D

Dazhboh (Дажбог): a benevolent sun god, the son of Svaroh. The stag or horse that carries the sun across the sky daily is his symbol. In the medieval epic “Slovo o polku Ihorevi” the Rus’ people are called the ‘children of Dazhboh,’ which indicates that the god was held in special regard by them.

diaspora: a scattered population with a common origin in a smaller geographic area.  It is often used to describe communities of people living away from their homeland, e.g. Ukrainians and their descendants in North America.

diasporan pysanky: pysanky created in the Ukrainian Diaspora primarily as works of art, rather than talismanic objects.  They generally incorporate traditional motifs, divisions and colors, and tend to be very intricate.  This type of pysanka is now being written in Ukraine as well.

didyk (дідик): another Ukrainian term for a stylus, the instrument used to write pysanky.

divisions: the different ways in which an eggs surface is divided.  the motifs placed in the divisions usually repeat.

Dnipro (Дніпро): the largest river in Ukraine, it bisects the country, and divides it into Left Bank and Right Bank (лівобережна і правобережна).  Often referred to by the Russian name of Dnieper.

Dnister (Дністер): a major river in western Ukraine, it divides Pokuttya from Podillya and forms part of the border with Moldova.  Often referred to as the Dniester, its Russian name.

drop-pull: a type of wax application which utilizes molten wax and a nail or pinhead.  This form of decoration is common among the Lemkos and other ethnic groups in western Ukraine, and many other Slavic groups.

dye lake: an insoluble molecule formed when the complex of dye and mordant are combined, which then attaches to the substrate. Mordants increase the fastness of the dye since the larger molecule is now bonded to the fibre.