Hritsik's Ukrainian Eggs

Pysanky | Ukrainian Beaded Eggs

Geometric Symbolism and Other Designs

The most popular pysanka designs are geometric figures. The egg itself is most often divided by straight lines into squares, triangles and other shapes. These shapes are then filled with other forms and designs.

  • Circles - Protection and everlasting life, continuity, and completeness, as well as the sun.
  • Curls - Defense or protection.
  • Diamonds / Squares - Knowledge.
  • Dots - Symbolize the sun or stars.
  • Flowers - Beauty, children, growth, the female principles of wisdom.
  • Lines, waves, ribbons encircling the egg - (In any style) Everlasting life.
  • Triangle - The Holy Trinity and the elements of air, fire and water.
  • Spirals - The mystery of life and death, as well as divinity and immortality.
  • Tripods - Man, woman and child or birth, life, and death.
  • Crosses - A symbol of life. The simplest form of the star represents the four cardinal points of reality, or the four ages of the world; child, youth, man and elder.

Color Symbolism

Colors are very symbolic, especially on the beaded pysanky. Although the most traditional eggs were simply two-toned, it's now believed that the more colors on an egg, the more magical powers it has. A multi-colored egg will bring its owner a better fate.

Click on a color for a description of its symbolism.

Black Blue Brown Gold
Green Lavendar Orange Pink
Purple Red White Yellow