--- title: The Pysanky Tradition: The History of Ukrainian Easter Eggs description: Decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs has become a gesture of peace, as war brings new meaning to an old tradition. Here's the history to know. canonical: https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2022-04-14T18:06:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-11T23:31:23.000Z article:section: History og:title: The History Behind the Ukrainian Easter Egg Tradition og:description: Decorating a 'pysanka' has become a gesture of peace, as war has brought new meaning to an old tradition that dates back to pre-Christian times og:url: https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2021a1ab7d5ab6f0/698a30e6d07533bc14e6cbaa/ukrainian-easter-eggs.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: ukrainian-easter-eggs og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The History Behind the Ukrainian Easter Egg Tradition twitter:description: Decorating a 'pysanka' has become a gesture of peace, as war has brought new meaning to an old tradition that dates back to pre-Christian times twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2021a1ab7d5ab6f0/698a30e6d07533bc14e6cbaa/ukrainian-easter-eggs.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The History Behind the Ukrainian Tradition of Decorating _Pysanky_ Easter Eggs > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=d1826e2c-a2bc-4c45-9f91-426199d3f59e&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=d1826e2c-a2bc-4c45-9f91-426199d3f59e&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Here's Why Easter Eggs Are a Thing [Watch (HLS stream): Here's Why Easter Eggs Are a Thing](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/iaZ6qfor.m3u8) (1:13)  _Published 2017-04-14. When it comes to the Easter egg, however, evidence suggests that the obvious metaphor came after the association between the holiday and the item was already established_  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Updated: Dec 11, 2023 11:31 PM UTCPublished: Apr 14, 2022 6:06 PM UTC  Ukrainian Easter eggs decorated by New York City-based pysanka artist Sofika Zielyk Ukrainian Easter eggs decorated by New York City-based pysanka artist Sofika Zielyk Sofika Zielyk  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Updated: Dec 11, 2023 11:31 PM UTCPublished: Apr 14, 2022 6:06 PM UTC As [the war in Ukraine](https://time.com/6163028/ukraine-aid-mission/) continues once again into the Easter season—with the Catholic and Protestant churches celebrating Easter in 2023 on April 9, and Orthodox Easter, as celebrated by many Ukrainians, falling on April 16—a spotlight is shining on the Ukrainian Easter tradition of decorating Easter eggs known as _pysanky_. Decorating them has become a gesture of peace, as the war has brought new meaning to an old tradition that dates back to pre-Christian times. In the first Easter season after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, artists organized [fundraisers](https://alexandrialivingmagazine.com/lifestyle/pysanky-egg-fundraiser-to-help-ukrainian-war-refugees/) and sold these eggs to [raise money for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine](https://www.npr.org/2022/04/12/1091408208/these-intricately-decorated-eggs-are-raising-money-and-good-wishes-for-ukraine). In New York City, for example, the Ukrainian Institute of America invited members of the public to contribute decorated eggs and put these submissions [on display.](https://ukrainianinstitute.org/event/the-pysanka-a-symbol-of-hope/) The name for these Easter eggs—_pysanka_ in the singular and _pysanky_ as plural—is derived from the Ukrainian verb _pysaty,_ which means “to write,” or _писати_ in Ukrainian. So in this case, the word refers to the writing on the eggs. While many Christians might be familiar with dying Easter eggs with solid colors, Ukrainian Easter eggs often feature complex geometric and floral designs. Nobody knows when exactly this tradition started, and a number of different origin stories persist, some dating back to before their association with the Easter holiday. One of these stories says that the ritual is meant to represent the return of sunshine after a long winter, and eggs are used because the yellow yolk is thought to resemble the sun, according to Sofika Zielyk, a New York City-based ethnographer and _pysanka_ artist. Another pre-Christian legend tells the story of a monster, the personification of evil, in the Carpathian mountains; in that story, the more _pysanky_ people make, the tighter the chains are wrapped around the monster, keeping it at bay so that it doesn’t destroy the world. Zielyk, curated the exhibit of _pysanky_ at the Ukrainian Institute of America, said this story of the monster inspired the show: She envisioned Russian President Vladimir Putin as the monster in this case, and the plethora of accumulated _pysanky_ symbolizes reining him in. **_Read more:_** [_Here’s why Easter eggs are a thing_](https://time.com/4732984/easter-eggs-history-origins/) In Christianity, eggs are a common symbol of the resurrection of Christ. Traditional designs on the eggs are also imbued with meaning. Per Christian tradition, triangles on eggs represents the Holy Trinity. Different regions of Ukraine decorate eggs in different ways. For example, the _pysanky_ in Western Ukraine boast drawings of chicks to represent fertility and deer to represent strength and prosperity. The _pysanka_ tradition wasn’t widely practiced in Ukraine when the country was under Soviet rule from World War II until 1991, when Ukraine regained its independence. “Ever since Ukraine regained independence, there has been a rebirth of this tradition in Ukraine,” said Zielyk. **_Read more:_** [_Coronavirus is upending traditions for Passover and Easter—But traditions have adapted for past pandemics too_](https://time.com/5815551/passover-easter-coronavirus-history/) The symbolism of the _pysanky_ continues long after Easter. Some people put egg shells in cattle feed to make the cattle stronger or put them in gardens to enhance the harvest. Putting an egg at each of the four corners of a house is supposed to bring good luck. Thus, Zielyk hoped to ship the _pysanky_ on display at the Ukrainian Institute of America to Ukraine to “symbolically to help with the rebirth” of the country, to contribute to efforts to help the country rebuild. Now, more than ever, the decorating of _pysanky_ is a considered one of the ways to show that Ukrainian culture exists at a time when the war threatens to destroy [sites of Ukrainian culture and heritage](https://time.com/6161734/ukraine-war-history-museums/). As Zielyk put it, “The fragile egg is still here, and we’re still here.” ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/"},"headline":"The History Behind the Ukrainian Tradition of Decorating Pysanky Easter Eggs","datePublished":"2022-04-14T18:06:16.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-11T23:31:23.000Z","description":"Decorating a 'pysanka' has become a gesture of peace, as war has brought new meaning to an old tradition that dates back to pre-Christian times","url":"https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/","keywords":["Holidays","nationpod"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2021a1ab7d5ab6f0/698a30e6d07533bc14e6cbaa/ukrainian-easter-eggs.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Olivia B. 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