Ornaments and ritual requisites

The second floor of the museum consists of a vast salon, two rooms and a terrace, Bulgarian style. In the salon – in separate showcases – ornaments and ritual requisites (with the respective local specifics), characteristic of the Middle Rhodopes are arranged. Naturally, women’s ornaments predominate (mainly made of silver alloys).

It is only here – in a Bulgarian museum collection – that a traditional headgear of a woman’s national costume with the full set of metal decorations can be seen. Particularly memorable is the imposing ornament “amulet with spools”.

The superb skill and innate artistic flair of the Bulgarian women shown in making the customary bride’s trousseau (ruba, spap) arouse genuine admiration.

Also presented is a panel, ingeniously made of traditional stockings whose combined multicolour components possess ancient magical symbolism.

A vertical loom for large bedclothes and covers (made of wool and goat’s hair) is mounted in the first room of the second floor. This loom is the oldest – as a type – in the history of weaving in general. It should be pointed out again that such a museum exhibit cannot be found anywhere else in Bulgaria. It can be watched “live” only here!

The second room recreates the furnishings traditional for Zlatograd in the second half of the 19th c. and the beginning of the 20th c. With its multifunctionality it replaces a modern apartment!…