Temple ornaments. Byzantine, Georgian and Old Russian ornaments and their meanings
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In 395. n. e. The Roman Empire ceased to exist. The Western and Eastern empires were formed. The western part was plundered by the Germans and Gauls. The Eastern Empire began to be called Byzantium, which inherited from the Roman Empire the former state apparatus and addiction to bureaucracy. Byzantium was the first state to declare Christianity as the state religion, it ruled in accordance with the Christian worldview and made it a giant power in the field of economics and politics.
In the art of Byzantium one can see a contradiction of that time: on the one hand, the influence of antiquity is still alive, on the other hand, adherence to Eastern traditions and a completely new Christian system of spiritual values. The idea of the victory of spiritual values over bodily values created an icon that was positioned as a mediator between the physical and spiritual world. It should be noted that the entire style of Christian art, which formed the basis of Byzantine art, 
secretly originated during the persecution of Christianity in Rome. Beauty in Byzantine style is not a virtue in itself, but exclusively for the glory of God, but it is a refined beauty, rich in ornaments, deeply secular and magnificently courtly. Conventionally, the periods of the history of Byzantine art are divided into: the early Byzantine period, the middle Byzantine period, the late Byzantine period, and the post-Byzantine period.
Ornament has now become primarily decorative and ornamental, expressing the ideals of its culture. Byzantine ornament was formed under the influence of Roman, Greek and Persian ornaments. Later, the formation of the Byzantine ornament was influenced by the ornament of the Arab-Muslim world. For example, in Byzantine ornament the composition is based on a simple intersection of horizontals and verticals, diagonals and a grid; it is clearly borrowed from Persian and Arab-Muslim ornaments. The taste for intricate patterns is a clear influence of the Persians. We see in the Byzantine ornament simple types of swastikas, meanders, spirals, palmettes; they are built compositionally on a combination of a circle, a cross and a square. These motifs, which seem to have been familiar to us for a long time from previous articles, are now considered in a different way and filled with Christian symbolism. Let's begin our tour of Byzantine ornaments with a more detailed look at its motifs.
Motifs of Byzantine ornament.
Tree of life.
It has now acquired a new Christian meaning and merged with the idea of the cross. Now the Tree of Life bears the symbolism of the Eucharist, the Kingdom of Heaven, and, in fact, Christ himself as the Redeemer. From the Bible we know that when God created man, he planted him under the tree of life. In the Bible, the tree of life is found in the Book of Genesis. 2 and he is spoken of throughout the Bible as the image of the Triune God, who is incarnate in Christ, and who is the essence of divine life. In the Gospel of John, Christ said, “I am the true Vine.” The vine is the tree. If you put life and a tree together, you get the tree of life. Previously, grapes were associated with Dionysus (Bacchus) and symbolized sacrifice, as wine is associated with blood, and was also dedicated to Apollo. In Egypt, was the grapevine sacred to Osiris? He was often depicted entwined with grapes. Osiris is a very serious god of ancient Egypt, embodies fertility and rebirth, defeating death. Well, the God, the patron of the grapevine itself, which symbolizes prosperity, wealth, contentment and riotous fun, is Shai, the god of fate, he determined the duration of human life and obeyed the god Thoth. Now the vine means the church, and, in fact, believers.
Depicted as the Tree of Life with doves sitting on its branches, the vine signifies souls who abide in Christ and the fertility of the spirit. The vine and ears of bread are a symbol of the Eucharist.
Lily (in Greek "krin"). The lily has deep ideological roots, it means the idea of eternal renewal of nature, the birth of the sun. The Egyptians believed that the sun deity appeared directly in the lily from the waters of Nun, the eternal chaos. The white water lily was the heraldic plant of Upper Egypt. In the Christian context, there is a return on a new turn to the very original, hidden meaning through all subsequent decorative and figurative layers: now the lily is again a symbol of the Annunciation, the renewal of the world and the coming of the Savior into it. In Christianity, this image has a direct connection with the idea of the Tree, the cross.
