The Trypillian People — An Ancient Culture Rich In Symbolism

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    rypillian culture derives its name from the village of Trypillia in the Ukraine where artifacts of this ancient civilization were first discovered. Archaeological excavations show that as early as 5,000 B.C. these ancient agrarians settled in the forest steppe in areas of the upper Dniester River on the west with later settlements found up to the middle Dnipro on the East.



Trypillian society was matriarchal, with women heading the household, doing agricultural work, and manufacturing pottery, textiles and clothing. Hunting, keeping domestic animals and making tools were the responsibilities of the men.
It is little wonder then, that the primary deity of this ancient population was female. The Trypillian culture developed a rich symbolic system based on their religious beliefs of the Great Goddess as the powerful giver and regenerator of life and the wielder of death.

Trypillian pottery contains elaborate symbolic forms with highly stylized pictures and patterns reflecting concepts of nature, life and the spiritual world. The tri-color designs of white, red and black are comprised of lines, spirals, crosshatched patterns, egg-shaped motifs and other symbols reflecting their ancient beliefs.