Images of animals-totems on carpet from village Viytivka, Bershadsky region, Vinnitsa.
TOTEM IMAGE IN TAPESTRY ART
We often notice nanny-goat image among other pictures in ornamental designs of Podillia tapestries. In the light of this topic analysis of an ancient Christmas koliaduvannia ceremony is of essential importance, this kind of ceremony is called "leading a nanny-goat". Judging by koliadky's (Christmas songs) texts that have been preserved up to present one can understand that they represent Christmas jollity that is conveyed by songs and dances of a holly animal-totem. "Leading a nanny-goat", undoubtedly, originates from the times when a person domesticated it and that happened in the late Paleolithic era. When nanny-goats became the highest material value of tribes, they required protection. Such crucial and vital role could have been assigned to the best warriors only. Preconditions of formation of a special and very important warriors' caste that were called Cossacks appeared. Cossack is a warrior, guard and defender. Today he is still an embodiment of valor, bravery and sacrifice for the sake of his own people. The author of the article is Volodymyr Tytarenko, an art expert.