02/02/2025
The first sign of a people's antiquity is the symbolism present in their culture. Over the course of a thousand years, the Ukrainian nation has developed numerous symbols that appear in all forms of folk art—including embroidery, Easter eggs, carvings, ceramics, drawings, and decorations.
The Alatyr (also known as Stone-Alatyr, Eye of the Family, Cossack Cross, or Rouge) is an ancient spiritual symbol for Ukrainians, representing the Ancestral Hearth of their native faith. It stands as one of humanity's holiest symbols, illustrating the unfolding and folding of the universe. The Alatyr is a testament to the presence of God.
Ukrainian Cossacks believed that the entire world—comprising the sky, air, and earth—was filled with the higher powers of the triune Christian God. They perceived nature as alive and full of miracles, believing that everything in it communicated on an equal level with people and the Lord. Cossack Harakternyky would pierce their skin with this eight-pointed star, which represents the power and immortality of life's fertile creative force. Being an ancient and deeply rooted Ukrainian sign, the Alatyr assisted the Cossacks in their spiritual and physical development, helping them defend against foreign invaders.
Candlestick "Trinity," made of wood and inlaid with Easter eggs, is a remarkable example of Ukrainian art that is crafted in the Ukrainian Carpathians according to ancient traditions.
