Symbols of Cossacks

The Cossacks left us a grand history of the free people of Ukraine, but do we know everything about the symbols that accompanied them in the most important campaigns?

Symbolism has always been an important component of the corporate ideology of the Cossacks. As a stratum focused on acquiring knightly status, the Cossacks had to develop a certain system of appropriate external signs, create or borrow the symbols of their Cossack state. Such components, in the manner of knightly symbols of Western Europe, were coats of arms and genealogies, weapons, clothes, hairstyles, housing, ceremonial, horses and their harness, food - in short, everything with which the knight's life was connected and which distinguished him from the crowd.

State and military awards were named kleinodes They included: Hetman mace, bunchuk, seal, flags, tambourines and trumpets. The attitude towards them was very respectful.

Each of the jewels had its own purpose, was unique, symbolized a certain branch of government.

Ukrainian Cossack cleinodes of the 18th century

The symbol of judicial power was a military seal. All official documents of the Zaporizhzhya Army, universals, manifestos, privileges, and diplomatic correspondence issued by the Kosh were not approved. The symbol of the power of the military scribe was a silver calamari, the insignia of a long trumpeter. There was a rule that the Sich Council could not be convened without beating the timpani louder.

coat of arms of the Cossack state there was a Cossack in a kuntush, girded with a belt, with a saber at his left side, in a cap; the left hand supports the gun resting on the shoulder, the right hand rests on the side. This coat of arms was also on Cossack flags and seals.

They occupied an important place in the system of Cossack symbols. Among them, the coats of arms of the Zaporizhzhya Army stand out, as well as the personal coats of arms of hetmans and Cossack chieftains, as well as city coats of arms.

The Cossacks had their own flags that were solemnly raised during sea and land campaigns.

Flag of the Zaporizhzhya Army – a crimson flag, traditionally considered the Cossack Flag. Crimson color in heraldry is the color of nobility, chivalry, victory and courage.

The Zaporozhians were assigned saber to real, "honest", noble weapons. Even the appearance of firearms did not shake the ideological significance sword On the contrary, he rose above a rifle or a pistol, declared, as Ariosto would write, "accursed and vile machines." They were not considered Zaporizhzhya weapons and were cheap, and because of this they were available to the lower classes spears, knives, cleps and axes (although the latter were a terrible weapon, often much more effective than a sword). As you know, the Cossacks paid full respect to the sword, or more precisely to its counterpart - the saber. Among other types of cold weapons, the Cossacks made an exception only for kelep and maces : the mace became a sign of power, replacing the scepter or rod, and the kelep was one of the favorite objects of Cossack sympathy: it was said that it only "touches" the enemy's ribs.

All Cossack kleinods were stored in the sichova Pokrovsky church , and were worn only by order of the koshovo ataman.

History of Cossack symbols is extremely interesting and simply necessary in the development of the young Ukrainian state. The development of Cossacks had a tremendous impact on Ukrainian ensigns and emblems. Today, traits similar to Cossack symbols can be found in the attributes of Ukrainians.

We, Ukrainians, are imbued with the spirit of Cossacks, it flows through our veins. Ukrainian symbols is a reflection of the Ukrainian national idea, culture, history, everything that makes us Ukrainians.

prepared by Anna Donets