Poltava rushnik

   The embroidery nowadays, as before, is used in decorative household subjects for decoration of an interior. In all decorative art, obviously there is no another subject which would concentrate in itself so much the symbolical contents.

Embroidered rushnik is one of elements of material and spiritual culture, characteristic for Ukrainian people   

    Rushnik as the symbol accompanied with the peasant during all life - both in pleasure, and in sorrow. It always was a symbol of hospitableness, on it brought to dear visitors bread - salt.
Rushniks are made: wedding, ritual, "bread and salt", "Ukraina", on ancient motives, exclusive on the really homespun cloth.

Basic element of ornament of pale rushnik was a tree - flower which as if grew on its ends. As a whole the composition of rushniks differs by internal stability, completeness which gives to them ability to an independent life in an interior of household space.    

   Especially significant role rushnik played in wedding ritual as one of the major attributes. Rushniks gave to heads, tied up through a shoulder if on engagement came to the consent. Such rushniks named humeral.

Hands of newly-weds were connected by rushniks during wedding, wishing a happy matrimonial life. On rushnik got married.    

   For the girlish-evening when there was a ceremony of farewell to girlhood, bride and bridesmaids tied round by rushnik which ends with an embroidery of red color hanged down to a shirt over plahta. Each girl embroidered for dowry not less than 12-14 rushniks, and sometimes even more.

Rushniks frequently carried out functions of original ornaments, decorative accents in adorning of a country house. The red, sated color of rushnik’s ornament predetermined their leading part in the general system of an interior.