Spiral often turns into a motif of circles touching each other, forming a grid covering the entire surface. In these circles, crosses and three-part compositions are mainly depicted, which clearly shows the influence of Persian ornament.
Network. Symbolizes the net that “catch” human souls. Under the influence of Arab-Muslim ornamentation, the braiding motif changed greatly; it no longer became a motive, but a principle for constructing a composition. Present in architecture, handwritten, printed books, and church paintings.
Byzantine flower- a favorite motif in the ornament of Byzantine art. The three-petalled and five-petaled palmettes have spiral-shaped tendrils at the base. The motif appears in book miniatures and on silk fabric ornaments. Sometimes “half palmettes” are removed from the “Byzantine flower” and a “bouquet” is obtained. Such ornamental bouquets densely filled the entire space (do you recognize an oriental carpet?).
Ornaments with curved stems and palmette flowers with leaves were used to decorate bowls on glazed ceramics, 12th-century miniatures, and manuscript headpieces. They were included in mosaics on the ornaments of palaces. On medallions on dishes, on items of cloisonné enamels, and they were also used to fill the backgrounds of compositions.
Appeared in antique ornament. Often found already stylized in Greek, Roman and, accordingly, Byzantine ornament. Often used in capitals, it had a symbolic meaning: the image of eternal life of the future century, which was bestowed by the savior, location in paradise. Later, the shape of acanthus leaves was stylized, it acquired an ornamental structure and was included in sculptural capitals with deep through drilling (the Church of St. Polyeuctus, martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople)
Precious stone. It is a fine imitation of natural stone. Large polished stones in high nests looked very solid and voluminous.
Laurel wreath- This is a symbol of the victory of Jesus Christ over death. In ancient Rome, the “Corona Triumphalis,” that is, a laurel wreath, was awarded to commanders who ended a war victoriously. Widely used in architectural decoration.
The monogram of the name of Christ is the crossed initial Greek letters Χ and Ρ of his name. Along the edges of the monogram there are Greek letters: α and ω. The appearance of the monogram is associated with the words of the Apocalypse about the “seal of the Living God” (Rev. 7:2) and “a new name for him who overcomes” (Rev. 2:17). It is believed that the symbol was introduced by Emperor Constantine. In fact, as Inna Mikhailovna Smirnova states in her “The Secret History of the Cross,” this sign was already familiar to the pagan world. It was discovered at the bottom of a funeral urn at Golasecca (more than 1000 BC). First, three lines were drawn on it. Later, a semicircle was added to the end of the vertical line, and the letter R was formed. It is in this way that this sign is depicted, for example, on a Lydian coin, with the god Bacchus on a chariot, on the coins of the Bactrian king Hippostratus (130 BC), and also among the Egyptian Ptolemies, the Pontic king Mithridates and on the coins of Herod the Great. But Christians of the first centuries decided to use this sign. Just like the pagans, they considered it one of the forms of an ancient symbol, passed down by tradition from one people to another. However, they put their own meaning into it. This sign was very widely used in Byzantine ornament.
The olive branch was also often used in ornaments. This is a symbol of establishing peace between God and man. The olive branch signifies hope for peace. The palm branch, a former attribute of imperial triumphs, means heavenly bliss.
Anchor- the personification of hope for salvation and eternal life.
Zoomorphic motifs of Byzantine ornament.
In Byzantine ornaments you can find fish, dragons, griffins (a hybrid of a lion and an eagle), and senmurves (a hybrid of a dog and a bird). Often there are lions, leopards, wolves, as well as birds: peacocks, pigeons, and eagles.
This is one of the most common ancient symbols that personified Christ. In the Roman catacombs they found an image of a fish carrying on its back a basket of bread and a vessel of wine. This symbol represents the Savior, who gives food of salvation and new life. The fact is that the Greek word for “fish” consists of the initial letters of the phrase “Jesus Christ God’s Son the Savior” (“ichthus”). This is the very first encrypted symbol of the Christian faith.
