Carpathian archaic altar cross. Hutsul Carpathians. 1895.

[Алексей Романович]

Carpathian archaic altar cross ( Hutsul Zgarda ) . Hutsul Carpathians . 1895 .
Cypress thread .
Dimensions : 25 x 8 x 1.5 cm
In excellent collector condition .
Presents antique , artistic, historical value.
Price is negotiable.
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Zgarda ( in the singular " Zgarda " , masculine) - it's charms as a specific form of crosses. Zgarda - pre-Christian charms , the church belonged to him rather disapprovingly . Therefore, women were Zgarda as a breast ornament , a few pieces . The men had a ring with similar symbols.
About Zgarda about how changed their shape and superimposed Christian symbols - the article " Hutsul decoration " Yaroslava Tkachuk and Mary Kubik :

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" Ornamentation gutsulskih jewelry, as well as other types of folk art Huzuls thoroughly imbued with elements of ancient , pre-Christian culture. Here, in the inaccessible mountains to the twentieth century preserved the tradition of the Old Slavonic art. Source of ornamental compositions gutsulskih jewelry was ancient Slavic solar cult , who sang original farming and ranching, where the decisive factor considered life-giving solar power . symbol of the sun as an emblem of wealth and prosperity, and for the population of the Ukrainian Carpathians , which to this day has kept a lot of magical beliefs , in those early times, this symbol is widely used as a talisman . this is why different the interpretation of the solar character so often used in decorating the Hutsul master jewelry. over time, solar signs gradually improved and acquired different attributes appeared in various combinations with other images . Hutsul Folk Art existed for centuries . It lived and develop, to create new forms that reflect the new content of life.
Particularly bright in the Hutsul ornamentation ornaments reflected the period of ancient Russia with a characteristic process of Christianization and the struggle against paganism . This process was not sudden . It lasted a long time and impressively reflected in the folk art of gradual assimilation of the old pagan symbolism with a new Christian . Christianity could enter into the masses , only adapting their concepts , their images to the pagan concepts and images that are stuck to the people .
Assimilation, in the first place , it has undergone Solar symbolism , expressed in fusion solar disk with a cross - the main symbol of the Christian religion.
This process is most clearly seen in the Hutsul metal breast ornaments - Zgarda consisting of one or two ( rarely - a lot ) is low drive or crosses. For connection Zgarda are so-called Chepraga - two , mostly round, plate , decorated with stamped or openwork design .
When you first look at Zgarda striking disproportion between the size and Chepraga Zgarda . Chepraga tend to have large, completely unjustified their utilitarian function , dimensions . Some of them are 6-7 cm in diameter, indicating that their special place among Neck jewelry. Chepraga - solar symbol - designed to protect people from evil spirits. In the central part of the decor Chepraga in most cases placed various options for solar symbolism : a wheel with eight , six or four spokes , concentric circles , etc.
The same role played Zgarda archaic type , consisting of a circular , sun-like medallions , similar Chepraga , decorated with six-petalled rosette or other similar solar logos. A characteristic feature of such Zgarda is writing in terms of their disks ravnokonechnogo cross with four small circles between the shoulders . These cross-shaped motifs , with pre-Christian origin , were solar signs .
But gradually , step by step, disk- solar signs in Zgarda acquire cruciform shape. Sun -like discs in Zgarda replaced by crosses with equal branches , the gaps between them filled with rays. Crosses are generally have the same shape and dimensions. " Subsequently, crosses lose power dimension , one of the branches become longer and the cross is gaining features are specific forms of the Christian cult . It is on the crosses of this type , there are embossed crucifix with features of primitive sculpture. But such a purely Christian crosses still have a lot of residue on the pagan symbolism . So, at the end of the branches of these crosses time encounter solar rosettes or circles . " These crosses served as part Zgarda and self- adornment . They were mostly men (rarely women ) on chains . Chain depending on the technique of execution had such formy : round, flat , oblong wicker entwined .
And about the rings, which also had a special meaning (from the same article):
" A separate group of Hutsul are jewelry rings, and cast brass , bronze and nickel silver .
In Hutsulia were distributed two types of rings : to be worn on the hands and to connect a neck scarves which gave women the guys. In both cases, they are associated the idea of marriage Their designs are rich in symbolic meaning , in which the ideas of the continuity of life , procreation , protection of the family hearth .
The outer surface of the ring was decorated with embossed or engraved designs . The latter, as a rule, consisted of a pair of diamonds, which are inscribed in the solar crosses, solar or mugs. Sometimes these solar symbols are connected in one piece . Based on the purpose of the ritual of the Rings , it is believed that such images symbolize the wedding couple - couple. In other cases up to two circles that lozenge is added between two rhombuses mug . This decorative scheme was widely used in the decoration of jewelry Hutsul , speaking as a variant of the solar cross.
There is a hypothesis that this sign is a symbol of newly built homes. In this case, the picture is identical to the idea of a new farm wedding the newlyweds. This technique trim rings firmly retained in the modern gutsulskih products . This ornamental motif commonly found on the rings in the shape of a ring .. Rings with a round shield decorated by ornaments , which repeated the solar motifs Chepraga : six petal rosette , solar crosses, concentric rings , rays , etc. Ornament and engraved supplemented colored putty , Fake enamel.
Hutsul folk culture aptly described Kotsyubyns'kyi " Hutsuls - original people visionary, with a peculiar mentality. Deep pagan, Hutsul spend their entire lives in the fight against evil spirits inhabiting the forests, mountains and water. Christianity he used only for to decorate a pagan cult. 's why rings , rings, as well as other kinds of decorations , with their inherent archaic features enjoyed great demand among mountaineers . They were inherent attributes of the holiday and wedding clothes . Gutsulschiny Therefore craftsmen with great love making these ornaments , putting in them his creative imagination. Gutsulskie decorations are fine examples of folk art , which show large artistic ability Hutsul folk artists . striking proof of this is the collection of the Museum of Folk Art Kolomiyskogo Gutsulschiny them . J. Kobrin , which stores large amounts of various kinds of ornaments gutsulskih starting from the XVII century . »