The illustrations below are from a large book shared with me by Vira Manko.  It was a collection of articles about Boiko history and ethnography.  This particular book was the third volume of «Бойківщина: Науковий Збірник», and the article was by Mykhailo Belen.  It appears to have originally been written around 1969, and is bout Boiko cosmogony (philosophy or the origins of the world/life, a world view).

Vira points out that some of the pysanky he illustrated may actually have been «різблянки» (rizblianky, aka dryapanky, carved/scratched eggs), which explains the odd looks of some of these designs.  Scratchwork eggs were common among the Boikos.

There were two pages of pysanka designs (from poor photos):

He also included this set of symbols commonly found in Boiko folk art, including on pysanky.  He showed four rows of crosses (rake-like, evergreen-like, plant-like and variations on the cross).  The fifth row is a set of elements used in constructing symbols.

Back to Boiko Home

Back to Carpathian Pysanky Home

Back to Regional Pysanky Home

Back to Traditional Pysanky HOME