Gerdan (from Turk. gerdan - "neck") is a beaded neck ornament in the form of a narrow ribbon, made of multi-colored beads strung on a thread or hair base, forming a colorful geometric and sometimes floral ornament. Synonyms: gerdanik, gerdanka, gerda, luchka, kriza - silyanka, silyovanka, silenka, pletenka, pletinka, drabynka, ochko, galochka, pupchyky, lanka.
Sometimes in the Lviv region, gerdanes had the appearance of a wide colored collar that covered the entire breast. The ornament and its color were usually coordinated with the embroideries of a certain area on the shirts. Gerdanes often have the form of a loop made of a solid or openwork strip of different widths, which is worn over the head and around the neck; the ends joined in front by a medallion decorate the chest.
In the east of Ukraine, this decoration was unknown, it was found in Podil and Volyn, and in Galicia it was extremely common.
Probably, the Silyanka came to Galicia from Hungary. Products similar to gerdanes, called margele, are also common in the Romanian part of Bucovina.
In 2021, craftsmen set a Ukrainian record at the Ivano-Frankivsk Local History Museum, presenting 2,629 traditional handmade gerdanes at the exhibition. The craftswoman Halyna Kutashchuk from Kryvorivna keeps sylyanki at home, which are more than 200 years old.
Pokut gerdanes from the village of Rusova are bright, on an orange background, multi-colored, but red predominates. There are samples from Kolomyia and Yavoriv. Hutsulskyi, mostly on a black background, are about a hundred years old, on blue ribbons - Kosovar ones, they are at least 70 years old.
In the east of Ukraine, this decoration was unknown, it was found in Podil and Volyn, and in Galicia it was extremely common.
Probably, the Silyanka came to Galicia from Hungary. Products similar to gerdanes, called margele, are also common in the Romanian part of Bucovina.
In 2021, craftsmen set a Ukrainian record at the Ivano-Frankivsk Local History Museum, presenting 2,629 traditional handmade gerdanes at the exhibition. The craftswoman Halyna Kutashchuk from Kryvorivna keeps sylyanki at home, which are more than 200 years old.
Pokut gerdanes from the village of Rusova are bright, on an orange background, multi-colored, but red predominates. There are samples from Kolomyia and Yavoriv. Hutsulskyi, mostly on a black background, are about a hundred years old, on blue ribbons - Kosovar ones, they are at least 70 years old.