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Mothers' images were especially sacred in Russian tradition. That's why before 19th century you can find them only on fabrics used for fertility rituals (wedding, birth, and harvesting). Later, Mothers' worship turned into just "family", "household" rituals by mid-1800's. But in ancient times, Mothers were considered as the owners of the world, animals, soil and water.
In "The Word Of Idols" - the ancient Russian manuscript of the 12th century - the ancient author describes the pagan religion of gods Rod (the Creator, Birth) and Rozhanitsas (Ladies of Fertility, the Creator's wife and daughter). He writes about it as about a whole belief, but scientists think that Rozhanitsas as goddesses are much more ancient than Rod. According to archaeological researches, Rozhanitsas were worshiped even in Paleolithic, and the Rod religion was formed only in agricultural age. Moreover, in the 15th century Rozhanitsas become the most important spirits in peasants' agricultural rituals.
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Embroidery wasn't just an ornament; it was supposed to protect the person from evil power. The fabric was considered to be evilproof because it was made by tools with charms. Hence, the areas that were not covered (neckband, sleeves, bottom of the clothes), the chest and the waist were vulnerable and needed protection.
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Traditional Russian dolls didn’t have a face. A faceless doll was considered inanimate (unavailable for evil spirits), hence harmless for a child. It was meant to bring well-being, health, happiness, and protect from diseases, woe, and evil spirits. The dolls were made without using needles or scissors. The fabrics were not cut, but torn.
Icon painting is a specific system of symbols that became the language of the Church. Dionysius Areopagit stated that icons should have similarity and dissimilarity. The similarity is to make the Saint recognizable and dissimilarity is to show that it is only the allegory, not a mirror reflection. A picture expresses emotions, an icon contains the mind and intuition. A picture shows the mood, an icon shows the state of the personality. A picture shows a story, an icon leads to the infinity. Some people think that icon painters didn’t know the perspective views and the anatomy of the human body. In fact the size shows the rank. For example demons are shown smaller than angels, Christ is bigger than Apostles and so on. 
