site.btaBalchik Palace Cultural Institute Hosts Panagyurishte Goldsmithery Exhibition
The "Panagyurishte Goldsmithery: Traditions and Development" exhibition is on display at the Palace State Cultural Institute in Balchik, featuring gold and silver artefacts shown to the public for the first time.
The Palace State Cultural Institute is hosting an exhibition from the repositories of the Panagyurishte History Museum for the fourth years in a row, the institution's Director, Zheni Mihailova, said at Wednesday's opening of the event. In this case, the items are unique relics of Bulgaria's historical heritage – silver and gold characteristic belt buckles (pafti), dating from the 15th through the 19th century.
The exhibition, also organized in honour of the 80th anniversary of the History Museum in Panaguyrishte, was presented by the establishment's Director, Assoc. Prof. Atanas Shopov, authors Petya Manoilova and Irina Boteva, and curator Metodi Navushtarov.
Shopov described Panagyurishte as a place with a millennial tradition in goldsmithery. The (Thracian) Panagyurishte gold treasure is not an exceptional phenomenon in the area, he said. Before that, the Panagyurishte silver treasure of 118 artefacts was discovered just 200 m as the crow flies away. With fits and starts, the traditions continued over the centuries and enjoyed a veritable boom in the latter part of the 18th, the 19th and the first decade of the 20th century. Records show that there were 23 goldsmitheries in Panagyurishte where traditions were inherited and developed, he added.
The exhibition is collected in ten showcases housing 84 finely crafted gold and silver items, part of which were donated to the museum. Silver, gold and gilded jewellery, pieces inlaid with mother-of-pearl or miniature icons – the range is quite impressive. The material of the jewels is also indicative of the social status of its former owners, the museum experts said. There are also curios, such as some priestly pafti inlaid with buffalo horn or horse hoof.
The exhibition will be open to visitors at the Palace State Cultural Institute in Balchik until October 31.
/DD/
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