. And the last one, borrowed by the indigenous population from the settlers, is made with a cross and is considered one of the last techniques of the southern With the help of restored patterns and embroidery techniques, craftswomen still create national costumes decorated with colorful ornaments.Modern craftswomen decorate bags, purses, hats, belts with such embroidery.

The main feature of embroidery of such patterns is that they are strictly geometric and consist of rectangles, corners, rhombuses, zigzags. These embroidered strips encoded the information of the Khanty peoples.

Beaded work

The decorative art of the Khanty peoples is permeated with the great role of women in it. One of the most interesting types of women's creativity is the manufacture of jewelry from beads according to local patterns. Once upon a time, beads were brought north by the British in exchange for furs. Merchants bought beads and sold them Khanty. In Tobolsk there was a whole warehouse of beads. Among the northern Khanty, the beads had the name "sak" and "sek", which meant "stone". In the 20th century, porcelain beads were popular.

Women decorate sleeves, skirts, floors and breasts of summer outfits with bead ornaments. For young girls and girls, orange, green, blue, red colors are used in products. Not only embroidery with beads is practiced, but also weaving of openwork chains, mosaic products. Very often, beaded works with Khanty ornaments are presented at various exhibitions of arts and crafts. Beaded pendants for headwear, napkins, belts, bracelets and purses look very impressive.

Woolen products with patterns

One of the few women's occupations of the Khanty that have survived to this day is patterned knitting on wool. Basically, only warm mittens are knitted. Khanty ornaments are very suitable for them. Since childhood, every craftswoman knows the main drawings, which she herself corrects while knitting. Motifs on mittens have as many meanings as in other types of needlework.

Sometimes patterns are also used to knit socks. Craftswomen know that it is important when knitting not to leave the ornament unfinished. Sometimes the pattern of one mitten continues on the second or on the palm. Over the years, Khanty patterned knitting has not changed much, only the composition of the yarn and the palette of shades have changed. Once, only black, white and gray colors were used for knitting, then blue and green colors were connected. The Khanty bought wool, but then dyed it themselves.

Decoration with ornaments of clothes

Northern peoples represented beauty in their own way. A truly beautiful woman should be a needlewoman, because it is she who is considered the bearer of ornamental traditions. With the help of patterns on clothes, the Khanty reflected tribal features. On women's fur coats, ornaments are placed along the edges of the products. A bear's footprint was often depicted on the mittens, which predicted success for the future hunter.

Patterned applique was often made on demi-season women's clothing. Fur mosaic was made on children's fur coats. Khanty patterns adorn various sakhis, cloaks, and dresses.

Reindeer skins served as the main material for the warm clothes of the Khanty. Such a women's fur coat is called "sah". She has ties in front, the inner lining is also fur. Sometimes the top can be made of bright durable cloth. In those areas where there were few deer, craftswomen sewed many small paws and skins into one large cloth. Such a sakh was embroidered with various ornaments along the edges.

Khanty women had a special device - Tutchan, which was passed from mother to daughter. This is a special birch bark box for storing needlework accessories. The needles were stored in special needle cases. The women worked all day, sparing neither their eyes nor their hands. Some of the complex work took years to complete. Scarves, scarves, trousers, mittens were decorated with northern patterns. Patterns were also used for appliqués on men's shirts, robes, pillows, deer blankets, and bags.

Today curly motifs can be made of wood, plastic, cardboard, leather. The highest precision is needed for cutting down the Khanty ornament from plywood. This can be used to make photo frames. In educational institutions today, at labor lessons, crafts for younger students with Khanty ornaments are thought out.

Sacred properties of patterns, protective and totem functions

Khanty patterns were not only an adornment of clothing, but were also considered sacred symbols. Such sacred ornaments were used to make ritual belts, mittens, and hats. Items with their image were intended for guardian spirits. In the sacred patterns, there is a certain power, a charge of energy to purify the object on which they are depicted. Among the sacred patterns, the bear theme is considered a favorite. The Khanty attributed a heavenly origin to the bear and considered him the son of Torum. There is a belief that a bear has several souls capable of seeing, understanding and feeling everything. The pattern was used to become a successful hunter.

Often there are patterns associated with a deer. They are also sacred, symbolizing the land where the herds of these animals live. The Khanty ornament "sun" is associated with the giver of strength, energy to maintain earthly life, which was called "hire-mother" (sun). The strokes near the sun symbolize the seeds of life, from which not only people, but also animals and plants will be born.

