Intangible Cultural Heritage in the CEI Region

Xhubleta is regarded as the identity element of highland women and girls in Northern Albania. It is a handcrafted garment, characterised by its undulating bell form. Predominantly black with colourful embroidered motifs, the crafting process entails preparing the shajak (woven felt), cutting, sewing and embroidering symbolic figures.

Due to the distinctive morphology and semiotics of xhubleta, its craftsmanship is highly appreciated.

Xhubleta was once used in everyday life since the age of puberty indicating the social (maiden, married women, widow) and economic (decorations) status of a woman. Its semiotic dimension has been inherited and it is nowadays reflected in the usage of the dress in important life events such as marriage, festivities (especially Logu i Bjeshkëve), or death rituals.

The bearers and practitioners of xhubleta craftsmanship are mostly elderly women based in rural areas of the North, where this element is still present within families. Only few women possess the knowledge of the entire process of producing xhubleta; all other bearers focus on skills to preserve and restore the xhubletas they have inherited and learn the way of assembling its elements to be worn during festive events highlighting its symbolic and ritual meaning.

“Xhubleta in Miniature” from the collection: Cultural Heritage in Jewelry – Betina Sharavolli
The handcrafted brooches, earrings, and necklaces inspired by Albanian traditional motifs are more than just accessories, they are small pieces of cultural heritage. These pieces not only add a unique touch to any outfit, but also serve as meaningful symbols of Albanian craftsmanship and tradition, preserving and celebrating cultural heritage in every meticulously hand-painted detail.

“Xhubleta, skills, craftsmanship and forms of usage” is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in December 2022 (17.COM).
This element at the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Albania:
https://regjistritkj.al/punimi-artizanal-i-xhubletes/

Artist: Betina Sharavolli, Anzotika Jewelry & Gallery @anzotica @betina.arts

Filigree is an intricate metalwork technique used to create delicate jewelry (usually gold and silver). This jewelry is made with tiny beads or twisted threads, or both in combination, soldered together or to the surface of an object of the same metal and arranged in artistic motifs. Other objects such as ornaments, souvenirs, etc. are also produced with this technique.

Filigree in Albania has been an old tradition, especially of the master craftsmen of the city of Shkodra.

The represented objects are a demonstration of the art of filigree in its inherited form and an exemplar made with this technique now. The object is an accessory of the traditional women’s costume “Dressing with Xhubletë” and is placed on the front of the head.

Nowadays this element survives in a form similar to the traditional elements, it has the same ritual function, but the workmanship and design have changed somewhat.

In the second photo there are three stages of work for creating of this object, stylized and brought into time by artisan Diomen Boriçi:

Construction of the main structure;

Addition of decorative elements, made of thin silver threads;

Placing ornamental stones and closing this accessory part of the traditional costume with Xhubletë.

The filigree work is part of the inventory: Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Albania

https://regjistritkj.al/punimet-ne%cc%88-filigran/

Woodcarving is an artistic craft that has a long tradition in the area of Konjic municipality, and the oldest written records confirming its existence are more than 150 years old. The craft reached its peak in the early 20th century when 34 workshopsoperated in Konjic. Starting with tiny items, woodcarvers eventually mastered theproduction of larger pieces of furniture and built sophisticated interiors for luxuriousBosnian residences and other interiors, which stand out for unique hand-carved motifsand visual identify. The carving process begins by drawing the patterns on a piece ofwood and then a process called “chipping” follows, which means cutting the woodsurface along the drawn lines by hitting special chisels with a hammer.

Craftsmen call the next phase “digging” and it involves chieseling the wood. The lastphase is decoration.

Typical hand-carved motifs range from particular geometric patterns to stylisticpresentation on the floral world. The distinct geometric motifs are known as “theBosnian-Konjic style“.

Today products made in woodcarving workshops are divided into three main groups: reproductions of now-classical hand-carved furniture such as stools, armoires, tables, desks, wall panels, etc; Second, smaller decorative objects, such as serving trays andwooden boxes.

The third and most recent group includes furniture that seamlesly blends traditionalhand-carved motifs into modern design form. These products, designed by outstandingBosnian designers were awarded the reknown Interior Innovation Award at the CologneFurniture Fair in Germany and coverage in some of the most globally prestegiousnewspapers and design magazines.

Konjic woodcarving was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the IntangibleCultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.

Zmijanje Embroidery has finally been recognized as a part of world’s official cultural heritage. It is the first element ever to be nominated and inscribed on the UNESCO’S list from the RS, as well as the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina. On November 26, 2014 at the Ninth Session of UNESCO’s International Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage, that took place at the UNESCO’s Paris Headquarters, Zmijanje Embroidery was inscribed on the UNESCO’S Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The nomination and inscription itself were preceded by a highly demanding procedure, whose main protagonist was a local community of Zmijanje region.

