Ponyova
Ancient Skirt
History & Meaning
Ponyova (ponëva) is the main part of the South‑Russian costume complex. It is a hip‑length garment worn over a shirt. It was sewn mainly from woolen checked home‑loomed fabric; in some places, smooth poneva or poneva with transverse stripes was used.
As outerwear, a ponëva – a skirt‑like garment made of several pieces of cloth – was used. The ponëva is the oldest type of upper garment, but it survived only in the southern provinces until the 19th century; in the north it disappeared early (since the 14th century) and was actively replaced by the sarafan.
Upper Garment | The Ponëva Skirt
Ancient Slavic Costume
Ponëva
Construction Details & Early Variants
An older, open‑front ponëva was cut from three panels and fastened at the waist with a cord called a gashnik, woven from woolen or linen threads. The trousers of such a poneva were not sewn; the garment could be worn with the corners tucked under the belt (poneva with a “podtyk” or “kul’k”). The open‑front poneva was common in the Oryol, Kaluga and Tula provinces. A widespread variant was the glukhaya poneva – a skirt‑type garment with an extra panel (a “proshva”) of a different dark solid‑colored fabric.
Fabric Colors, Checks, & Decorative Techniques
The background of the checked fabric for ponëva was blue, black, and less often red. White, green, red or yellow threads in the weft and warp formed square checks. The pattern of the checks had local peculiarities. Checked ponëvas were embellished with embroidery, appliqué strips of galun lace, tinsel lace, sequins, woven belts, beadwork and other materials.
Regional Types | Heavy Ponevas of Penza and Ryazan
In the Penza and Ryazan provinces, ponëvas were made of smooth fabrics with a hemp base tightly woven with thick wool yarn – the so‑called heavy ponëvas with a carpet‑like texture. Their lower edges were decorated with multicolored patterned bands featuring geometric motifs of diamonds, “hooks”, “ribs”, etc.
Ornamentation & Social Context
The degree of ornamentation with embroidery, weaving and other materials depended on the purpose of the ponëva and the status of its wearer. Everyday ponëvas were modestly decorated, Sunday (church‑day) ones were richer, and festive ponëvas were the most elaborate; they were prepared slowly and kept for a lifetime. Elderly women wore dark, pattern‑free ponëvas, edged only with a narrow belt or lined with smooth fabric – the “simple” ones.
Ritual Symbolism & Role in Marriage Ceremonies
As a garment, the ponëva is closely linked to rituals. One description from the Ryazan district (1854) records:
“When a girl reaches maturity, her relatives and friends, on a great holiday after lunch, gather, put a ponëva on her – sometimes without the girl’s consent – and then go out onto the street together, showing everyone the new outfit on their beautiful bride.”
However, the ponëva was primarily the clothing of married women. In ritual songs it was called the “eternal strap” or “grandmother’s shackles”. In the wedding ceremony the poneva was always put on before the wreath, unlike the “grandmother’s” headgear, which was usually placed after the wreath.