Female Festive Costume
Pinega District, Arkhangelsk Gubernia. 19th century
- Linen, linen, knitting, wool, silk ribbons, weaving, brocade, red calico, gold embroidery (by silver threads), fabric
- Т-4076; В-8132; В-8141; В-8135
Shirt (sleeves)
Flax, stitching, knitting
Sarafan
Wool, flax, silk ribbons, weaving
Kokoshnik
Brocade, red calico, gold embroidery (by silver threads)
Shirinka
Fabric, stitching
In Pinega the bridal dress, comprising a red sarafan — a ponitok — and a white shirt made of thin homemade canvas were worn for the ritual of obkruchivaniye (“twisting”), when the bride’s maiden’s band was removed and replaced with a woman’s headpiece. This usually occurred immediately after the church service or in the groom’s house on the following day.
The bride is holding an embroidered snow-white rectangular linen kerchief ‑ a shirinka. The delicate North Russian shirinka was know as podavalnaya (“proffered”) as the bride would pass it to her new husband and the matchmaker would tie it to his hat.