The University of Dayton Roesch Library has a small display of handmade Ukrainian Easter eggs, known as pysanky, on loan from local alumna Tina Waypa Schlegel’s collection.

The 22 delicate eggs are made in the batik wax-resist technique of repeated dyeing and drawing with melted beeswax. The word “pysanka” stems from the verb pysaty, which means “to write.” 

“Pysanky is a family tradition and something I learned in my childhood,” Waypa Schlegel said. “As members of a Ukrainian Catholic church in the Pittsburgh area where I grew up, my family made pysanky as part of our Lenten traditions.” 

Each pysanka is unique and has special meaning. Traditionally, pysanky were made in preparation for the Easter celebration, but they also were used for many rituals and traditions — from births to burials, from weddings to housewarmings. 

The designs are written on the eggs with melted beeswax using a stylus called a kistka. As the lines are drawn, the wax hardens, protecting the egg in those places. The process of writing and dyeing (progressing from lightest to darkest color) is repeated until the last dye is applied. Once the final design is achieved, the wax is melted from the egg, and the full design is revealed. 

Although no two pysanky are exactly alike, there are certain basic traditional designs and methods of arranging them. The egg is always divided into fields by lines and/or wide bands running horizontally and/or vertically around the egg. Motifs are typically geometric, animal, plant, or combinations of the three categories. 

The eggs are on display through April 25 in the Roesch Library main floor lobby. Visitors during the week will need to obtain a parking pass at the visitors booth on College Park Avenue.