Crosses
Information about crosses as elements of necklaces has come down to us as archaeological findings. Silver and bronze body crosses were found in the places of residence of the Sarmatians of the Chernyakhiv and Ante culture in the Chernivtsi region of Bukovyna, and in Galicia, in Halych, Lviv region, enkolpion crosses and crosses with the image of the Mother of God and the Crucifixion were found.
Also, encolpion crosses were found near Kaniv among the jewelry of the Dnipro Slavs of the mid-first millennium. In the 9th - 13th centuries, in Kievan Rus and the Galician state, flourishing enkolpion crosses made of bronze and silver were widespread, having been introduced from Byzantine art as a symbol of the spiritual victory of Christianity.
Since the 17th century, in some regions of eastern Ukraine, the main place in the decorative complex of jewelry was occupied by a cross, which was worn, like dukachs and coins, in a necklace or on a chain, lace, or ribbon. Crosses were made of copper, silver, or white alloy by casting or stamping. Engraved geometric patterns on the crosses were often complemented by lace and enamel decor.
The goldsmiths of Kharkiv region placed the decor on the smooth surface of the products. On the front side there is a relief stylized Crucifix and a smaller cross. Round colored enamel inserts were placed at the ends of the side branches of the cross. Sometimes a rosette with colored faceted glass was soldered near the eyelet. The surface on the back was covered with an engraved pattern.
The crosses made by the Eastern Carpathians differed from those of the Middle Prydniprovia goldsmiths. They are more massive and voluminous. A characteristic feature of mosyag crosses were the rays that extended from the corners between the branches. Larger crosses were worn as single pendants on a lace, on a red braid or ribbon, or on a chain. Mosyazhniks made chains that were round, oblong, coiled (twisted several times), flat, blown, woven, and curved. Mosiac crosses were also used to create zgardas, which were common in the Hutsul and Bukovyna regions.
In the Boikivshchyna, Pidhiria, and Lemkivshchyna, chest jewelry included copper crosses that were strung between beads of coral, its imitation, and colored glass (“monisto”), or attached to beaded syliankas or gerdans. Large crosses were worn on a separate lace or ribbon.
In Western Podillia, the cross was worn on a wide silk ribbon.
In Western Polissya and Volyn, copper and silver crosses were worn among necklaces (coral, amber, clay, glass, and beads) on a cord or braid.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, stamped crosses became widespread, with the centers of production being the workshops of the The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and other centers of the Orthodox faith. From there, crosses spread to all Ukrainian territories.
During the Soviet era, the production of crosses in Ukraine almost completely ceased, resuming only after the declaration of independence, and Ukrainian goldsmiths began to create crosses based on traditional jewelry only in the 21st century.
Small icons
Archaeological findings show that in the 10th and 11th centuries, various types of pendants and medallions on Christian themes were widespread in Western Polissya and Volyn.
From the 14th century, when the western and southern lands of the former Kyivan Rus were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, religious medallions and icons were common among pendants.
In the 17th century, in Galicia, little icons and icons were used as elements of beaded jewelry, such as ribbon gerdans, woven corner gerdans, and sylianoks. Little icons were also worn on a ribbon or chain.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, stamped little icons became widespread, with the centers of production being the workshops of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and other centers of the Orthodox faith. From there, the crosses spread to all Ukrainian territories.
In Soviet times, the production of little icons in Ukraine almost completely ceased, resumed only after the declaration of independence, and developed in the 21st century.
Molytovky
Among the Christian-themed necklaces, a medallion “molytovky” stands out: a double-sided round pendant with images of saints made of foil and transparent glass, framed in a brass strip and tied with wire, decorated with embossing and painting.
These amulets were made in the Pochayiv Lavra, where they were bought by pilgrims who went on a walking pilgrimage to Pochayiv. Prayer beads were widespread in Volyn (Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Volyn regions) and were worn with necklaces or attached to them.
Most often, the medallion was decorated with images of the Virgin Mary and St. Job of Pochayiv, while various variations of crosses and appeals to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were less common.
The most common names are: “molytovky” (Rivne region), “lychmany” (Ratniv district), “mendali” (Liuboml district), “luchpanyky” (Shatsk district).