The artifact was made by one of the Kyiv Master goldsmiths, Master Byshevs′kyǐ, for an unknown marriage around 1857. This crown was made for the crowning ceremony of Eastern Christian wedding tradition. The crown of marriage would be placed on the groom's head, with a similar one for the bride, to signify Jesus Christ’s victory over sin, evil, and death. This ceremony would typically have friends, family, and clergy members in attendance and involve prayers and hymns. “An Explanation of the Crowning Ceremony.” Melkite Eparchy of Newton, https://melkite.org/faith/faith-worship/an-explanation-of-the-crowning-ceremony.
This 20th century Ukrainian flower crown originated in Podilla. It was hand made using wire, paper, and encaustic painting with wax. It is a beautiful depiction of lilies of the valley woven into a crown. In Ukraine, the lily is symbolic of innocence and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Because of this, It was not uncommon for these flower crowns to be worn at weddings by women, symbolizing purity as they entered their marriage.
