Tatar ornament as a manifestation of culture

The Tatar people has an ancient and colorful culture. His life, sorrows and joys, wars and alliances, way of life, beliefs could not but be reflected in creativity. Because the people are ancient, history and culture are centuries old. In its way of life and worldview, the nation differed from the tribes who settled nearby and was isolated. Therefore, for example, the Tatar ornament used for decorating clothes, household items, houses is original and original.

Types of ornament and types of motives

The way of life of the people has significantly influenced the patterns with which various products were decorated. Predominantly the Tatar national ornament has a pronounced influence of ancient agriculture. But if you carefully study the work of masters, you can see that the influence of cattle breeding culture of the nomadic ancestors of the people is also manifested.

Tatar patterns and ornaments have three types of motifs: geometric, floral-floral and zoomorphic. A characteristic feature is their contour completion.

Floral-floral ornament and its use

Patterns have been used by masters from time immemorial in many spheres of applied art: architecture, embroidery, painting, wood carving. Tatar ornament with floral and plant motifs is the most common. Wizards create both simple forms and complex bouquets. The colors used for the ornament are bright, rich and well combined. The motifs are stylized and have many interpretations. An important role is played by the order in which the elements of the pattern are arranged and how they fit together.

In floral-floral motifs, which are used for creativity, there are three directions: steppe, meadow and garden. Depending on the area in which the master or master worked, some or other Tatar patterns and ornaments prevailed. For the steppe direction, motifs depicting stylized poppies, tulips, forget-me-nots, carnations are more typical. Meadow motifs are full of flowers of wild rose, bell, chamomile, cornflowers. Garden directions were typical for urban settlements. Mostly represented were dahlias, chrysanthemums, roses, asters. The most common are two flowers, which uses the Tatar ornament. Tulip and cloves are the main motives.

Geometric and zoomorphic motifs

Zoomorphic drawings are practically not used. This is explained by the requirements of religion, so that the Tatar ornament very rarely contains images of animals. However, masters who still decide on zoomorphic motifs in their products, stylize them so that it is not always possible to understand which beast is depicted.

Often, a geometric Tatar ornament is not an independent element of the product, but performs auxiliary functions. The use of shapes depends on what the image is applied to. For example, weaving is dominated by geometric motifs, and in embroidery - floral, located with geometric precision.

Elements used in ornament. Their capabilities. Methods of conveying the idea of the master

First of all, it is worth paying attention to how the tulip is used in the Tatar ornament. It is presented in the form of a pointed shamrock with various degrees of bending. Less common pjatilistniki. Wavy lines under the hand of the master overgrown with leaves and form a "grapevine."

On one branch there may be grapes, and a meander, and a dahlia, and a carnation. Tatar ornament with geometric motifs uses both simple figures (triangles, rhombuses, circles, squares), and complex (hexagonal rosettes, stepped figures, eight-ray stars).

The vegetable ornament has one more distinctive feature - the asymmetry of the elements. On one branch flowers perfectly coexist, which in nature never grow near or blossom in different months of the year.

The importance of tulips in culture and ornamentation

Every nation has its own symbol, which only matters to it. Many masters use the Tatar ornament, in which the main motive is the tulip. For this people, it is, above all, a symbol of rebirth. Tulip is on the flag of Tatarstan.

Secondly, the tulip is inextricably linked with the religious views of the Muslim world. The flower is associated with the name of Allah. The name of the plant in Arabic consists of the same letters as the name of the god of the Muslim world. From the point of view of the numerological system of Abadj (each letter has its own number) the sum of the letters in the words "tulip" and "Allah" is the same and equal to 66.

Rosa also finds frequent display in Tatar ornaments. And again for religious reasons: it is a symbol of the Prophet Muhammad. And although the flowers are strongly stylized, a person who understands the symbols and culture of the Tatar people will be able to read the Tatar ornament.