The processes of identification, preparation, documentation, protection and revitalization of the given element were collaboratively undertaken by several local and state institutions, the Museum of Republic of Srpska, Homeland Society Zmijanje and Ethno-association ‘Ribnik’. Also, several NGOs that were actively involved are Humanitarian Organization ‘Duga’, Ethno-workshop ‘Radinost R’ and ‘Veselin Maslesa’ Folklore Ensemble from Banja Luka.

Zmijanje Embroidery is undoubtedly one of the most characteristic embroidery techniques in the RS, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the entire Balkan region. Its uniqueness steams from the abundance of characteristic ornaments done with unique, for centuries unaltered technique, and ornamental harmony in stylistic perfection – all accomplished with a use of single dark blue thread.

Zmijanje Embroidery Exhibition showcases the early beginnings of the the technique in the XIX century, its consistency and unwavering principles, its progression and function in the modern world of today. In the times of modern globalization and technological progress, local community recognized the significance of the tradition, its symbolism and the ornamental expression, and raised awareness and consciousness about its safeguarding, best accomplished as a part of national cultural heritage of RS and BiH.  

In the exhibition, Bulgaria presents two elements along with their contemporary interpretations—both in original artistic works and in mechanized production. Both elements are related to activities and skills involving textile work.

The element The Tradition of Carpet-Making in Chiprovtsi was inscribed in 2014, at the proposal of Bulgaria, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its contemporary interpretation, presented in the exhibition, suggests a potential development toward autonomous artistic expression which could lead to creative solutions in the field of high fashion, based on traditional visual concepts.

At the core of such development lies the purposeful education of young people studying creative disciplines, introducing them to the inherited traditions in the field of decorative and semantic expression. The garments created as a result of the practical application of this process are showcased at specialised fashion shows and take part in festive events, among others.

The materials for Bulgaria’s participation were prepared by:
Corresponding Member, Professor, Doctor of Art Studies: Mila Santova
Assistant Professor, PhD Milena Lubenova
Arch. Mirella Kafkova

The element “Crafting a Traditional Bulgarian Folk Costume from the Kyustendil Region” was inscribed in 2021 on Bulgaria’s National Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, following a proposal by the Gradishte – 1907 Community Cultural Center in the town of Svoge, Svoge Municipality, Sofia Region. The element is based on the dedicated efforts of a community member committed to gathering information and undertaking authentic reconstructions of traditional costumes.Traditional techniques are mastered in the creation of individual details. The unique pieces are sometimes worn as festive garments on various occasions.

The contemporary application of this type of activity can be seen in specialized workshops for the serial production of costumes, based on well-researched traditional concepts. Modern technological practices—and, when necessary, materials—have been incorporated into the production process. The production is most often intended to meet the needs of folklore ensembles, mass cultural events, and similar occasions.

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – 2023

The manufacture of hand‑crafted glass involves a lot of traditional methods and specific techniques which are used during the manufacturing process and which depend on the skills of the maker and the purpose of the product. In recent years, the process has been consistently practised mainly in northern Bohemia, but individual productions and techniques are still present in other regions as well.

The traditional technology is used for the production of handmade glassware (table, household, decorative, luxury, artistic), lighting elements, and glass jewellery. The manufacture involves the work of master glassmakers directly in the glassworks (glass blowing and specific metallurgical techniques, manual glass pressing) as well as in other workshops (grinding, engraving, painting). Jewellery is hand drawn from glass blanks which are hand squeezed (pressed), blown or wound.

A number of the technological processes used are unique and date back to the first half of the 20th century. The multiplicity and interdependence of these procedures, which allow for diverse production, are remarkable and unique. 

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – 2018

Blueprint is a traditional fabric decoration technique which applies reserve – a substance protecting the fabric in places which are not to be dyed – by means of wooden or metal blocks. The printed fabric is then cold dyed in the indigo bath. Blueprint production originated in China. From the beginning of the 18th century, this textile-making technique spread throughout Europe, including the Czech lands. During the 19th century, blueprinting became popular among the bourgeoisie, particularly in rural areas. Blueprint manufactories and workshops were established throughout the Czech lands.

Blueprinting was characterised by its regional nature, with inhabitants of different regions favouring particular designs and motifs that reflected the local folk culture. Occasionally, blueprints were modified using wax.

Blueprint production retained this character until the early 1950s when it was interrupted by the closure of individual workshops as a result of the rise of the communist regime. Several years later, it was revived by the blueprint workshops of the Joch family from Strážnice, the Danzinger family from Olešnice na Moravě, and briefly by Jiřina Prouzová from Moravská Třebová. 

