Embroidery- Vyshivanka is becoming a fashion trend today, especially during the Christmas holidays. But does everyone know what a deep meaning is embedded in the ornaments of towels, embroideries, which are rightly called "prayers without words"? These issues were discussed at a round table organized by the head of the Department of Humanities of Sumy Branch of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs Nadiia Demydenko.

The topic of the round table "Plant symbols in the wedding ceremonies of Ukrainians: traditions and modernity" interested freshmen of Sumy branch of KhNUIA, studying in the specialty "Law". Young researchers of folk traditions have determined that all the patterns, "hieroglyphs" of wedding towels are in fact ancient talismans, symbols that program the future marriage of the bride. For our ancestors, these sacred symbols had a magic meaning. They were used to protect their genus, to preserve love, harmony and well-being. Symbols were applied to the walls of the house, to clothes in the form of embroidery. By the way, the word "embroidery" comes from the word "high", "divine".

Nadiya Demydenko showed the students an old wedding towel of the middle of the XIX century, donated to the "Ukrainian room" of Sumy branch of KhNUIA Lyudmila Solovyova. It depicts a symbolic tree of life, which is a prototype of the genus. Reading the symbols of the wedding towel, it becomes clear that the left branches of the tree mean relatives of the paternal family, the right - the maternal. Crowns are embroidered on top of the wreaths, symbolizing the wedding of the newlyweds. In the center of the wreaths there are two letters embroidered (one of them means the first letter of the bride's name, the other - the groom).

First-year students Yuliia Herasymenko, Vladyslava Rieznik, Yuliia Moshchenko, Svitlana Movchan, Valerii Bozhko and others joined the active discussion. Discussing plant symbols, students noted that in ancient times the poppy on embroidery symbolized the successful continuation of the genus, grapes was a symbol of female fertility, family happiness, prosperity. Embroidered acorns and oak leaves gave men strength, courage, resilience, hops - zest for life, cheerful nature, and red viburnum was the original symbol of beauty, strength and continuity of the genus. So, embroidery is not a simple work of art. With its help we can still create talismans, heal relatives, program a good and happy fate. It is also worth remembering that our strength lies in the wisdom of our ancestors. They could always protect themselves by choosing the right life-giving sources.

"Gandparents and parents were not forgotten by grandchildren.

The deep sky is always blue.

But at least once you forget the past,

You will forget yourself forever! ”