National bands
The tradition of wearing ribbons in Lithuania is very old, as we find the first traces of ribbons already in the 9th - 13th centuries. in burials, where, in addition to miniature tape-making tools, there are also small fragments of the tapes themselves. Some authors mention that winding tapes wound with blocks have been known in Lithuania since the 4th century. The ribbon is an exclusive, inseparable part of the Lithuanian national costume for men and women, not only tied, but also widely used in household and customs. Most often, 2-3 m long and 2-20 cm wide strips are woven from homemade linen, wool or cotton threads. According to the production technique, woven, braided, twisted and knitted national belts are distinguished.
The national belt was a belt for tying or tying a belt (armband, armband, skirt), tied (hundred-leaf binders - garters; tied bands - neckties - worn by men on shirt collars; and bands intended for tying a swaddled baby were called pawiots), tied (roads, roadside – ribbons for tying shoelaces and socks). Belts had a great importance in wedding ceremonies, especially in Dzūkija. The national team's tapes were especially popular. These bands are dominated by geometric ornament, many archaic signs - symbols of heavenly bodies, stars, crosses, swastikas, twists, signs of the vital forces of the earth and vegetation. Braided bands are characterized by large diamond patterns. Multi-colored woolen threads are used for braiding them. The patterns-ornaments of the selected bands used to be very diverse: rakes, stars, gourds, cat's feet, Christmas trees, goats' feet, eyes, roses, birch leaves, snakes, horses, bears, frogs, rattles, etc.
In the household, the bands of the national costume were usually tied narrow. The bottom of the strips is white linen, rarely colored. Patterns - woolen and pure yarn, colors: green, red, purple. The colors of the pattern are arranged in three rows, weaving multi-colored strips on the edges, and multi-colored threads at the ends. Each color has its own symbolic meaning, for example: red color is a symbol of protection, green color is associated with nature, hope, loneliness, violet and black colors mean sadness. Contrasting colors are usually combined. A combination of 1-5 colors is woven into the edge, diversifying the color range of the tape and emphasizing the main color of the pattern. The central part of the pattern is highlighted with threads of another contrasting tone. This is typical of all ethnographic fields.
Hand-woven ribbons have long attracted the eye and delighted the soul with their beauty and color. The tape that accompanied a Lithuanian from birth to death had both a practical and a symbolic purpose; it was and is given on various occasions, to express gratitude, respect, and affection, and it is used both in the household and in various ceremonies.