Elbetitsa
This post will not tell you of mythical creatures and carnival characters, but it will take another one of the misty trails of Bulgarian folklore, namely the traditional embroidery. Here I’ll focus on probably the most widespread symbol in it – the Elbetitsa (a symbol that has as its foundation an equal-armed cross or two of them combined into one. On this foundation craftspeople would build, combining different elements, creating all kinds of variations, ranging from very simple to very complex). It never seizes to amaze me how the main motifs in Bulgarian embroidery take root in Prehistoric times (they can be seen on rock carvings, ceramics etc.) and have managed to survive until this day and age. And even though contemporary people might have no idea whatsoever about the meaning of these symbols, they still feel strongly drawn to them. There is a very simple reason for that: the symbols in question represent the most universal human needs, hopes and
