Macedonian jewellery: silver filigree

Even if the most popular jewellery of Macedonia is considered to be the Oh[rid lake](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/ohrid-legend-of-its-lake-d48x), there're still some pretty awesome ones that you can take with you home as souvenirs. For example, the Oh[rid pearls](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/macedonian-jewelry-ohrid-pearls-ijec) are owned by many famous ladies already, like the Princess Diana, the Queen Elizabeth II, Jovanka Broz. And did you know that Macedonia is the only place in Europe where you can find a ruby? Yes, it’s a rich source of this gemstone and this is, as you can suppose, a very good starting point for traditional handcrafted jewellery. After the Ohrid lake and the pearls, the third most important component of the Macedonian jewellery is the passionate, traditional handcrafted filigree, of which this nation is proud.

If you are visiting the Balkans, Ohrid is the place not to be missed, under any circumstances. The big water surface creates a surreal landscape that was used as an inspiration for centuries, for any kind of arts. Poets, photographers, painters, musicians are vi[siting Ohrid](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/balkan-trivia-best-time-to-visit-ohrid-57ct) to charge their inspiration batteries and the city works like a charm. This is the reason why many of these artists are actually based in Ohrid, and some of their ateliers are open to visits. One of my favorites, is Marta Pejoska atelier, famous for making jewellery out of silver filigree. Marta is an architect. She decided to dedicate her talent and education to this delicate traditional craft, producing jewellery masterpieces. Her charming atelier is placed in one of the narrowest streets of the old part of the town, completing the bohemian ambiance that can be found there.

This ornamental work of fine (typically gold or silver) wire formed into delicate tracery is an oriental technique that has been used here for centuries. Long practicing of it, leads to developing a certain specific style. Now the Macedonian filigree technique is considered a national treasure. This art had the biggest flourishing in the Middle Ages, reaching its climax in the XVIII century and the first half of XIX century. We are happy to say that it is still very appreciated and made with dedication and talent by young artists.

Picture © Credit to: Porta3