Highlander’s belt Fiche ARTCADEMY - Arts & Traditional Crafts Academy

Highlander’s belt | Fur and skin

Keywords: belt, leather, leatherworker, ornamental techniques, highlanders, clothing, folk costume

Title: Highlander’s belt
Category: Fur and skin
Country: Poland, Podhale, Zakopane
Period: XX Century
Provided by: AGH
Source: https://muzea.malopolska.pl/en/obiekty/-/a/26957/1...
Photo Gallery: https://muzea.malopolska.pl/en/obiekty/-/a/26957/1115992

Description:

Highlander’s belt (in local dialect: oposek) is a highlander’s decorative broad leather money belt tied with several metal buckles.

The belt is one of the most important elements of male folk costume worn by Highlanders (Gorals) in Polish area of the Tatra Mountains, Podhale region.

Unlike other regional groups in Poland, Highlanders from Podhale wear traditional outfit (or its elements) on a daily basis. The object shown in the picture comes from the Podhale village of Zab (named Zubsuche until 1965).

It was probably made in the 19th century but its manufacturer, place of completion, and time of last usage, are unknown. In 1961 it was purchased for the ethnographic collections at the Dr Tytus Chalubinski Tatra Museum in Zakopane.

Further references:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGid5OJ0fBQ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_costumes_of_Podhale