South Serbia

South Serbia

Southern Serbia is situated in the basin of the Južna Morava. The relief consists of dome mountains and ravines which are present mostly in the composite valley of the Juzna Morava. The region is famous for a morphological rarity, the rock formation in the shape of pyramids called Đavolja Varoš. It is located near Kuršumlija and was formed by erosion of the loose soil. The most significant hydrographic objects are: the Južna Morava river with its tributary the Nišava and Vlasinsko jezero, one of the biggest artificial lakes in the country. Sotuhern Serbia is famous for the thermal springs. The spring Velika Česma in Vranjska Banja with the temperature of 92 degrees Celsius is the warmest natural spring in Serbia. Another characteristic of the region is prosperous economy. Agriculture is the traditional occupation in ravines, expecially in the Leskovac region which is famous for vegetable growing.

Niš is the second biggest industrial and transpor centre in Serbia and Leskovac is the centre of textile industry. Sotuhern Serbia is rich in ores. The hydro-energetic potential is exploited only in Vlasina. This territory has been inhabited since pre-Roman times. The most famous archeological sities are: Naisus (one of the four Roman imperial cities in Serbia and the birthplace of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great), neighbouring Mediana, Iustiniana Prima near Lebane, Caričin Grad, former Byzantine centre occupied by the Slavs in the 7th century.

South Serbia

Serbian traditional costumes

Clothing represents a very important cultural phenomenon closely related to society as a whole, particular social groups and individuals, a person's physical appearance as well as personality. Clothing is a part of cultural heritage which has witnessed many elements and spheres in the life of human society throughout history, since the first known civilizations up to the present moment. Apart from serving its main purpose to protect human body, it also represents part of the integrity and identity of each individual member of society. We know and recognize each other by our clothes, we use it to introduce ourselves to others. Clothing is a way to differ from the rest of the world, but, at the same time, be part of a world. Given all this, clothing plays a significant role in distinguishing between different social groups, primarly classes, but also strata within classes, professions, guilds, ranks and even individual and personal characteristics of different people within the same social groups.

Traditional clothes worn by the population in certain regions represent part of a broader picture of the region, reveal the basic industries, weather conditions and even reflect the welfare of the whole community and wealth of individuals and their families. In addition, the national costume bears the traces of significant historical events which shaped the past. Finally, the national costume in the reflection of skills, artistic ideas and creative potential of a nation which used this necessity of life as medium to speak from the bottom of its being and in that way expressed its aspiration for beauty.

The environment, cultural and historical influences and the creative spirit of a nation are three factors always present in traditional clothes and that is the reason why folk costumes represent one of the most complex achievements of folk art. But, the clothes that people created for centuries had not only a practical, utilitarian purpose with more or less artistic features, but also a deeper sense, irrational and magical, which was often more dominant than both practical and artistic components. The way people dressed within a closed village community was also defined by some long-standing traditional rules which had been obeyed for centuries and rarely abandoned.

Through these traditionally established rules, the folk costume assumes social significance, it becomes a sign of the social status of an obvious outward characteristic of this status, a sort of identification of each member of the community, especially the female members of this unique society.

Each phase in life, every event  and significant change, starting from childhood, maidenhood, engagement and marriage, young age after the wedding, motherhood, mature age and widowhood, all this could be reflected in the clothes worn on special occasions or holidays. In addition, we can also mention ritual costumes indispensable in certain rites and customs, which can show us the wide variety of types and subtypes in all kinds of folk heritage is an invaluable source of treasure, yet to be discovered , researched and estimated.