Splendidly painted and carved, Russian prialki display an astounding variety of decorative styles. Over forty distinct types of prialka decoration developed over the centuries, each local center infusing it with a unique beauty of its own.   Often called ‘root prialki,’ northern prialki were carved from a single piece of wood – the lower part of a tree trunk.

The unpainted prialka from the Tarnogskii district of the Vologda region unites ancient pagan solar signs and Christian symbols to protect and help the spinner. Another Vologda prialka combines woodcarving and painting.

The prialki from Griazovets, in the Vologda region, are skillfully carved in openwork technique to resemble intricate Vologda lace.

Made from birch and spruce wood, prialki from the Northern Dvina River are distinguished by unique painted motifs decorating the blade. The prialka from the village of Borok is painted with red floral patterns against a white background and features a horse and sleigh. The prialka from the Rakulka River features a bird in the central part of the blade.

The unpainted prialki from the Yaroslavl region are unusually shaped. The prialka features a beautifully carved crown and a palace scene incised on the blade. The two-piece columnar prialka from Yaroslavl is adorned with intricate fretwork to resemble a multi-tiered tower.

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