Easter
Eggs (Pirhi)
Methods
of decoration |
The
Easter egg was originally coloured with natural colours from
plants; at first only red and yellow colours were used. The
following plants were used; for red, decoction of Brazilian
wood, for yellow, saffron or barberry root, for greyish-red,
alderwood and cherrytree bark, for black, alder-wood and cherrytree
bark, for brown, onion skin leaves. Nowadays mainly chemical
colouring is used. After colouring or decorating the egg,
the egg is polished with either the skin from bacon or an
oiled cloth. With eggs, which are coloured with at least two
colours, the whole process may be repeated at least twice.
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The method of decorating the eggs has varied from region to
region. In the regions of Bela Krajina, Prekmurje, Primorska,
Beneccija, and Notranjska, the eggs were decorated with the"pisalko"
(pisalo - pencil) and wax. In the region surrounding Ljubljana,
in Gorenjska, and Sstajerska, the eggs were decorated with
pen and ink. In Dolenjska, Notranjska, Sstajerska, and Prekmurje
the designs were scratched with a knife. In Sskofja Loka,
a unique variation of the Easter egg was the baked egg which
was formed from dough, made into little loaves; then decorated
with gold-leaf and other ornaments. |
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From
Niko Kuret, Prazniccno leto Slovencev (Ljubljana 1989)
Dussica Kunaver, Pisanica rdecca ( Radovljica 1991) |
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