Since the 17th century, in some regions of eastern Ukraine, the main place in the decorative complex of jewelry was occupied by a cross, which was worn, like dukachs and coins, in a necklace or on a chain, lace, or ribbon. Crosses were made of copper, silver, or white alloy by casting or stamping. Engraved geometric patterns on the crosses were often complemented by lace and enamel decor.

The goldsmiths of Kharkiv region placed the decor on the smooth surface of the products. On the front side there is a relief stylized Crucifix and a smaller cross. Round colored enamel inserts were placed at the ends of the side branches of the cross. Sometimes a rosette with colored faceted glass was soldered near the eyelet. The surface on the back was covered with an engraved pattern.

The crosses made by the Eastern Carpathians differed from those of the Middle Prydniprovia goldsmiths. They are more massive and voluminous. A characteristic feature of mosyag crosses were the rays that extended from the corners between the branches. Larger crosses were worn as single pendants on a lace, on a red braid or ribbon, or on a chain. Mosyazhniks made chains that were round, oblong, coiled (twisted several times), flat, blown, woven, and curved. Mosiac crosses were also used to create zgardas, which were common in the Hutsul and Bukovyna regions.

In the Boikivshchyna, Pidhiria, and Lemkivshchyna, chest jewelry included copper crosses that were strung between beads of coral, its imitation, and colored glass (“monisto”), or attached to beaded syliankas or gerdans. Large crosses were worn on a separate lace or ribbon.

In Western Podillia, the cross was worn on a wide silk ribbon.

In Western Polissya and Volyn, copper and silver crosses were worn among necklaces (coral, amber, clay, glass, and beads) on a cord or braid.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, stamped crosses became widespread, with the centers of production being the workshops of The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and other centers of the Orthodox faith. From there, crosses spread to all Ukrainian territories.

During the Soviet era, the production of crosses in Ukraine almost completely ceased, resuming only after the declaration of independence, and Ukrainian goldsmiths began to create crosses based on traditional jewelry only in the 21st century. 

Zoriana Kuryliak

The photographs are from the collections of the Museum of Ethnography and Art Crafts in Lviv, the Josaphat Kobrynsky National Museum of Hutsulshchyna and Pokuttya in Kolomyia and other

Jewellery from the collections of the Ivan Honchar Museum in Kyiv

Jewellery from the Open Chest collection

The photographs of crosses from the National Museum of History of Ukraine 

The photographs of crosses from the Vynnyky Museum of History and Local Lore  

The photographs of lunnytsia from the collector Mr. Roman Prystavsky in Ivano-Frankovo 

Archival photos of crosses from open sources

Works of modern Ukrainian masters