A valuable donation was received by the Historical Museum in the town of Chiprovtsi in Northwestern Bulgaria. Timothy and Penelope Hayes - an American family couple who collect and study antique carpets made in the Balkans - donated to the museum two unique carpets, which they bought from private collectors.
The couple came across an interesting find in an antique shop in Vienna - two priceless carpets. One was an 18th century Galibalda type, and the other was a unique piece of art with an interesting story, as it was woven by a Muslim woman in Ludogorie region. The donated carpets are the oldest specimen in the collection of the history museum in Chiprovtsi, a town famous for its carpet weaving traditions.
According to history sources and documents, in eighteenth-century the women of Chiprovtsi and the nearby villages of Zhelezna and Kopilovtsi made 8,000 prayer rugs for the needs of Second Turkish army each year.
"We've been looking for so long to find such a carpet, made in Chiprovtsi. Long time ago the women of Chiprovtsi used to weave carpets for churches, too - both Orthodox and Catholic, as well as for synagogues and mosques. The weaving technique of this carpet is different from what we know. It will be used for the scientific research at the museum," said the museum director Anita Komitska, PhD, for the Bulgarian public television BNT.
The art of carpet weaving is recognized by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage, and each new find helps experts to reconstruct a more detailed history of carpet weaving.
Compiled by: Gergana Mancheva
English version: Elizabeth Radkova
Photos: museology.bg and library
Dear friends, we are happy to announce that the Bulgarian National Radio’s QSL cards for 2025 are now available. The two series – one with 6 postcards and the other with 12 postcards – are entitled "The Beauty of Bulgaria." The series of 6 cards..
From the first attempts to fly with homemade wings back in the 19th century, to the world's first combat flights with reconnaissance and bombing purposes. From the first successful landing of an airplane with a stopped engine in history, to the world's..
On the night of 19-20 January - the celebration of Yordanovden (Epiphany) and Ivanovden (St. John's Day) in the Julian calendar - the northwestern town of Kula will host the traditional "Kapachi" ("Bathing") ritual. This is a unique event, with a..
In 2032, Bulgaria and Denmark will select their cities for the title of European Capital of Culture. The procedure will open in 2026 when the two..
Priceless Romanian ancient gold stolen from a museum in the Netherlands Three golden bracelets and a priceless helmet from the Romanian exhibition..
The day of St. Tryphon is marked on 1 February old style (14 February new style), and i n the folklore calendar it spans 3 days, known as Trifontsi..
Mostly Cloudy
Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Cloudy