There are hundreds of different symbols and motifs that can be found on traditional pysanky. Many date back into Ukrainian prehistory, and almost all certainly pre-date Christianity. The meanings of many have been lost, others have changed over time, and some we can only guess at.
The names and meaning of various symbols and design elements vary from region to region, and even from village to village. Similar symbols can have totally different interpretations in different places, and can even be called by very different names.
A pysanka is not a rebus or a coded message. There is no "secret decoder ring" that will spit out a hidden message. Instead, you must consider the organic whole of the decorated egg, not just its individual components. Pysanky are themed, so to speak: they invoke protection, fertility, or a good harvest. You have to look at the totality of the design, ask its name (many traditional designs are named) and consider its history to understand what it might mean.
That being said, these are some of the symbols found on pysanky, and some of their common interpretations. Note that some of these interpretations are fairly modern, and probably those of the Ukrainian diaspora, and not common in Ukraine itself. (To see examples of these symbols, click on either of the links below in "related links")
SymbolsETERNITY BANDS
Circles around the egg: The thread of life or eternity and immortality; symbol of protection (evil cannot penetrate that which has no beginning and no end)
Wavy line around the egg: Water, abundance and productivity, harmony and motion
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS
Berehynia: stylized female figures representing the ancient mother-goddess
Sigma: S-shaped symbol of the ancient zmiya/water god
Cross (even-armed): Ancient sun symbol
Cross (one arm longer): Christ symbol
Churches: Christianity (early versions may have been pagan temples)
SOLAR SYMBOLS
Dots or small circles: Stars or constellations; Mary's tears
Deer or horse: sun symbol; it was a pagan belief that a horse (or stage) carried teh sun across the sky
Eight-pointed star: Ancient symbol of Dazhboh, the Slavic sun god
Swastika: Ancient symbol of Svaroh, god of the heavens, representing the course of the sun through the sky
GEOMETRIC SYMBOLS
Crosshatching or net: plowed fields
Rakes/combs: rain symbols
Dots: seeds
Diamond: Knowledge
Spirals: Protection from dangery
Triangles: Holy Trinity; earth wind and fire
Heart: Love (hearts are always in the center of the motif)
PLANT SYMBOLS
Ruzha or rozha (eight petals): a version of the eight pointed star, it is a sun symbol
Flowers: The female principle denoting wisdom, elegance and beauty
Trees: Long life, good health, strength and youthfulness
Oak leaves or acorns: Oaks were once the symbol of Perun, the Slavic god of thunder and lightning., and symbolize strength and energy
Pine branches: Youth and eternal life
Wheat: Wealth and prosperity
Grapevine: Holy communion
ANIMAL SYMBOLS
Fish: Christ symbol
Deer and Horses: Wealth and prosperity, endurance, leadership, victory, joy. Both were masculine symbols. The stag was also a sun symbol, as it was a great stag who carried the sun across the sky every day in Slavic mythology
Ram or ram's horns: Leadership, strength, dignity, and perseverance
Birds: Fertility and fulfillment of wishes; Coming of spring
Roosters: Fertility
Bees: Hard work
Butterfly: A symbol of a carefree childhood
Spider web: Perseverance, patience, artistry, and industry; healing power
Pysanka Museum was created in 2000.
Ruslana Pysanka goes by Ruslana Pisanka.
Ruslana Pysanka's birth name is Ruslana Igorevna Pisanko.
Ruslana Pysanka was born on November 17, 1965, in Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine].
Pysanka
While the dye powder used to make pysanka dyes can be quite toxic (if inhaled), the dyes themselves are not. You can pour them down the drain.
decorating Easter eggs
They can mean words like our letters are kind of like their symbols. It is just another language but sometimes there hieroglyphic symbols mean sentences.
If you mean the symbols like +, -, etc., those are called "operators".If you mean the symbols like +, -, etc., those are called "operators".If you mean the symbols like +, -, etc., those are called "operators".If you mean the symbols like +, -, etc., those are called "operators".
What do you mean with symbols?
XY is the male chromosomes, i dont know what the symbols for craziness are though
Certain symbols on the tipi's talk about how they hunt and how they survive they also mean what they do for life and other things. Some people say that the symbols mean what they used to do.