October 23, 2021
History of the woven belts
From ancient times a belt has a sacred meaning of perfection, infinity and at the same time integrity. A belt had the same magical properties as a circle. The belt marks the middle or center of the universe, resembles the umbilical cord as a vital potential, and this outlines its essence as a powerful amulet.
The belts served as mandatory elements and pieces of art. In the XIII-XV centuries precious belts were an important social feature, a symbol of the feudal dignity of the rulers. Gold and gilded, decorated with pearls, carnelian belts were inherited as a particularly valuable part of the property. In the XVI-XVII centuries changes in the costume of the nobility reduced the social function of the belts, but their decorative role remained.
In the XVIII century among the wealthy sections of the Ukrainian population, including the Cossack officers, belts were made of expensive fabrics and became widespread.
In folk costume of the XIX-XX centuries belts had many functions. With their help waist-length outerwear was secured and covered; they protected and tightened the abdominal muscles during heavy physical labor; they kept various everyday objects on them; finally, they were a kind of mascots and ornaments. As works of folk art, belts were often artistically unique.
The local originality of traditional belts depended on the material, size, weaving technique and color, as well as methods of binding. Belts were made of wool, flax, hemp, fabric, leather. Wealthy people used raw silk of different colors, silver and gold threads.
At the end of the XIX century homemade wool belts were the most common. They were bright red, green and other colors.
There were different ways of tying belts, which gave a local specificity to the folk costume. Mostly belts were tied over a shirt, and then over an outerwear, tied in a knot at the back. In Cherkasy region, women often tied the belts over a corset with a large bow. When girding outerwear, the belts were sometimes laid in such a way that their ends were tucked in at the sides and hung freely downwards. Belts played an important role in the overall compositional solution of the costume, significantly affecting the silhouette of the whole outfit.
The belts served as mandatory elements and pieces of art. In the XIII-XV centuries precious belts were an important social feature, a symbol of the feudal dignity of the rulers. Gold and gilded, decorated with pearls, carnelian belts were inherited as a particularly valuable part of the property. In the XVI-XVII centuries changes in the costume of the nobility reduced the social function of the belts, but their decorative role remained.
In the XVIII century among the wealthy sections of the Ukrainian population, including the Cossack officers, belts were made of expensive fabrics and became widespread.
In folk costume of the XIX-XX centuries belts had many functions. With their help waist-length outerwear was secured and covered; they protected and tightened the abdominal muscles during heavy physical labor; they kept various everyday objects on them; finally, they were a kind of mascots and ornaments. As works of folk art, belts were often artistically unique.
The local originality of traditional belts depended on the material, size, weaving technique and color, as well as methods of binding. Belts were made of wool, flax, hemp, fabric, leather. Wealthy people used raw silk of different colors, silver and gold threads.
At the end of the XIX century homemade wool belts were the most common. They were bright red, green and other colors.
There were different ways of tying belts, which gave a local specificity to the folk costume. Mostly belts were tied over a shirt, and then over an outerwear, tied in a knot at the back. In Cherkasy region, women often tied the belts over a corset with a large bow. When girding outerwear, the belts were sometimes laid in such a way that their ends were tucked in at the sides and hung freely downwards. Belts played an important role in the overall compositional solution of the costume, significantly affecting the silhouette of the whole outfit.