Ukrainian Easter eggs (pysanky) are works of art and pride of Ukrainian people. They are known not only in Ukraine but all over the world. In different towns across the globe, people dedicate poems to pysanky, organize large-scale exhibitions and set up monuments.
It is interesting to mention that the oldest Ukrainian Easter egg was called krashanka and was painted in one color. Two- and multicolored Easter eggs appeared much later and caught the fancy of Ukrainians. However, eggs were colored not only for the sake of beauty. Each color has its sacred meaning and deep symbolism. Let’s find out what they are)
Red
The red color has the biggest number of meanings. Not without reason it is equated with the notion beautiful – in the Ukrainian language, the world red (krasnyi) and beautiful (harnyi) became replaceable. The red color symbolizes welfare, joy in living, and it means hope for a happy marriage for newlyweds. The red Easter egg is the main symbol of resurrection and self-sacrifice.
Yellow, golden, and orange
Yellow, golden, and orange colors affect people like sun rays and bring happy, joyful mood. Easter eggs painted in these colors represent warmth, hope, celestial bodies, and harvest.
Green
The green color symbolizes nature and everything in it. Green shades are associated with the awakening of nature after the long winter, renewal of all flesh and thoughts of a generous harvest in the fall.
Blue
The blue color stands for the sky, air, and health.
Brown
Given that the Ukrainians work hard on the land, shades of brown are identified with black soil, labor, and fertility. The brown color also embodies life-giving power.
Black
The black color is the color of night, everything unknown and mysterious. Being the background color of the Easter egg, it shows the strengths of other colors the same way as in life the darkness allows us to understand what is light. The color also means the eternity of life and the afterlife.
The Easter egg decorated with many colors symbolizes peace, happiness, prosperity and all the best.
Now you’ve already known the symbolic meaning of colors and it’s time to find out the secrets of how to paint eggs in different colors using natural colorants.
To paint eggs in red you can use – pomegranate juice, preserved cherries with juice, red onion peel (boiled beforehand).
Yellow color – green tea, camomile tea, celery seeds/turmeric (boiled beforehand).
Golden-brown – dill seeds.
Brown – strong tea/coffee.
Orange – ground red pepper.
Lavender color – violet buttons + 2 tsp of lemon juice.
Blue color – red cabbage leaves (boiled beforehand), preserved blueberry.
Pink – pomegranate juice, red grapefruit.
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