How a traditional Russian ‘IZBA’ was arranged (PICS)

What a Russian ‘izba’ looked like from the outside

In Old Russia, ‘izbas’ were built only from wood. Carpenters would stack tree trunks on top of each other. “In one log, at a distance of about 20 centimeters from the end, a semi-cylindrical recess ('the cup') was cut out, corresponding to another log joined to it at a 90 degree angle,” says ethnographer Evgenia Blomkvist, describing the process.

A horizontal row of logs around the perimeter formed a “crown”. To insulate the house, moss or oakum (old rope fibre) was tamped between the logs. Iron nails, or other metal parts, were typically not needed.

Historians consider the four-sided hipped roof to be the most ancient type of roofing in ‘izbas’. Two-sided gable roofs became widespread later. They allowed the use of the space under the roof for a large attic with a window.

The ridge (where the roof slopes come together) was customarily decorated with animal figurines; and decoration in the shape of a horse's head was most common. Historian Dmitry Zelenin suggested that the tradition arose as a “memory of the skulls of animals that were sacrificed”.

Roofs were usually covered with planks, thin boards or shingles (aka small wooden plates). Metal roofing was less common and, sometimes, even reeds were used. In the north, as a rule, wood chips were laid in layers on the frame, such a covering resembled scaly tiles. In the southern provinces, thatch was more a common roof coverage material.

From the outside, the house was decorated with wood carvings; over time, these would be replaced by multicolored paintings. Most often, the ornament consisted of geometric figures, but other motifs were also found:

“Russians, along with geometric figures, depict fantastic animals: sea cats resembling lions, human-like figures with fish tails, horse heads, plant ornaments, etc. Northern Russians usually decorate with carvings those boards on the facade of the house that run along the edge of both roof slopes from the ridge,” writes ethnographer Dmitry Zelenin.

Ane ‘izba’ was typically surrounded by a courtyard. Stables, a cattle shed, a hayloft and barns for grain and supplies were in the yards of wealthy peasants and middle-income villagers. The owners stored tools in the yard, while carts and sledges were placed under awnings. In the northern provinces of Russia, meanwhile, the courtyard was connected to the ‘izba’ by a roof, creating a covered complex with many outbuildings. However, in the south, all structures would usually stand separately, surrounded by a wattle fence.

The structure of a traditional house

The structure of ‘izbas varied in different regions, largely depending on the climate. For example, in the south, houses would be built directly on the ground. The earthen floor was strewn with straw or hay, sometimes covered with boards. In the north, however, log houses with several stores were built. The bottom was the non-residential part, which usually served for storing supplies. This could be a basement floor or a low underground space, a cellar semi dug into the ground.

The ceiling in the rooms was usually low, with a ‘matitsa’ (horizontal beam) in the middle. It supported the ceiling logs or boards and was also considered a sacred place in the house. Protective symbols and the names of deceased relatives would be carved on the matitsa and a child's cradle was typically hung from it. The ceiling beam also conventionally divided the house's space into external and internal: a guest sat on a bench by the entrance and would not go into the other half without the owner's invitation.

Windows in northern ‘izbas’ were located on the second floor, while the first, utility floor had no windows. Instead of glass, mica plates were inserted or the frames were covered with ox bladders and oiled paper; in cold weather, they were covered with bags of straw and shutters. Doors and ceilings were made low to let less cold into the ‘izba’. Often, ‘izbas’ did not have latches, so visitors were supposed to knock on the window to announce their visit to the owners.

Internal layout

The most common type of house consisted of two rooms: a heated living area and a cold entryway (‘seni’). The ‘seni’, a kind of hallway, separated the warm zone from the outdoors. In it, tools and food supplies were stored, barrels of water were kept, food was cooled and outerwear and footwear were left. In summer, the residents slept in the ‘seni’ and, in winter, young livestock and poultry were kept there, if the animals needed protection from the frost.

In the warm room, family members would eat, sleep and cook food; this is also where the sleeping area was located. It averaged 20–25 square meters, even though seven to 10 people typically lived in an ‘izba’. The space was also divided into women's and men's halves. In some ‘izbas’, partitions additionally separated the clean half, the ‘gornitsa’ (upper room), where guests would be received and the family gathered around the table.

Near the stove, there would also be an entrance to an underground cellar, which a staircase led down to. In it, milk, vegetables (potatoes, carrots, sauerkraut, etc.) and other perishables were usually stored.

Furniture, decorations & lighting: The furnishings of an ‘izba’

Furniture in the ‘izba’ was divided into portable and stationary. Long benches along the walls, shelves for dishes and ‘polati’ (high sleeping platforms) were attached directly to the log frame itself. Portable furniture in the ‘izba’ typically included a table, stools and storage chests. Interestingly, chairs could be found quite rare.

The large stove was usually built in a corner. In northern regions, it was placed right by the entrance, while, in the south, further away from it. Its length could reach up to two meters, with a flat sleeping platform on top, where the elderly and children slept.

Diagonally from the stove in the ‘izba’ was the ‘krasny’ (red, meaning beautiful) corner, the brightest, cleanest and most elegant part of the house. A shelf with icons and a ‘lampada’ (oil lamp) would typically be hung there. Upon entering someone else's house, one was supposed to cross themselves facing the red corner. It was also where the long dining table would stand, around which the family would gather on weekdays and during holidays.

‘Izbas’ were illuminated by thin, long ‘luchina’ (splinters), usually from birch or aspen wood. One or several of them were inserted into a ‘svetets’, a vertical rod about a meter long with an iron fork at the top. Embers from the ‘luchina’ would fall into a container of water placed next to the structure. The light given by a ‘luchina’ was dim, so all household work had to be done before dark. Expensive candles were rarely used by peasants and if they did, mainly on holidays. In the mid-19th century, kerosene lamps appeared in Russia, lighting up homes until the era of electricity.

From ancient times, owners tried to decorate their dwellings. Wooden objects were covered with carvings featuring geometric and plant ornaments, woven rugs were placed on the floors, icons were covered with white embroidered towels and stoves were sometimes painted with bright patterns. In the 17th century, printed pictures with fairy-tale and religious themes (like ‘lubok’ naive art) began to appear in Russia and many of such popular prints were hung on the walls.

The full version of the article is available in Russian at Culture.ru website.