“Slavutnitsy” or “Slavutnitsy” – this is how the girls in Rus’ were called, who were considered role models and the best wives.
To earn this honorific nickname, it wasn’t enough to be born attractive – “fame” and “femininity” included many other qualities.
Braid at the waist
Appearance, of course, mattered too. Glory blossomed with youth – at the age of 15-16, when the girl turned into a bride. Everything was considered beautiful, indicating that the bride is an excellent worker who will give birth to healthy children.
Only corpulent girls could be considered slavnitsy, but it was not about being overweight, but having a strong physique – large breasts, stiff hips, strong arms and legs. The Slavs valued both long thick hair, white teeth and smooth clean skin – after all, all this spoke of the excellent health of the girl.
Umnota
However, beauty was not enough to become a slavutnitsa – you had to have “intelligence”. They were not born with this quality – the girl acquired them through education. “Umnota” included many properties, but all of them could be reduced to one skill – the ability to behave correctly.
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First of all, the slavutnitsa had to be polite, obedient and modest. However, the last feature should not have turned into shyness, and even more so into “oppressed”: a real Slavutnitsa could sing and dance, and wittily respond to the guy who decided to talk to her.
“What kind of woman will it be?” And there’s nothing for people to come out with. I need one to show what was … Well, what about: no songs, no fables .. “- this is how, for example, a guy from Kostroma told about marriage in the 17th century, the words of which are quoted in the book of ethnographer Isabella Shangina, that is, the girl needed to demonstrate that she was smart, but at the same time she knew well when she could demonstrate its “intelligence” and when it was best to keep it.
Another criterion of “glorosity” is an impeccable reputation, and the more Slavic women there were in the village, the more the whole village was honored. “Ideal” girls were gladly shown to neighbors at all common festivities: they were placed first in a round dance, placed in places of honor at winter gatherings.
The third characteristic of the slavnitsa was assiduity. An incompetent woman could not receive an honorary title – a Slavutka woman had to be able to spin, weave, sew, embroider, work in the fields, look after livestock, cook well and nurse children even before she had her own .
It was not easy to maintain such a balance between good manners and skills – that is why Slavic women were highly valued and not often encountered. Over time, they completely disappeared: a change in lifestyle led to the emergence of new rules by which women were judged, but that’s a whole other story.
Read also: “Kiss your leg”: why the kissing rites of foreigners from Rus shocked
Source: The Voice Mag
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
