The exhibition features two strings of coral beads, known as Venetian beads, approximately 30 cm long. They likely date from the mid-19th century. There is also a belt buckle and a coral clasp called a “czeprah” (a cleaver). They are from the collection of the National Museum of the Przemyśl Region. The first beads are made of blue-tinted glass. The beads are approximately 1.4 cm in diameter. They are decorated with pink, white, yellow, and dark blue glass threads and beads embedded in the surface. These embellishments resemble flowers. Between these flowers are gold strands. There is no clasp. The second beads are white, with beads measuring 1.6 cm in diameter. Made of glass, they are decorated with stylized pink, white, and yellow flowers and diagonal gold strands. There is no clasp. Women were very fond of wearing beads made of various colored Venetian glass and genuine coral. Small glass beads were also used to make headbands and neck collars woven into multicolored geometric patterns. Hutsuls often wore several of these diverse necklaces simultaneously, and the entire set could weigh several kilograms. Clasps—czeprahas—were used to fasten and hold these heaviest beads around the neck. One such clasp, 10 cm long, from the early 20th century is on display at a Hutsul exhibition. It consists of two openwork, circular sections. Each circle contains rays covered with tiny beads. A flat loop is formed on one edge of the circle, and a wide, flat hook on the other. Hutsul jewelry was a key element of both women’s and men’s attire. Zgards, necklaces made of cast brass crosses, were very popular. Necklaces made of brass plates or coins strung in a single row on brass wire, sometimes separated by beads, were also called zgards. Individual Latin crosses were also cast from brass, with arms of varying lengths and often featuring the image of the crucified Christ. The production of metal jewelry in the Hutsul region dates mainly to the 19th century. By the 1930s, Hutsul brasswork was already in decline.
