Ryasna (russian: рясна) was a part of a woman’s

headgear Headgear, headwear, or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protection against the elemen ...

, hanging from a

diadem A diadem is a type of Crown (headgear), crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. Overview The word derives from the Ancient Greek, Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", fr ...

or as a temporal pendant. It was a sign of family's prosperity common in 11th-13th centuries in

Kievan Rus’ Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...

, made in the shape of a chain linking golden, silver or copper pieces,

medallion A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...

s, used as a suspension for a

kolt Kolt or kolty was a part of a female headgear, hanging on a ryasna at both temples as a sign of family's wealth, common in 11th-13th centuries in Old Rus'. It comprised a pair of metal pieces, joined to form a hollow medallion or star that, pr ...

or a similar

pendant A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, which may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. Its name stems from the Latin word ...

Design

Ancient Rus' ryasnas were designed to hang down from each side of the

kokoshnik The kokoshnik ( rus, коко́шник, p=kɐˈkoʂnʲɪk) is a traditional Russian headdress worn by women and girls to accompany the sarafan. The kokoshnik tradition has existed since the 10th century in the ancient Russian city Veliky Novg ...

, reaching the woman's shoulders with the kolt reaching her chest. The design was in the form of a

rain chain Rain chains ( ja, 鎖樋, or ', See rendaku for why multiple pronunciations. literally "chain-gutter") are alternatives to a downspout. They are widely used in Japan. Their purpose is largely decorative, to make a water feature out of the trans ...

and the imagery portrayed always had the same theme:

sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

and fertile agriculture.Ancient Rus'
/ref>

References

External links

Women's Headdress in Early Rus by Sofya la Rus, Mka Lisa Kies
Kievan Rus culture Slavic culture Jewellery components Archaeological artefact types {{East-Slavic-hist-stub

Design

See also

References

External links