Traditional ornaments on metal jewelry in the Balkan lands from 18th-19th Centuries
Traditional ornaments on metal jewelry in the Balkan lands from 18th-19th Centuries

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this article is to explore one particular segment of cultural connections – the evolution of traditional jewelry from the 18th and 19th centuries in the Balkans. The focus is on traditional motifs, on gold jewelry in the Balkan countries. Analysis of the imagery and associated beliefs and cultic practices reveal close cultural and trade connections crossing the Danube River and the Balkans as a whole. During my research I came across materials showing that the same motifs were found in several Balkan countries (Romania, Serbia and Greece). The decoration of this traditional jewelry is typical for the Orient, but it is also widespread among the Christian population of the Balkan Peninsula. This shows that in those times when there were no political borders, cultural influences from the East and West very quickly penetrated the territory of the Balkans.

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