UDC

39(470.51)(045)

Authors

Irina A. Kosareva
Udmurt State University
korp. 6, 1 Universitetskaya St., Izhevsk, 426034, Udmurtskaya Respublika, Russian Federation;
e-mail: ira.kosareva.60@mail.ru

Abstract

At present, traditional Udmurt embroidery still remains scantily explored. In the 19th century, this fabric decorating technique was supplanted by weaving in the majority of Udmurt ethnographic divisions. Northern (Kosa and Slobodskoye) Udmurts – the most isolated from the outside world ethnographic divisions – have managed to retain the traditional clothing of white linen decorated with embroidery abounding in pagan symbols establishing a link between the human body and the universe. Their wedding set of women’s clothing is permeated with fertility symbols. In other variants of traditional clothing we find totemic motifs and those reminding of bronze casting. Two ethnographic divisions of Northern Udmurts living on the opposite sides of the Cheptsa River (left tributary of the Vyatka River) used their traditional embroidery differently. A number of features of their traditional embroidery indicate a common origin of both traditions. This primarily refers to the wedding dress decoration. However, the design, technique, colour and pattern of many embroideries point to two specific traditions. They were formed as a result of a long and independent artistic search of many generations belonging to two groups having a common origin but being different and isolated from each other. Traditional embroidery of the Kosa Udmurts reflects their ancestors’ interactions with the Ob Ugrians through its patterns. At the same time, in the embroidery of the Slobodskoye Udmurts we can see Russian influence. It is manifested both in the patterns (active use of swastika) and in the artistic techniques, namely specific drawn-thread work. The material of the embroidery reflects the history of the bearers of this tradition and their cultural contacts with various ethnic groups. This paper studied traditional embroidery of two Udmurt divisions living in the Kirov Region. The data presented in this article confirm the author’s idea about the existence of two isolated from each other ethnographic divisions of Northern Udmurts.

Keywords

traditional Udmurt embroidery, Kosa Udmurts, Slobodskoye Udmurts, ethnographic divisions

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