It is important to note that the blue color in the Khanty ornaments symbolizes the rivers and lakes of the region, the white color is associated with snow, green - with the taiga. But they are considered the national ornaments of the northern people, a kind of amulet. Often these patterns are emblazoned on medallion pendants.

The ornament is a mirror and a characteristic feature of the ancient and modern culture of the peoples of the north, a stable element of artistic culture.

For thousands of years, ornaments have retained their ancient fundamental principle, which creates the most important historical source. In the ornament the most abstract geometric shapes are filled with a well-defined content, reflecting the idea of ​​the surrounding reality. It is believed that the ornaments arose as a result of long observations of the surrounding world, and the names of the patterns were given according to the similarity and likeness of the object.

In our opinion, in the ornaments of the peoples of the north, “abstract” geometric forms only seem abstract. With the same “success” we can talk about “abstract” geometric shapes of a completely modern QR code.
The methodological basis of our study was the discrete Fourier transform method, supplemented by the author with a new method for studying ornaments as musical works.

Hypothesis:
- about the possibility of sampling and encoding images of ornaments;
- about the possibility of revealing information hidden in ornaments;

Target: reveal the information hidden in the ornaments.

Object of study: group of ornaments “Motifs with a hare”.

Subject of study: revealing and representing hidden information in a graphic and sound format by discretizing and coding images of ornaments.

Tasks:
1. Create computer graphic images of the ornaments of the “Motifs with a hare” group in accordance with the original ones.
2. Spatially discretize and encode ornaments in digital and musical format.

Research methodology:
To clarify our hypothesis, let's take an arbitrary image, presented as a set of squares of different colors. A square (pixel) is the minimum area of ​​the image, the color of which can be set arbitrarily. In our work, we use a black and white image. For a black and white image, each square will carry one unit of information (one bit). Imagine that the black square (bit) = 1 and the white square (bit) = 0.

Let's encode the image.
As a result of encoding, we get series of symbols of the binary system of calculation, which can be converted into sound.

The conversion to musical notation can be done by relating the spatially sampled image to an improvised staff, assuming that each dark cell is a musical notation, and musical symbols located on the same vertical line will compose a chord.

Main part

Almost all ornaments can be divided into sections of different colors of regular geometric shape (discrete).

We are trying to explore one ornament from the group of ornaments “Motifs with a hare”. For the study, with the help of computer graphics, an image of one ornament was created, divided into sections and encoded in the binary system and in musical notation.

As a result of encoding, we received information that can be converted into sound, presenting it as a musical notation.

Let's explore the group of ornaments “Motifs with a hare”, like musical notations. To implement the study, using the computer graphics method:
1. Computer images of individual ornaments of the group were created in accordance with the original.
2. Computer images of ornaments are divided into sections (spatially discretized).
3. Discretized images of ornaments are numbered and correlated with improvised staves, where each dark cell of the ornament is a musical sign.

By transferring musical signs of several ornaments of the “Motives with a Hare” group into a computer program for creating music, sound tracks were obtained, interconnected into a single work. Two arrangements are presented. Composer - Artemius Wolf // Artemius Wolf (Moscow)

By transferring the notes of ornament No. _03 from the group “Motives with a hare” into a computer program for creating music, a sound track was obtained in a keyboard version. Two arrangements are presented. Composer - Valentin Hainus (Yugorsk)

Conclusion

In the course of our study, the hypothesis about the possibility of presenting information hidden in ornaments was confirmed. We succeeded:
1. Spatially discretize computer images of ornaments.
2. Encode ornaments in the binary system.
3. Encode the ornaments of the “Motifs with a hare” group as musical notations.
4. Create original music tracks.

As a result of our work, we concluded:
- the ornamental art of the peoples of the Khanty and Mansi can be a source hidden information;
- an example of recognizing information hidden in ornaments– conversion into musical notations and creation of original musical opuses, miniatures, works…;

List of sources

Work performers:

Guseva Sofya Olegovna, student of the 3rd "D" class of school No. 5 in the city of Yugorsk;
Gusev Oleg Alexandrovich (father).

Supervisor:

Dubrovskaya Tatyana Nikolaevna, class teacher, teacher of school No. 5 in the city of Yugorsk;

In collaboration:

Kuznetsova Maria Viktorovna, Head of the Sector of the Information and Methodological Department of the Yugra-Present Cultural Center in the city of Yugorsk;
Tsoneva Ekaterina Igorevna, head of the sector of the information and methodological department of the Yugra-present cultural center in the city of Yugorsk;
Valentin Hainus, composer, city of Yugorsk.
Artemius Wolf, composer, Moscow.



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