Blueprint production continued uninterrupted, and its essence remained unchanged. In the 1990s, the last functioning blueprint workshops in Czechia, belonging to the Danzinger and Joch families, became independent. Although they currently produce a different range of products, they continue the work of their ancestors, the workers and managers of both establishments are direct descendants of the founders. They have their own moulds bearing the original designs applied to folk clothing in regions to which the workshops traditionally supplied goods, and they regularly use them.

Collection of Hungarian Heritage House – Museum of Hungarian Applied Folk Art

The traditional costume from Mezőkövesd is one of the most ornate and famous Hungarian folk attires, reflecting 20th-century peasant clothing. Its upper part is a red, floral-patterned cashmere jacket (litya) with black velvet trim and zigzag ribbons. The back features an accordion pleat and black lace. A key element is the long, fine-patterned skirt with colorful ribbon at the hem. The most distinctive part is the apron (surc), richly decorated with Matyó roses, sequins, and satin borders. This iconic piece ends in fringes, though these are mostly hidden beneath shiny golden sequins.

While the contemporary dress features a modern cut (with a short, closed skirt and a vest that cannot be buttoned), its ornamentation still evokes the Mezőkövesd style. The silk-thread roses represent the latest type of Matyó embroidery, although they are larger in size than those found in traditional pieces. The fringe at the skirt’s hem echoes the macramé embellishment typical of the surc.

Located in the southern part of the Nagykunság region, Mezőtúr has a rich tradition of craftsmanship, among which pottery stood out from the mid-19th century onward. The utilitarian and decorative objects produced here reached even the most distant parts of the country. Even those with only a superficial knowledge of the town’s history know that the people of Mezőtúr were famous for their markets and jugs—these remain the town’s main attractions to this day.

Mezőtúr’s pottery tradition is still alive and evolving, preserving its inherited reputation and the significant role it holds in the history of Hungarian craftsmanship. The knowledge accumulated here is carried forward by local workshops and small businesses, where masters—trained locally—work and teach.

These workshops not only produce items that meet contemporary needs, but also carry out vital preservation work: they safeguard the legacy of a centuries-old material culture through fired ceramics, technical expertise, and professional know-how.

Mezőtúr pottery is not just important to the local artisans, nor merely a means of livelihood. It plays a key role in shaping the identity of the town’s residents, who take pride in a renowned craft with a rich past and a vibrant present. Local tourism is also fundamentally built around this cultural heritage.

Recognizing early on the need to preserve this value, the town and its residents established institutions—such as a museum, a local heritage house, and a school—without requiring major outside intervention. These institutions are credible and well-suited to the mission of preserving this cultural asset.

​Traditional wall-carpet craftsmanship is a century-old craft in the area of the Republic of Moldova. In the past, many families from rural areas used to weave different types of carpets to decorate their dwelling. Carpets counted among the most valuable goods of a family. They were an item of the girls’ dowries. The biggest carpets, with complex decorations, originated in weaving centres situated in monasteries and noblemen’s households. Since 19th century, many Bessarabian traditional carpets entered private art collections from the former Russian Empire and other countries. Nowadays, there are families and individual craftswomen in villages who earn their living weaving carpets. It is worth mentioning that some visual artists borrow inspiration from the décor of traditional carpets to make their own creations. In 2014, this craft was inscribed by Romania and the Republic of Moldova on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Traditional pottery is one of the representative crafts for the area of the Republic Moldova. In the Middle Ages, almost all the pots for everyday use were made of clay. There were professional potters who inherited the knowledge and skills from their fathers. We know about four centres of pottery in Bessarabia, although their number was once certainly bigger. These are the centres from the villages of Iurceni, Țigănești, Hoginești, and Cinișeuți. All these centres are inscribed in the National Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Moldova. Most frequently, potters used red ceramics, but there also existed a black one. In present time, hand-made pottery continues to be used for domestic needs, though to a lesser extent than before. Potters make ceramic pots and other kinds of items (flower vases, medallions, human figurines etc.) that can be offered as souvenirs. Several descendants from families of potters or graduates of fine arts faculties create artistic ceramics displayed during art exhibitions.

The skill of making and decorating Montenegrin ceremonial costumes is protected by the national low as traditional, artistic crafts and skill. The cut of the Montenegrin ceremonial costume has not changed for centuries, and the bearers of tradition have adequate patterns according to which, depending on the desired size, they cut and sew each piece of the costume, after decorating it with embroidery and gold embroidery. The Montenegrin gold embroidery and embroidery on the Montenegrin ceremonial costume are of medieval origin, as is the costume itself. It is specific both in its motifs and in the technique itself. It is embroidery with parallel gilded threads (srm), which is placed on paper or thinner cardboard with a drawn motif scheme. A continuous series of parallel gilded threads is attached more firmly to the face of the canvas and the paper template of the motif with thin gilded or yellow thread, which achieves precision and gives the impression of filigree finesse and relief motif. Diverse and rich, most often floral, geometric and rarely zoomorphic motifs are taken from old examples of Montenegrin ceremonial women’s and men’s costumes.

