On December 3 in the Regional Ethnographic Museum - Plovdiv was opened an exhibition on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the master-knifemaker Lyubomir Dudev

- member of the Association of Masters of Folk Crafts. He has worked as an engraver and jeweler, and in recent years has taken his skills to knife making, turning knives into fine works of art.

In Bulgarian tradition, the knife serves not only for protection, but also for decoration and prestige. This is also Lyubomir Dudev's idea - to show the beauty and grace of the cold weapon. To draw attention to the function of the knife as an adornment, part of men's clothing and to highlight its importance as a symbol of social status.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is "The Goat Horn", also called "The Bulgarian vendetta" because it symbolizes revenge. It is made of horn with a richly inlaid handle. Among the works is an original bachelor's knife - the first knife the father gave his son when he grew a beard. The more ornate the knife, the wealthier the boy's family. One can also see a wonderful karakulak (ear knife) used by shepherds for protection, which the master compares to the Thracian mahayra. It is also known as a Rhodope or shepherd's knife, with a specific shape at the end of the handle that resembles ears to keep it from slipping out of the hand. There are many unique knives in the exposition, inlaid with natural stones and beautifully engraved, each of them carrying its own message.

The material is provided by the Regional Ethnographic Museum - Plovdiv.

In the photos. At the opening of the exhibition: the master-knifemaker Lyubomir Dudev with Angel Yankov, director of REM - Plovdiv, and Grozdelina Georgieva, curator at the museum; some of the master's fine works