Ornament is the frozen magic of eternal rhythms. It is gossip from stylized symbols in which human relationships are encoded, the whole world around us and ideas about it, about life, about death, about eternity. This definition is somewhat poetic, but not scientific enough. So what is an ornament from the point of view of geometry, art history, and even semiotics, since individual symbols fulfill, among others, a communicative function? The simplest figures, which make up the more complex pattern, are the same for almost all cultures. The differences are manifested in another - in the frequency and features of the image of a particular symbol. In some peoples, circles as a symbol of the sun are more often observed , in others - a spiral as a symbol of eternity. Geometric ornaments are made up of elements such as:
- a winding line is a symbol of water and the fickleness of the world;
- a circle is a sign of the sun and infinity;
- the cross is a symbol of the masculine (heaven) and the feminine (earth).
Everything that happens in the world is cyclical, subject to rhythms that pervade the whole life of nature. The rhythm creates oscillation. And this is life - as science says. Day and night, summer and winter, ebb and flow - everything is controlled by one common rhythm. A man always felt his presence, knew about him and reflected this knowledge in the ornament, which
represents a plane with rhythmically repeating elements located on it. An initial knowledge of geometry is enough to understand what an ornament is as a complex of graphic signs.
Cross as an element of ornament and amulets
It is fair to consider geometry the basis of any ornament, since the whole world consists of lines and volumes. However, in addition to the actual geometric pattern, there are still vegetative, zoomorphic, anthropomorphic. These species are distinguished by the motives expressed in them. The ancient man in general perceived all the objects of the surrounding world as signs of a certain secret, unmanifest content, mysterious meaning. Not surprisingly, pagan symbols are so firmly established in all religions. Using the example of the cross, it is easy to understand what an ornament is as an expression of divine truth, as a certain ritual attribute. For Christians, this is a talisman, a symbol of God, sacrifice, repentance, salvation. The cross as an element of the magic pattern is present in Ukrainian embroidery
x and rushnyks, in Russian embroidered shirts, in national clothes of many other, not necessarily Christian, peoples.
Ornament today
In architecture and arts and crafts, ornaments used to be used both as elements of magical protection and as decoration. Today, the magic function has been reduced to nothing, only decorative has been preserved. Traditionally, the architectural ornament was carved in stone, Russian carving in wood. Less often cast in gold, silver, bronze. Gypsum and clay were also used. Paint was applied to the surface of the finished ornament, the colors were selected in strict accordance with tradition. In modern architecture, such a pattern is not particularly popular, and when they resort to it, they don’t really care about observing traditions both in the sign styles and in color. But interior designers are very willing to exploit its decorative capabilities, although they usually do not have a deep idea of what an ornament is. So it turns out that in our bedrooms, created with the latest fashion, very often there are signs-antagonists, the neighborhood of which our ancestors would never have allowed. What if the ornament really has magical powers, and we risk falling under its power? Worth considering!