Russia Discovery Chest Artifact Description Cards Gzhel

What is this? • Gzhel is a Russian style of blue and white ceramics which takes its name from the village of Gzhel and the surrounding area, where it has been produced since 1802. How is it made? • Ceramics are made by taking mixtures of clay, earthen elements, powders, and water and shaping them into desired forms. Once the ceramic has been shaped, it is fired in a high temperature oven known as a kiln. Often, ceramics are covered in decorative, waterproof, paint-like substances known as glazes.

RUSSIA 1A – PAINTING STYLES Khokhloma What is this? • A Russian wood painting handicraft style and national ornament, known for its curved and vivid, mostly flower, berry and leaf patterns What is its significance? • Khokhloma painting symbolizes the high importance of forests and nature in Russian culture and its history, as Russia comprises the world's largest forest area.

RUSSIA 2A – PAINTING STYLES Gorodets

What is this? • Gorodets is a style of Russian folk painting, and is a phenomenon of the so-called naive art.

Where did it start? • Gorodets painting sprang from carved distaffs painted in this style that were manufactured in villages near the town of Gorodets in the Nizhni Novgorod region of Russia.

RUSSIA 3A – PAINTING STYLES Bogorodskoye - Pecking Chickens Toy

What is this? • A wooden toy that includes four chickens that peck in order when the weight hung at the bottom is gently swung in a circle. How is it used? • The handle is held so that the disk and hens are level. Then the hand makes a flat circular movement. This will make the ball swing in circles, which pulls the string attached to each hen’s neck. The hens will peck in succession, making a rhythm. • Teaches young children hand-eye coordination. What is its significance? • This toy is one of the oldest traditional Russian toys, having been invented at least 300 years ago.

RUSSIA 1B - TOYS Matryoshka - The Russian Nesting Doll What is this? • A set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another. • Despite the fact that first matryoshka dolls were intended for children, their price was so high that only adults could afford to buy them on special occasions. Matryoshka dolls were often given as a present to young women from their beloved ones.

When was it first made and what is its significance? • The first Russian nested doll set was made in 1890 by a wood turning craftsman and wood carver named Vasily Zvyozdochkin. • Some historians of Russian life argue that matryoshka dolls originated from Japanese traditional dolls. However it's known that Russian masters would make hollow detachable Easter eggs from the wood long before the first nesting doll was made. • Traditionally the outer layer is a woman, dressed in a Russian peasant dress. The figures inside may be of either gender; the smallest, innermost doll is typically a baby turned from a single piece of wood. • Much of the artistry is in the painting of each doll, which can be very elaborate. The dolls often follow a theme; the themes may vary, from fairy tale characters to Soviet leaders. RUSSIA http://masterrussian.com/russianculture/nesting_dolls.htm 3B - TOYS Balalaika What is this? • A traditional Russian stringed musical instrument with a characteristic triangular wooden, hollow body and three strings. How is it played? • The balalaika is plucked or strummed quickly, like a guitar. What is its history? • In the 17th Century, people called “Skomorohi” lived in Russia. They were performers who performed around the country at fairs, weddings etc. Their favorite instrument was the domra. However, the authorities decided to put a stop to their show. The domra makers lost their customers and had to quit making instruments. This meant people had to build them themselves. Because of this, the shape of the domra was simplified and eventually, the balalaika was developed as the descendant of the domra

RUSSIA 1C – MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Gusli

What is this? • The Gusli is an East Slavic multi-string plucked instrument What is its significance? • The first mentions of the Gusli date back to 591 AD to a treatise by a Greek historian who describes the instrument being used by Slavic people living in Russia.

RUSSIA 2C – MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS What is this? • A heated metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water in Russia. The word Samovar samovar in Russian is derived from "сам" meaning self and "варить" meaning to boil. The name can be loosely translated into English as "self-boiler".

What is its significance? • Samovars and tea-drinking are an indispensable element of Russian culture. In modern Russia, samovars are rarely used to boil water for tea as originally intended, however many families place samovars in the center of the table during holiday celebrations. Reserving pride of place for a samovar at the festive table is both a tribute that Russians give to their ancestors and a ceremony that embodies warm-hearted hospitality.

Who invented a Samovar? • The oldest pottery samovar-like was found in Azerbaijan. Its age was 3700 years, which is about 1700 older than a samovar discovered in Egypt. There were similar devices found in China but they weren't used for making tea. • In Russia, the first copper samovar was made in 1778 by the Lisitsyn brothers in Tula, a city known for its metalworkers and arms-makers. Within the first 70 years, numerous samovar- makers in Tula were producing 120 thousand samovars every year. Samovars were mainly made from nickel and copper and particular attention was paid to details. • The samovar has been used by many cultures outside of Russia, spreading to Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, Kashmir, India, the Middle RUSSIA http://masterrussian.com/russianculture/samovars.htm 1D – EVERYDAY USE ITEMS