Woodworking crafts of Slobozhanshchyna: traditions and modernity

Author

Saulyak Bohdan

candidate of historical sciences, a junior researcher at the “Archival Scientific Funds of Manuscripts and Phonographies” of the M. Rylskyi Institute of Art studies, Folkloristics and Ethnology of the NAS of Ukraine.

Woodworking crafts of Slobozhanshchyna: traditions and modernity

Abstract

Woodworking crafts on the territory of Slobozhanshchyna are considered in the article. Changes in the use of wooden articles in the everyday life of the population of Slobozhanshchyna during the 20th – early 21st century are ascertained. Peculiar attention is paid to cart manufacturing and cooperage as the basic woodworking crafts. It is noted in the investigation, that special masters of cart manufacturing have been involved into the production of traditional transport. Prior to the emergence of collective farms, they have worked in their own manufactories, and with the formation of collective farms – in carpenter workshops, where they have provided for the needs of the collective economies. The sledge of West European type has been a traditional winter vehicle in the studied region. Cart with the all-Ukrainian features in construction has been the most widespread traditional wheeled vehicle on the territory of Slobozhanshchyna. The local cart-wrights have made special carriages called “liniyka” for the passanger journeys. The heads of the collective farms have used them till the cars appear. The production of wooden wheels to traditional Slobozhanshchyna cart is known as a separate technology. Wooden wheel consists of a nave, spokes and a rim, which has been covered with a metal tire. The oxen or horses have been harnessed in the traditional transport. The oxen, used in Slobozhanshchyna until the 1960s, have been harnessed into a double or single wooden yoke. The horses have been harnessed in such transport with a collar consisting of two leather-clad wooden pincers.

Another woodworking handicraft is also investigated in the work. This is a cooperage, which manufactured articles are of a great significance in the economy and everyday life of Slobozhanshchyna population. The coopers have produced a wide choice of household utensils: bowls, barrels, creameries, bread tubs, buckets and milk pails, etc. Considerable attention is paid to the technical aspects of the manufacturing of cooper’s articles. They have traditional all-Ukrainian features on the territory of Slobozhanshchyna. The indented articles (troughs, vats, tubs and mortars) and their place in the farms of Slobozhanshchyna population are also considered.

Keywords

woodworking crafts, traditional transport, cooperage, carving, Slobozhanshchyna.

References

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