THE SHOPSKI REGION

SHOPSKO MACEDONIAN ETHNIC ENTIRETY

The Shopska ethnic entirety spreads through the northeastern part of Macedonia and part of southeastern Serbia and western Bulgaria. It is special, as the population of this region has preserved many archaic features in the material and spiritual culture as well as in their costumes.

In the Macedonian part of the Shopska region the main characteristic of these costumes is the special design of the clothes, simple and patterned fabrics, fewer ornamentations and jewelry. These main characteristics have been maintained for many years in the isolated mountain areas of this region almost authentic to the traditional ancient Slavonic and ancient Balkan clothing as well as Turkish – oriental cultural elements. Unfavorable communications and disadvantageous connections between particular areas in this part of Macedonia caused only minor insignificant migration of the population which contributed to the authenticity of the costumes up to the middle of this century.

In the group of Shopski costumes are the Eastern part of Slavishte, the villages along the River Durachka, the regions Pianets, Radovishki Shopluk and Maleshevo.

Male and female costume, Berovo region

Female costume for religious observance, Maleshevo

Costume for religious observance, village Krkle, Kriva Palanka region

Female costumes, village Krkle, Kriva Palanka region