- means power over heaven and earth. The composition of paired griffins goes back to oriental art. The griffin is a mythical creature with the wings, beak of an eagle and the body of a lion; a strong beast, he is both the king of birds and the king of beasts. The griffin symbolizes strength and wisdom. The griffin also personified the dual nature of Christ - divine and human. Symmetrical griffins in a circle are often used in the decoration of silk fabrics of the 11th-13th centuries, on glazed dishes of the 9th-10th centuries, and silver bowls.
a lion- a symbol of the hero’s power, the embodiment of the idea of strong power. Favorite heraldic emblem.
Old Russian ornament is one of the most interesting phenomena in world artistic culture. Throughout time it has been modified and supplemented. Despite this, Russian ornament of any century is considered one of the most interesting. In our article you can find more detailed information not only about ancient Russian cliparts, but also about ornaments of other peoples.
General information about ornaments
An ornament is a set of patterns and symbols on a particular object. When applying it, artists certainly coordinate the purpose of the object and the drawing itself in order to achieve a positive impression on the viewer. The type of Old Russian ornament or any other pattern can be geometric, floral, zoomorphic and anthropomorphic.
In ancient times, people believed that certain patterns and designs in the ornament could attract wealth, good health to their home, help improve their personal life and bring mutual understanding to the family. Many people still believe this today. It is also believed that the ornament can show the artist’s state of mind at the time of creating the pattern. Surprisingly, the ancient Russian ornament was applied not only to household items and clothing, but also to the body. Such a drawing was a talisman. The ornament was no longer applied to the body after the adoption of Christianity in Rus'.
It is believed that the history of ornament begins with the Paleolithic era. allow us to find out, Nowadays there are also people who believe in the magical properties of drawings.
Old Russian magical drawings
Old Russian ornament is considered one of the best. This is no coincidence, because it amazes contemporaries with its beauty, uniqueness and a certain magical power that our ancestors put into it. It is worth noting that Old Russian patterns were borrowed from Byzantium and the Caucasus. Over time, they have changed and become unique. Today, ancient Russian ornaments are unique patterns that have become part of the heritage of world art. Most often it was used as a talisman against evil spirits, damage and the evil eye. Magical drawings were applied to dishes, books, household items, clothing and the walls of the house. It is worth noting that the meaning of some symbols in the ornament is still unknown.
general information
Byzantine, Georgian and Old Russian ornaments are considered the most sophisticated and interesting. They are an important component in the development of world art. Byzantine ornaments include Hellenistic and Eastern traditions. They consist of a wide variety of motifs. A characteristic feature of Byzantine ornament is a large number of intricately shaped patterns. They have a bright and rich color that has survived to this day.
Thanks to Arabic and Persian art, mythological heroes such as griffins, dragons and others appeared in Byzantine ornaments. It is also worth noting that not only fantastic, but also real animals and birds were often used in the drawings. As a rule, in ornaments they are located inside a circle or any other geometric figure.
Floral motifs in Byzantine ornament were rarely used and were not complex. Some elements did not carry a specific meaning. Surprisingly, the Byzantines added copper, gold, and mercury to the paint for painting. Thanks to this, they could get the most varied and rich shades that last for many years.
Georgian ornaments. Popularity these days
Georgian ornaments are not much different from Byzantine or Old Russian ones. As a rule, geometric motifs predominate in them. All patterns and designs have an unusually rich color. Most often Georgian ornaments consist of crosses and curved lines.
Today in Georgia, national costumes with ornaments are becoming extremely popular again. They are often created by designers. These days, a girl from Georgia is especially popular because she creates incredibly beautiful national headdresses - kabalahs. If previously only men wore them, now they are often used among the female population.
Embroidered ornament
Surely each of us has seen an ancient Russian ornament. The meaning of the dome, which is found on clothing of past centuries, symbolizes long or endless life. There may also be mermaids located underneath it. According to popular belief, such an embroidered design has a beneficial effect on the future harvest.
It is believed that almost all embroidered patterns are dominated by the theme of the fertility of the earth. For example, a rhombus is a symbol of the feminine principle. It is considered a kind of amulet of fertility and childbearing. A diamond with hooks embroidered on the edges of a baby's diaper symbolizes the origin of life. It is important to know that only in the complex of all the symbols located on an object can one find out the meaning of a particular sign.