“Osvica” is an embroidery on the woman’s shirt of Montenegrin costume. There is more than a dozen recorded motifs, mostly geometric and geometricized floral motifs. “Ošvice” is embroidered using the technique of cross stitch and half-cross stitches on cotton cloth, two centimeters wide.

The material, equipment and accessories needed for the production of Montenegrin costumes, gold embroidery and embroidery, including “osvica” consist of the following: baize, plush, silk plush, silk and cotton thin fabric, needle, golden twister thread, golden thin twister thread, scissors, cap and cap mold, cotton canvas, multi-colored cotton and silk thread and thimble.

Dobrota lace, as the name suggests, is named after the settlement of Dobrota in Kotor and represents a “local version of ratićela”, Venetian lace, created under the influence of the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, but also Western Europe. Historical sources date the emergence of the skill of making Dobrota lace to the 15th century, and some traditions claim that embroidery originated even in the 12th century. Archival sources indicate that in the 14th century, domestic production of white embroidery was widespread. Based on this, it is known that two groups of weavers worked in Boka, one that most often sold its products to the West, and the other that worked exclusively for the needs of the church. In archival sources from the 15th and 16th centuries, Dobrota lace is most often found on “Slavic gloves”, “Morlačka rupica” or, as they were later called, “headscarves”.

Dobrot lace is made with a sewing needle and crochet thread, and it is done with the eye of the needle, less often with the tip, while the hand movement during its production is like embroidery. The motif, pattern or outline is made only with white thread on a white background, and the ornamental motifs and style rely on geometric elements of stars, semi-circular rosettes and circles. The pattern can be repeated on the same piece, but it must not be transferred to another work because it loses its value and originality. It is made with the help of tracing paper (clean or cut into cubes), cardboard, pencil, ruler and centimeter.

The items used for the production of Dobrota lace are needle, thimble, scissors, small scissors, crochet thread, and the materials are linen, cotton cloth, satin (silk). Dobrota lace is applied on objects, or textiles that have different utility values, and these objects are most often towels at altar covers, altar cloths or mass shirts.

The skill of making Dobrota lace was protected by national law in 2013, as a traditional skill and craft.

The Macedonian Glagolitic script, the oldest known Slavic alphabet, was created in the 9th century by Saints Cyril and Methodius to translate Christian texts into Old Church Slavonic. With its intricate, symbolically rich letterforms, Glagolitic played a foundational role in shaping Slavic linguistic, religious, and cultural identity. Although gradually replaced by the Cyrillic script, Glagolitic remains a unique expression of intangible cultural heritage—a living embodiment of historical memory, sacred language, and national identity.

This project offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the Glagolitic script through poster design, presenting it not as an artifact, but as a visual and symbolic system with ongoing cultural relevance. Each poster acts as a site of cultural transmission, using design as a tool to foster awareness, appreciation, and intergenerational dialogue. The work supports the preservation and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage, aligning with UNESCO’s emphasis on safeguarding oral traditions, languages, and knowledge systems that define community identity.

Through typographic experimentation, minimalist aesthetics, and symbolic abstraction, the Glagolitic characters are transformed into visual metaphors that communicate meaning across time. This approach bridges the historical and the contemporary, connecting viewers—particularly younger generations—to the philosophical, spiritual, and educational dimensions embedded in the script.

Rather than isolating the Glagolitic alphabet in the domain of historical scholarship, the project presents it as a living visual language—one that can evolve, be reimagined, and continue to inspire new cultural narratives. Each poster becomes a platform for cultural reflection and public engagement, inviting users to explore not only the visual form of the letters but the values and stories they carry.

By embedding the Macedonian Glagolitic script into the contemporary design landscape, this project contributes to the active revitalization of intangible cultural heritage. It reinforces the script’s dignity, originality, and symbolic power, ensuring its continued relevance as a marker of identity, creativity, and continuity in Macedonian and Slavic culture.

Laze Tripkov (b. 1978)

Visual Artist | Researcher | Educator

Laze Tripkov is a renowned visual artist, graphic design professor, and researcher whose work bridges cultural heritage, experimental media, and emerging technologies. Currently a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Art and Design, UJEP in the Czech Republic, he investigates the transformative potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in visual communication—most notably through the innovative concept of the Virtual Poster, which fuses immersive design with historical narratives and symbolic systems.

