Kozhukh
Encyclopedia
A kozhukh is a traditional Ukrainian
coat.
Generally worn in the winter, the kozhukh was normally made of sheepskin
, sometimes decorated with embroidery
and with leather
, cords, tassels, and other accessories. They were tight at the waist, sometimes very long. There were two main variations, those with straight backs and those with detached backs.
Variations of the kozhukh were worn throughout Ukraine
, but it was primarily used in the middle Dnieper River
region, including the Left Bank
and steppe
areas, and in Polissya. They were especially popular during the Cossack Hetmanate
period, though they were also worn during the Kievan Rus'
period. In the last decade, coats based on the traditional Kozhukh have become fashionable again in Ukraine.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
coat.
Generally worn in the winter, the kozhukh was normally made of sheepskin
Sheepskin
Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambskin or lambswool.Sheepskin may also refer to:* Parchment, a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin** Diploma, originally made of sheepskin...
, sometimes decorated with embroidery
Ukrainian embroidery
Ukrainian embroidery occupies an important place among the various branches of Ukrainian decorative arts. Embroidery has a rich history in Ukraine, and has long appeared in Ukrainian folk dress as well as played a part in traditional Ukrainian weddings and other celebrations. Appearing all across...
and with leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, cords, tassels, and other accessories. They were tight at the waist, sometimes very long. There were two main variations, those with straight backs and those with detached backs.
Variations of the kozhukh were worn throughout Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, but it was primarily used in the middle Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
region, including the Left Bank
Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
and steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
areas, and in Polissya. They were especially popular during the Cossack Hetmanate
Cossack Hetmanate
The Hetmanate or Zaporizhian Host was the Ruthenian Cossack state in the Central Ukraine between 1649 and 1782.The Hetmanate was founded by first Ukrainian hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the Khmelnytsky Uprising . In 1654 it pledged its allegiance to Muscovy during the Council of Pereyaslav,...
period, though they were also worn during the Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
period. In the last decade, coats based on the traditional Kozhukh have become fashionable again in Ukraine.