The Ancient Rus’ Golden Gates (Wonder Matches & Miracle Bead (2016) Design par Anatolii Zhamoido

Title: The Ancient Rus’ Golden Gates (Wonder Matches & Miracle Beads)
Series: God in the Palm of the Hand
Artists: Zhamoido Anatolii & Bulba Natalia
Original Design: 2016
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Dimensions:
• Object: 130 x 130× 130 mm (height)
• Packaging: 200 mm (diameter) × 205 mm (height)
• Weight: 0.930 kg
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Materials:
Medium:
• Eternity
• Matches
• Glue (PVA D3)
• Toothpicks,
Beads:
• Japanese beads
• Czech beads
• Beads from other brands
• Wooden beads
• Microbeads
Crystals and Pearls:
• Swarovski beads
Rhinestones and Decorative Elements:
• Adhesive Swarovski rhinestones
• Adhesive rhinestones (other brands)
• Sequins
• Metal chain
• Metal-set rhinestones
• Self-adhesive film
• Glitter and tinsel
Additional Materials:
• Silver and gold wire
• Computer graphics
Packaging:
Protective display case made of acrylic glass
Golden Gate — A Tribute to the Wooden Architecture of Ancient Rus’
Since time immemorial, wooden architecture has held an essential place in human life.
Forests were not only a part of the natural world that delighted the eyes of our ancestors, but also a convenient and accessible source of building material.
At first, people constructed homes, outbuildings, bridges, watchtowers, and fortress walls.
From generation to generation, master builders developed and passed down the most expressive techniques, forms, and secrets of the craft.
Beginning in the 10th century, in the newly Christianized lands of Kyivan Rus’, magnificent cathedrals began to rise with astonishing speed.
Initially, they were built by foreign artisans following the canonical traditions of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture.
But soon, original national traits began to emerge vividly in Old Rus’ architecture.
The ability to build “with beauty in mind” — not by strict blueprint, but by what measure and beauty dictate — turned these creations into true masterpieces of world architecture.
In their harmonious yet austere proportions, these churches embodied our ancestors’ vision of beauty, a concept closely linked to holiness in their minds.
With each generation, the traditional foundations of this art form were enriched, refined, and perfected over centuries.
Many unique temples were destroyed and later resurrected from ruins in the past centuries.
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Golden Gate — Echo of a Shared Slavic Heritage
The Golden Gate stands as a tribute to the rich culture of Ancient Rus’, which united the lands of several Slavic peoples.
Starting in the 10th century, monumental city gates crowned with over-gate churches became characteristic features of fortified settlements.
At first made of wood and later of stone, most have survived only in chronicles, rare illustrations, and modern reconstructions.
The most renowned surviving examples are the Golden Gates of Kyiv and Novgorod.
This miniature recreates a wooden version of such a gate.
Two tiny fir trees, three miniature cannons, and five beaded crosses complete the composition. The cannons can be placed either at the fortress base or on the first-tier platforms.
Originally developed as part of an educational project in the form of books and creativity kit published in Ukraine and RF (before the war), this version of the artwork represents a full realization of the concept. Its creation took approximately 3–4 weeks of full-time work. The object stands as both an artifact and an invitation: to rediscover wonder in the smallest materials and the slowest gestures.
A step-by-step illustrated guide to creating the matchstick cottage and beaded trees is available as a PDF and can be ordered directly from the author.
The guide is offered in Ukrainian or Russian (and can be easily translated into your preferred language — for example, by ChatGPT).
Price: €5.


The Golden Gate from ages old,
In match and bead, its tale is told.
Where faith and craft in silence meet —
A memory carved in wood and heat.

Where tiny trees and crosses shine,
The gate recalls an ancient line.
In wood and thread, it hums a song —
Of Rus’ that stood, both proud and strong.
Ворота золоті з далекої доби —
Їх зводили майстри, громади - не раби.
У серці храм, у пальцях — світ,
Де мовлять вічність, бісер й дріт.

Із сірників та скла, зі золотої мрії —
Цей витвір мовчки вас зігріє.

Слово о ВоротЂ златыи, ди†рукотворенЂ
Не лЂ́по ли ны̀ бя́шетъ, брáтіе,
нача́ти словесы въстарѣлыми,
пѣ́снь же покла́сти на славу ремѣ́слю —
о чю́дѣ рукотвóреннѣмь,
о врата́х златы́хъ изъ древъ и бисѣ́ра,
иже въ малій длани́ просі́яша?
Тамъ бо бя́ху дрє́ва си́рническаѧ,
огнь живо́учій, и клей глѣѧнный,
и бисѣръ восточенъ —
чюдь Япона, звѣзда Чеха,
і и́нъ многъ, яко рѣка искрѣнна,
разли́лася по рубѣжамъ съвѣтлымъ.
Тамъ же стоя́ть древца ялинина,
і хресты́ сѣянныи пѧтью блиста́ниѣмъ.
Иже зра́къ воздви́гоша
на подо́біє градѣй Кыѣвля
і Новѣгорода вѣ́лико.
Пу́шки малыи, яко игра́лище воѣ́нно,
стоѧть на о́плѣтьї держа́внѣй.
Руце майстро́въ — не рабы, но творцѣ,
иже мѣ́рою, не чертѣ́жомъ дѣлающе,
воздвигоша врата́ златыи,
і въ ни́хъ — храмъ невѣ́димый,
гдѣ бо мóлвить гла́съ тиши,
і пѣ́снь бeзъ зву́ка греми́ть въ сърцѣ.
Тамъ зре́ютъ ремѣ́сла и вѣ́ры союзъ —
ѣ́дино въ пламени и дрє́ві,
ѣ́дино въ нѣмоти и славѣ,
ѣ́дино въ маліи длани́,
гдѣ Богъ въся держа́витъ.

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