Panacomp Souvenirs of Serbia

OUTSTANDING PROMOTION AND MARKET OF AUTHENTIC SERBIAN SOUVENIRS

Welcome to special PANACOMP web section on unique Serbian handmade souvenirs !

The Serbian tradition is extremely rich in variety of types of folklore garments featuring unique characteristics. Serbian tradition is well preserved in manufacture of various unique clothing items – hand knitted, hand embroidered, hand woven, hand painted, hand written, hand crafted.…., as amazing heritage products of artistic values that are offered as nice souvenirs from Serbia. We are proud and excited to enable you getting an Exclusive gift from Serbia ordering and buying the items and souvenirs we promote.

As per latest data from 2017 there are 620 certified old crafts workshops in Serbia, mainly family run small businesses. In 2020 Serbia adopted the UNESCO convention on protection of cultural heritage, as well as the practices and skillsmanship related to the old crafts. This enabled conditions for the old crafts recognition that is performed by groups or individuals who convey their expertize, and are known and protected as the cultural heritage of Serbia. The UNESCO Convention determines that the intangible cultural heritage which is conveyed from generation to generation provides sense of identity and tradition and in that way present respect towards variety and creativity of the cultural legacy.

“The material testimony of the rich Serbian culture, tradition and mythology can be read from numerous items inherited from our ancestors starting from traditional costumes, then rugs to distaff. Numerous symbols are written or inscribed on all of those objects, taking us to the distant past and revealing knowledges and beliefs of the ancien civilizations and cultures, deeply rooted in and originating from the territory of present Serbia. Among those symbols are the Circle – meaning Kolo which symbolizes the Sun as the source of Life and the Supreme Deity, folloed by Kolovrat which is also the solar symbol, then the Perun symbol that was often used by Nikola Tesla, then signs of S and Aries, as well as Whirlpool – this divine spiral depiction of water that shows the principle of water running on the Northern Earth Hemisphere, to which Serbia also belongs. The Whirlpool symbol is present since the Lepenski Vir culture and is inscribed in numerous object and items in Serbia”. RTS Svet

“The famous Prizren Silk – production of silk in Prizren was highly developed. It was only town of Pec that was named after silk – Ipek means silk – which could rival Prizren in silk production. Prizren had national estates of mukate which contained some 30 villages engaged in growing of silkworms. In order to improve silk production in Prizren, Turks released those villages from payment of high taxes. In redemption silk was measured in the main square and sold to the craft workshops. Selling of silk was free, only women were charged for tul. The Prizren silk was moslty exported to Italy.

The Serb actress Milena Dravić always attempted abroad to present some features of the national traditions. When she received an award in Cannes in 1980, her dress attracted the great attention of the audience. It was a dress in majestic colors manufactured from the Prizren Silk along the patterns of the old Serbian clothes, by our famous fashion designer Aleksandar Joksimović. The actress also weared the Serbian jewelry at this ceremony which was attended by numerous foreigners who were excited with her dress. They asked Milena Dravic to supply them with the same fiber-based material. Upon return to Belgrade, the actress ordered in the former textile shops of  “Duga resa” which used to seel the Serb textile and other stuff, so Milena Dravic bought 40 meters of the Prizren Silk and delivered to her friends in London and Paris,…” Zvonimir Stevanović Prizrenski