Tripkov is also a Professor of Graphic Design at the Faculty of Art and Design, International Balkan University in Skopje. His areas of expertise include VR immersion, holistic design, interactive installations, and the application of multimedia research methodologies. A key focus of his doctoral work is the reinterpretation of the Macedonian Glagolitic script, using contemporary poster design and immersive formats to revitalize intangible cultural heritage and promote cultural memory.

He holds an MA from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and completed postgraduate studies in Multimedia and Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. As a Fulbright PhD scholar, he conducted advanced research on Balkan iconography and symbolism, exploring how visual identity intersects with political and spiritual narratives in the region.

Tripkov’s creative output spans over 12 solo and 75 group exhibitions worldwide. His work has received numerous international honors, including the Golden Bee Award (Moscow International Poster Biennale), the AUG Czech Association Award, and the Bronze Award at the Emirates Poster Festival. His posters and immersive works have been exhibited across Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

He is the co-founder of Skopje Design Week, former managing director of the Skopje Poster Festival, and has served as National Coordinator for Creative Industries at the Macedonian Ministry of Culture, as well as a consultant for the World Bank’s PRODE Creative Economy Program in Montenegro. His leadership roles also include tenure as Vice Dean at UDG Podgorica and as Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje.

A sought-after speaker, juror, and workshop leader, Tripkov’s ongoing mission is to integrate tradition and innovation—developing platforms that encourage public engagement with heritage through contemporary design, and rethinking how historical scripts and cultural systems are preserved, interpreted, and reactivated in the digital age.

The sewing, donning and wearing of traditional burgher outfit remains the most important manifestation of Żywiec’s urban heritage. This outfit is passed on to the younger generations and created according to old patterns and in line with customs established in the interwar period.

A decisive moment in the history of Żywiec’s women’s garb was the use of white tulle around the mid-19th century, which was adorned with embroidery thanks to talented townswomen. Only at that point the ceremonial outfit became the unique part of the Żywiec heritage. The outfit has not evolved since then – no new patterns, materials or ornaments have beenintroduced. The most treasured addition to the style was embroidery with floral motifs that adorn tulle ruffs, shawls, scarves, aprons and handkerchiefs.

Tulle from Żywiec impresses with intricate patterns and a wide variety of embroideries in the form of trails, motifs, baskets and apliques. Tulles vary in terms of thickness and the size of the openings; making the most precious specimen, which are referred to as English mist (fine cotton tulle characterised by a very fine mesh), requires precision and attention to detail – their execution showcases the embroiderer’s craftsmanship and talent. Using a special needle and thin thread, the townswomen filled the tulle mesh, weaving bouquets with chamomiles, forget-me-nots, daisies, pansies, roses, carnations and cornflowers, as well as oak, grape and ivy leaves. This variety of floral embroideries and leaves was used to measure the level of women’s embroidery expertise.

‘The first time I was wrapped in tulle was during my own baptism – our family had a custom of baptising children in a special tulle outfit with embroidered traditional motifs. The outfit has always been a part of my life . . .’

Excerpt from an account of a Żywiec townswoman

These days, embroidery on tulle, and in particular the local Żywiec variety, is undergoing a renaissance, thanks to significant interest of fashionistas, designers and stylists. New forms are being developed, which give clothes a festive look, while other varieties are being worn casually. An example of this kind of fashion is a tulle collar adorned with elaborate white embroidery with floral motifs, which refers to tulle ruffs with rich embroideries and intricate pleating.

The tradition of making, donning and wearing the Żywiec burgher outfit was added to the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2023.

Easter egg engraving is a way of decorating Easter eggs with traditional – mainly floral – ornaments, covering most of the surface. The technique emerged in the Opole area in the first half of the 19th century, and even though it is also present in other areas of Poland and Europe, only in the Opole region it managed to achieve such great creative potential. Some consider egg engraving as a symbol of the region. The Polish name of the practice is derived from the word krasa, which means the colour red (as Easter eggs used to be dyed red) and beauty, and from the word krasić, which means decorating.

In the 1960s, the Opole branch of the Cepelia came up with the idea of transferring the traditional egg designs to a more durable material and promoting it to a wider audience. They chose porcelite sourced from the Tułowice plant. This task was undertaken by women artists from Opole, including Stefania Okos (secundo voto Topola), Róża Żymełko and Gertruda Mateja. In the late 1960s, they started using porcelain for this purpose.

Initially, only two-coloured vessels were made and decorated with simple motifs from engraved eggs; however, spraying paint over the entire surface of the vessel in order to later scratch an ornament onto it proved to be too tedious a task, and the spray paint turned out to be harmful to women. Instead of applying a white pattern on a coloured background, the reverse was done – a coloured ornament was applied to the white background. The paint was first applied with a brush and then with a nib, which proved much easier in practice.