The most common ancient Russian embroidered ornament is Orepey. This is a comb diamond, which is a symbol of sown land. Depending on its location on clothing, it may have other meanings. For example, if such a sign is embroidered on the hem, then it symbolizes the entrance to the other world.
Spiral in ancient Russian ornaments
Almost everyone is amazed by the beauty and mystery of the ancient Russian ornament. The photos that are located in our article will allow you to evaluate its uniqueness yourself.
You can often find a spiral in ancient Russian ornaments. This sign is not only widespread, but also quite ancient. It symbolizes the development of the world and its evolution. This is no coincidence, because spiral shapes are quite common in our lives. These include a whirlpool, a tornado, DNA and much more. It is worth noting that this sign has been used since the Paleolithic era. Most often, such an ancient Russian ornament was applied to jewelry.
Spiral signs were often used in embroidery. In Novgorod, women decorated their headdresses in this way.
Cross
The cross is one of the most symbolic. It symbolizes two opposites - the feminine and masculine principles. This sign is found in almost all cultures. Depending on the image, the symbol can be interpreted in completely different ways.
A cross in a circle is a symbol of life. It also demonstrates the movement of the sun across the sky. It began to be depicted during the Upper Paleolithic. It gained particular popularity during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.
It is worth noting that the cross appeared long before Christianity. He imitated a weapon for making fire. Over time, it became a symbol of the heavenly body - the sun. It is also seen as a sign of immortality. Among the pagans, the cross was a kind of amulet that protected its owner on all four sides. It was applied to jewelry, clothing, and painted above the entrance to the house.
Swastika
The swastika was used in absolutely every corner of our earth. It was painted on weapons, household items and clothing. In ancient Russian ornaments, the swastika is found unusually often. It includes almost all motives. It symbolizes the movement of life, happiness, prosperity, prosperity and good luck. In addition, it is considered as a sign of the entire galaxy.
It is worth noting that the swastika is divided into two subtypes - left-handed and right-handed. In different countries, this plays an important role in interpreting its meaning. For example, in China, clockwise rotation symbolizes male energy, and counterclockwise rotation symbolizes female energy. In ancient Russian ornaments, the swastika was used as a talisman. It was embroidered on clothes and painted on the walls of the house.
Unfortunately, from the last century to today, the swastika is most often associated with Adolf Hitler and the ideology of Nazism. It is worth noting that because of this, this sign is prohibited in some countries.
Meander
Old Russian ornaments and patterns can often include a meander. This symbol has been known since the Neolithic era. Typically, it is used as a border on an object or fabric. It is quite easy to distinguish it from other symbols and patterns. A meander consists of right angles that create a continuous line. It is worth noting that the swastika is often included in it.
Meander was embroidered on the hem of clothing and used in mosaics and frescoes. It is an important symbol in the development of In Ancient Greece, it symbolized infinity. This symbol is most often found in India. Such a pattern was often included in the ancient Russian vector ornament.
Griffins in Byzantine ornament
In Byzantium, griffins were often depicted on objects. This is a mythological creature that has wings, the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. In Byzantine culture they appeared due to the influence of Eastern culture. As a rule, he was depicted on saucers, silver cups, frescoes, mosaics and silk fabrics. It symbolizes protection of a person and is a kind of amulet. It is worth noting that in Western Christian iconography, the griffin is the embodiment of Satan.
The population of Byzantium believed that the griffin was a vigilant guard. It is for this reason that he was often depicted on armor, on the walls of houses and kitchen utensils.
Let's sum it up
Ornaments were present in the culture of all peoples. Our ancestors believed that such drawings had magical properties. In their opinion, different patterns could bring prosperity, mutual understanding or the fertility of the earth to the house. Some people still think so today. Absolutely everyone is fascinated by the beauty of Georgian, Byzantine, as well as ancient Russian ornaments and patterns. The meanings of the symbols that are located in our article will allow you to find out which drawings our ancestors considered magical.