“Live Heritage of Serbia – traditional old crafts skills : Kosovski vez – the Kosovo Embroidery makes stylized decorative embroidery on traditional garmets of the Serb population in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, especially on women shirts that are manufactured from hemp, linen and cotton cloths. The red color dominates on this embroidery which comes from usage of various materials – wool, metal threads, tinsel and other. In the first half of the 20th century, in the period between two world wars, the reduced variations of this embroidery appear on home textile in Vojvodina and towns of Central Serbia – table-cloths, pillow cases and other, and also on women parts of clothing as are dresses and blouses. Also, introduction of the ‘Handwork’ school subject into the school education of female students greatly contributed to spreading and transmition of knowledge on this type of embroidery. This form of handwork includes geometrical and vegetable-form stylized ornaments of dark colors, mostly encircled with a black line, that is well-preserved skills until present. The Kosovski vez – Kosovo Embroidery belongs to the type ‘along writing’, i.e. it is performed as per prepared outline, by the ‘filling technique’ and the ‘straight embroidery line’. The Kosovski vez – Kosovo Embroidery element of living Heritage on the knowledge and skillfulness in connection with traditional old crafts has been in 2012 inscribed in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia, recorded in the Center of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia Nematerijalno kulturno nasleđe Srbije – Intangible Cultural Heritage Serbia at the Etnografski muzej u Beogradu – Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade. This element was nominated by the Kopaonik Cultural-artistic Society from Leposavic, in cooperation with the „Vredne ruke“ Association from Novi Sad. Skillfulness of the Kosovo Embroidery was presented in the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade within the associated program of the exhibition of „Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia“, author Danijela Filipović. Then the members of the Civil association of „Vredne ruke“ Novi Sad presented their works, when visitors had opportunity to learn on history of traditional old crafts and handwork techniques directly from manufacturers of those old crafts, but also on the particular embroidery techniques. Also, at the Manak House by the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade, there are continuously organized educational programs dedicated to animation of interested audience for overcoming various techinques of traditional old crafts, among which are embroidery workshops that include learning of techniques of the Kosovo Embroidery. During a month inscribed participants of those workshops first are tought with traditional and urban Kosovo Embroidery and later they choose to manufacture ornaments as per patterns of the ethnographic items from the Memorial collection of Hristifor Crnilović that are displayed in the Permanent Exhibition. On the Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia: https://nkns.rs/cyr/popis-nkns/kosovski-vez
Documentation of the Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Serbia, Vera Marković”

This is the rare presentation on Serbian handwork as well as E-Boutique of original handmade souvenirs from Serbia that are brilliant examples of art. Here you can find information about irreproachable handcrafts and authentic products representing Serbian culture and identity you do not see much anymore !

The expression Licidar or Licider designates a man whose occupation is manufacture of licider heart-form cookies. This old craft was very widely performed in Serbia and the neighboring countries, especially Croatia. The Licider Cookies are predominantly meant for watching, rather than eating. The main role of the Licider Cookies is decoration and option to be worn around the neck or to make lovely decor of the wall in the house. Thus it was not that important if Licider Cookies were freshly prepared, but rather to look beautiful. The most popular Licider Cookie features a form of a red heart that besides other decoration usually has a small mirror. In the past the Licider Cookie was presented in the local festivals and fairs by young fellows to girls as the symbol of their affinity with a mirror which confirmed the girl’s beauty….. We are proud to have established close cooperation with the reputed Licidersko srce Licider cookies workshop in Vrnjacka Banja Spa, run by diligent and dedicated Djordje Petrovic who manufactures various forms, size, patterns and colors of heart-like cookies that are-can be branded as wished and as per occasion they mark – gift for clients who book our tours and events, companies, associations, celebrations and festivities of families …..

Your decision to order and buy those products /to be picked-up when come to Serbia/ is of particular significance for our preferred partners from “Jefimija”, women artisan Association living in Velika Hoca village, an isolated Serbian ghetto in Central part of Kosovo and Metohija. All Serbian souvenirs and original hand-made products we promote are of very good quality, carefully hand made in small family manufacture workshops by diligent hands along traditional patterns of the Serbian Medieval times and using special techniques. Materials are entirely natural and surely the best from Serbia /embroidery of golden or silver threads, famous genuine “Prizren” linen, weaving with silk strings…/

Sleeveless embroidered jacket /jelek/ made of gold threads

Velvet Wedding dresses with huge embroidered floral ornaments

All kinds of female hand-embroidered suite with geometric or floral adornments       

Serbian Traditional folk costumes /male and female/

Female and Male hand-embroidered shirts     

Nicely decorated lace

Serbian peasant shoes – genuine opanci           

Hand-Woven Aprons         

Hand-Knitted Woolen products   

Unique hand-made Pirot carpets – rugs /Pirot pattern/ made from wool of Stara Planina Mountain sheep

Embroidered Tablecloths, napkins, towels 

We encourage you to contact us by mail or phone and ask for additional information. Should you concern any handmade products posted on PANACOMP website or have special order we would be pleased to provide all essential information and arrange your shopping. ENJOY !

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