The rushnyk, Russian and Ukrainian traditional towel, is a protective talisman, a family heirloom, and an element of traditional folk dress. Like a song, the history of rushnyk, Ukrainian wedding towel, is old and profound. The rushnyk accompanies a person through the cycle of life: from birth, to marriage, and at death. Embroidered rushnyks often played an important role at the wedding ceremony to welcome a new couple. They also held a place of honor among the interior furnishings of a home.