Early designs were characterised by simplicity of form and archaism. These days, the patterns are mostly symmetrical and repetitive, but also extremely rich. The main colours used are the various shades of blue, red, orange, green and yellow. The popular ornaments include multicoloured floral compositions in the form of stylised tendrils or flowers.

Describing the painted Opole porcelain, Dr Czeslaw Kurek said: It has become our collective success and something people get to bring joy to their homes. Let us keep in mind that the Opole engraved eggs had – and likely still have – a magical power, and that painted porcelain originated there.

Opole Easter egg engraving and the skill of hand-painting the Opole pattern have been included as two separate entities on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.

Furniture objects craftsmanship for the rural household in Romania is an element  of intangible cultural heritage, recognized and inscribed in the National Repertoire of Intangible Cultural Elements of Romania (2008). It is mostly a functional craft, devoted to creating functional objects, and the main fabric was wood. Different techniques were used for transforming wood into these useful household items, including benches, dish cabinets, cabinets for clothes, towels, bedsheets, beds, special boxes for storing traditional textiles used for decorating the home, cupboards, small cabinets, shelves, cradles, high or low tables, various typs of shelves, mirror frames, high or low chairs.

The processing of wood material for the purpose of obtaining various types of furniture underwent diversification in the Romanian villages. Thus, wooden objects crafted by ruralcraftspeople could be purchased at fairs on market days and were in high demand due to their practical usefulness. By simple carving and smoothing techniques, craftspeople created pieces offunctional and sometimes artistic impact, fitting spatially into the domestic universe of the Romanian peasant.

In general, all categories of furniture made by peasant craftsmen define the specific character of certain regions through their shape and design, being adapted to the limited space of the living room of a typical rural house. Each item had a predetermined place depending on the location of the hearth — the central point of the room, around which all other house elements revolved.

Furniture pieces were a prominent presence in the interior design of rural Romanian homes, due to the abundance of raw wooden material in many areas. The forests covering large areas of the mountainous and sub-mountainous regions of the country provided a constant source of material for the development of woodcraft.

The chair, a piece primarily associated with utilitarian purposes, was widely used in the home for rest and various household tasks suited to its function — for example, certain domestic chores or women’s work in home-based crafts — as well as around small central tables, for spinning, food preparation, etc. In mountainous and sub-mountainous areas, small stools of various shapes (round and rectangular), simply made from beech wood, were common. They were crafted in rural households from monoxyles (single pieces of wood) or planks, and their making did not require a high level of specialization.

Among these, of interest are the small stools with a concave hollow. Their sizes varied depending on the needs for which they were created, from standard dimensions to the length of a bench. Notably, the concave-hollowed, round, three-legged stools were very simple but featured an efficient construction technique.

The bearer of traditional culture lives in perfect harmony with the nature (the sky, stars, natural phenomena, the earth, waters, air) and their microcosm (the home, household, village, fields, meadows, and the tools and utensils crafted and used in daily life). The construction of shelters for people and their agricultural goods represents an ecologically responsible approach to landscape preservation and the sustainable use of local natural materials.

Transhumance—the seasonal movement of livestock was inscribed in 2023 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with Romania joining nine other countries in this recognition. Given the mobility of shepherds between seasonal locations, Transhumance also involves specific traditional architectural elements. These range from the components of the sheepfold, such as the târlă (sheepcot), strungă (a walk-through milking parlor), to the șurlă (a short-term shepherd’s hut used during summer grazing). In some cases, more complex shepherd dwellings were developed, which even gave rise to small settlements tailored to the needs of pastoral life.

As autumn and winter approached, sheep were often kept in open-air enclosures such as fenced areas where the flock would rest overnight, outfitted with a șopron (a simple shelter made from woven reed walls, offering basic protection for both animals and fodder). During short-distance vertical transhumance, when facing harsh weather, shepherds typically used open shelters with earth floors, reed roofs, and no attic. To guard the animals from strong winds, they sometimes used crafted windbreaks or shields.

A shepherd’s hut is a traditional, mobile structure historically used during sheep grazing and lambing seasons. These huts played a vital role in the Carpathian region, offering temporary shelter in remote mountain areas. Some of them were even built on wheels, allowing easy relocation—emphasizing their temporary nature.

Another example of small-scale, temporary architecture is linked to another element of Romania’s intangible cultural heritage: The haymaking culture. This refers to the traditional knowledge and practices of haymaking in the semi-natural meadows of Romania’s mountain and sub-mountain Carpathian regions. It was inscribed on the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021.

