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Macedonia
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Filigree
 Filigree Macedonia
Handcrafts
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Filigree is one of the most delicate types of jewelry metalwork,

which generally uses precious metals, like gold and silver, in art
pieces created with small and detailed beads and twisted
threads fused together or onto an object. It is ideal for arabesque
designs. Its fragility often makes us remember the texture of lace.
Traditionally, this technique is connected to luxury design and fine
craftsmanship. Humans always tried to exhibit their wealth and
status, soon they discovered that the shining gold and silver was
the perfect medium for it.
Origin of Filigree Art Macedonia
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Archaeological finds in ancient Mesopotamia indicate that filigree

was incorporated into jewelry since 3,000 BC. Specific to the city
of Midyat in Mardin Province in upper Mesopotamia, a form of
filigree using silver and gold wires, known as "telkari", was
developed in the 15th Century. To this day, expert craftsmen in this
region continue to produce fine pieces of telkari. The manufacture
spread over the Balearic Islands, and among the populations that
border the Mediterranean. It is still made all over Italy, and in
Portugal, Malta, Macedonia, Albania, the Ionian Islands and other
parts of Greece.
Macedonian Filigree Macedonia
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Considered by many as the crème de la crème of Macedonian
jewelry; with a very long line of tradition, and very high artistic
value, it is an emblem of Macedonian handicraft art. The filigree,
an art form of designing metal jewelry with silver, had the biggest
flourishing in the Middle Ages, reaching its climax in the XVIII
century and the first half of XIX century. Designed in secret, and
passed as a trade from one generation to the next. Each item is
designed manually, under a slow and very careful process.
Macedonian museums, among many, often display the butterfly as a
very valuable and recognizable piece
Macedonian Filigree Macedonia
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Nowadays, the filigree art is still alive, and some even go a step
further in applying the principles of designing, while pawing a new
contemporary stream- designing contemporary jewelry, by staying
close to the principles of filigree art, while including some
traditional elements as well. Through filigree, skilled and diligent
hands mixed tradition and culture of living with new, modern.
People create products that are breathtaking and are a feast for the
eyes and soul "
The Filigree Process Macedonia
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Skill, precision, design - with each aspect playing a vital role, every
piece of silver filigree ornament narrates the legacy of this
centuries-old art. Coupled with the hard work of artisans, each
ornament is a testament to the forms, designs and traditional
techniques that truly complete this art form., the outer pattern of
the ornaments is traced on paper. This helps the artisans access the
size and definitive form of the ornament. Next, extremely fine silver
wire is twisted, looped, cut, coiled and curled with hands to follow
the design on the paper. Bit by bit, one piece at a time, thin silver
wires are put together to create a design.
The Filigree Process Macedonia
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Looping, nipping, weaving, plaiting, piling, filling and twisting…
are all processes that are used in creating desired designs. All the
separate pieces of silver wire are then carefully soldered together.
Uniformity, evenness, and neatness are highly important and hence
the artisans have to carefully avoid any mistakes that could break
the patterns. It is a versatile art form. Flora, fauna, geometric
patterns, impressions of nature, and inspirations from all sorts of
forms can be given shape with filigree. The possibilities of filigree
are as wide as imaginations and inspirations can be.
How Filigree is Made
Macedonia
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