site.btaGoat's-hair Articles Master Maker Named Living Human Treasure

Hristo Marinov, 67, a master maker of goat's-hair articles from the Etar Open-air Ethnographic Museum near Gabrovo, Central Bulgaria, has been declared a living human treasure, the Etar Open-Air Museum said in a press release. 

Marinov's nomination for the title, put forward by the Etar Museum, has been approved for entry in the National Representative List of Non-tangible Cultural Heritage in Bulgaria. 

Sixteen such nominations had been shortlisted in the final stage of the procedure, six out of which were approved for entry. 

The ceremony where the newly-entered nominees will receive their certificates will be held on December 13, in the Sredets Gallery of the Culture Ministry. 

An exhibition of Marinov's works which he has made during the years will be opened in the Etar Museum also on December 13.

Marinov has been working in the Etar Museum since 1980 where he uses authentic traditional methods to make goat's-hair articles which are then exhibited as part of the interiors and exteriors of the numerous houses and outdoor spaces in the museum. Marinov experiments with various weaving techniques, and has learned dyeing so to demonstrate that various colours can be used in goat's-hair articles. He also makes ropes. 

Marinov's nomination for entry in the National Representative List of Non-tangible Cultural Heritage in Bulgaria was in the category "Knowledge and Skills Pertaining to Traditional Crafts". 

In the past the craft of goat's-hair processing used to be very developed in the Balkan region. The craft starts with the raising of goats who produce the hair used to make the respective articles: rugs, saddlebags, sacks, horse-feeding sacks, harnesses, and ordinary bags. During the period of the Bulgarian Revival hundreds of goat's-hair masters used to work in the centres where such articles were manufactured. The two most characteristic goat's-hair articles from the Gabrovo region are the big grain sacks and floor runners with the natural colour of the goat's hair. 

BTA is a media partner of the Etar Museum and an avid promoter of traditional arts and crafts.