Haymaking is predominantly practiced in hill and mountain communities where animal husbandry is the primary occupation. These regions rely heavily on extensive livestock farming, and hay is a vital resource for feeding herbivores throughout the cold seasons: autumn, winter, and spring. As such, storing hay in sheltered or open-air spaces is a key complementary activity.

In many ethnographic mountain regions, households typically own a hay shelter. Some farmers construct these shelters directly in the meadows, from where they transport the hay using horse-drawn sleds and store it in the loft of the barn. If the hayfield is located far from the village, families often relocate temporarily, bringing with them much of their household: animals, food supplies, and other essentials needed during the haymaking period.

Such temporary shelters, often including at least one sleeping area, a stable for animals, and a barn to store hay, are common throughout Romania’s mountainous areas. If permanent buildings are not available in these remote areas, haymakers may build makeshift huts out of wood, leaves, and hay, designed to repel rain and provide several days of lodging during mowing and hay gathering.

To better protect the hay from rain, the roof of the șopru (hay shelter) could be raised or lowered depending on the volume of hay. The construction is simple: four wooden posts arranged in a square, typically about 4 meters apart. The roof, shaped like a pyramid, was made of draniță(wooden shingles) and could be either fixed or adjustable.

Counted thread embroidery is a method of embellishing fabrics with a needle and embroidery thread, involving several different techniques. It is performed on fabrics where the warp and weft threads cross perpendicularly and are visible to be counted. The pattern on the fabric is created by pricking the embroidery thread into the fabric with a needle, based on counting the threads of the base fabric. The most vivid embroidery is the counted-thread embroidery based on cross-stitch (cross-stitch embroidery). They embroider with an embroidery thread (cotton, linen, wool or silk), using a variety of fabrics as a backing, most often made of natural fibres(linen, cotton), but also of man-made fibres. They produce single-coloured, two-coloured or multicoloured patterns. Embroidery is used to embellish fabrics for home and church furnishings, every day and festive items, including contemporary clothing and folklore and related costumes. In addition to inherited traditional skills, patterns and objects, new techniques and motifs are developed and embroideries are incorporated into contemporary textiles. For example, since 2018, the contemporary textile centre Kreativnice has been operating in Škofja Loka. This centre brings together textile designers who express themselves in a variety of textile techniques. The creative-working space, which is also an exhibition and sales studio, focuses on textile design, the use of natural materials and handicraft, bringing together individual creators and artists, finding synergies between them and exchanging their practices.

Embroidery as a way of decorating the ground with a needle and embroidery thread has been practiced in Slovenia since at least the late Middle Ages. The oldest preserved embroidery (a tablecloth) in counted threads with the year 1823 is preserved at the Slovene Ethnographic Museum. In 2022, the knowledge of counted thread embroidery was inscribed in the Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovenia.

Embroidery following a stencil is a way of hand-beading the backing with a needle and embroidery thread. The needleworkers embroider according to a template drawn on the ground and embellish it with embroidery floss (linen, cotton, wool, silk, synthetic fibres, metallic floss) and accessories. They use fine-textured fabrics (silk, cotton, linen, wool, synthetic fibres) or other materials (felt, leather, fur, white leather) as the backing. For the motifs, they use drawings on the face of the embroidery warp, on which they prick a needle with the embroidery thread. Flat embroidery predominates, complemented by various stitches (stem, chain, loop, etc.), holes, spiders and knots, cut-outs and appliqués. Specific products are made using the technique of cross-stitch embroidery, embroidery with sequins and bullion (very fine gold wire wound into a fine knot for embroidery), embroidery with bird feather coils, pearls, etc. Embroidery is used to decorate textiles and other kinds of objects for everyday use, and more often for festive use, most often tablecloths and napkins, but also curtains and other textiles for home and church furnishings, clothing and other items intended for modern use, and folklore and related costumes. Embroiderers produce products for their own consumption, as gifts and for sale. For example, textile designer and artist Nina VastlŠtefe, the member of contemporary textile hub Kreativnice, who designs and makes home textiles from natural materials. She finds it important to be in direct contact with materials and to work with her hands.

Embroidery as a way of decorating the ground with a needle and embroidery thread has been practiced in Slovenia since at least the late Middle Ages. The oldest textile embroidery following a stencil with the year 1812 is preserved at the Slovene Ethnographic Museum. In 2022, the knowledge of embroidery following a stencil was inscribed in the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovenia.

Pirot kilim-making is a traditional skill of making kilims (double-sided rugs) on a vertical loom, using the tapestry technique klečanje where the face and the back of the kilim are identical in pattern. This craft was developed and preserved as part of the “living practice” of the female population in City of Pirot and its surroundings. It refers to production of woolen rugs which are used to protect and decorate interior spaces (walls, floors) and for other purposes (as bed and table covers, curtains, pillowcases etc.). The kilims are distinguished by rich and various geometric, vegetal and figural ornaments specifically organized within the central area and a system of borders, characteristic color palette, high-quality wool and advanced weaving technique. They are crafted in more than 30 standardized dimensions. Over time, this kilim was transformed into a visual symbol of the city of Pirot and Serbian national symbol.

Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade holds one of the most significant collection of Pirot killims in Serbia, that includes more than 170 multifunctional textile artifacts. Through expert processing of the collection as well as fruitful exhibition activity at national and international level, the Museum strives to emphasize the continuity of this practice and the importance of safeguarding of this craftsmanship.

Transmission of Pirot kilim-making skills is most often a part of organized courses, where knowledge is transferred from older experienced weavers to the younger ones through direct learning. Furthermore, the organized transmission includes cooperation between bearers, kindergartens, schools, and cultural institutions, through visits to weaving workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations of weaving techniques, etc.

Pirot kilim-making is inscribed in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2012), maintained by the Center for ICH of Serbia, and it is nominated for the inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2026.

Zlakusa pottery making implies the process of manual manufacturing of unglazed ceramic vessels for thermic food processing on a hand–wheel (vitlo) using the building technique, i.e. adding layers of clay. This pottery skill was developed and transmitted in the village of Zlakusa, near Užice. It represents the significant feature in lives of local community and is closely tied to the environment and the natural resources available in this area.

The process of Zlakusa pottery making includes several phases, such as the preparation of clay paste, shaping and decorating the vessels, finishing, drying and baking. The potter’s individuality is reflected in slightly different profiling of vessels and ornamentation. Along with the use of a hand–wheel, the specific feature of this type of pottery is the material from which it is made – a mixture of raw materials clay and ground mineral calcite in a precisely determined proportion, obtained from local sites in the villages of this region. The traditional forms of the Zlakusa pottery are pots of different shapes and sizes (from 1 to 100 liters), used mainly for cooking and baking food. Moreover, these vessels have been adjusted to the modern ways of food preparation.
Transmission of knowledge and skills about hand-wheel manufacturing of pottery in Zlakusa is passed from one generation to another (usually but not exclusively from father to son or grandfather to grandson) mostly by direct participation and work alongside experienced craftsmen within a community. Moreover, an ever larger number of women are mastering the whole process and participate in pottery making whilst preserving the predominant role in its household use.

The knowledge and skills of Zlakusa pottery making are inscribed in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia (2012) as well as on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2020)

A guba is a woolen fabric made from sheep’s wool, with locks of wool inserted into the warp(long pile weaving). In the past, two pieces of such fabric were sewn together to create an outer garment with sleeves, also called a guba. It was primarily worn by men who worked outdoors (shepherds, fishermen, woodcutters, carters, etc.) and also served as a ceremonial garment during weddings.

The first written mention of the guba on the territory of historical Hungary dates back to 1387. Reports of guba-making as a craft in what is now eastern Slovakia appear in the 19th century. Even in the second half of that century, guba merchants’ associations exported these woolen covers from Slovakia to the Balkans and Croatia. However, production began to decline in the last decade of the 19th century. The craft survived the longest in the town of Jelšava, from where gubas were exported to Zagreb until 1926. By the 1930s, however, only one guba-maker remained in Jelšava.

It was his expertise that the Centre for Folk Art Production (ÚĽUV) used in 1958 to document traditional guba-making techniques, which later led to the revival of production in the former cloth-making village of Klenovec. At the height of the modern revival of guba-making in Slovakia in the 1970s and 1980s, up to forty craftsmen in this village produced gubas for ÚĽUV. In collaboration with ÚĽUV’s designers, gubas were also created as decorative rugs intended for floors or walls in contemporary urban households.

The main distinguishing feature of traditional wooden products from the village of Kyjatice is their unique decorative style. It is based on variations of engraved geometric and linear ornaments carved into a colored surface. One of the most prominent motifs is the sun rosette, which holds deep symbolic meaning in Slovak culture.

Today, this style of ornamentation is most strongly represented by the Kyjatice toy (named after the village), although as early as the beginning of the 19th century, the inhabitants of Kyjatice primarily produced furniture from beech wood, with toys being only a supplementary product. After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, furniture production in the village began to stagnate. On the other hand, in the mid-1920s, artist Bohuslav Šippichrevived the production of Kyjatice toys in the village through craft workshops. He simplified their construction and enhanced their color design.

In the following decades, the Kyjatice toy experienced several revivals and declines. Today, however, the outlook is promising. Thanks to Master of Folk Art Production LadislavHedvigi and his civic association, a craft center is being established in a 200-year-old former school building in the village of Kyjatice. In 2022, the Kyjatice toy was inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovakia.