only emerge in the most talented women, who would then pass that knowledge on to their female de- scendants from generation to gener- ation. This cultural heritage of Ser- bia still lives on. And even though we’ve allowed it to gather dust, en- thusiastic individuals are stubborn- ly and successfully trying to restore that old splendour and glory. Among them are Marko Jocić (30) and his fiancée Katarina Isail- ović (25), who share a passion for preserving Serbian tradition and rug weaving as a craft, and who note that they have one dream that they will never abandon - to ensure the Pirot rug gains the status it de- serves. With that intention, and with wings of will, love and great knowledge, this couple works tire- lessly to promote the Pirot rug in both traditional ways and new ones that are familiar to modern man and the technological age, i.e., through social networks. “Our job is linked to promot- ing the brand of the Pirot rug, both among our people and around the world. We are regular visitors and exhibitors at antique fairs in the country and abroad, while we col- laborate actively with all eminent museums both in our country and around the region. Our great dream is for the Pirot rug to be officially protected and recognised as part of the UNESCO cultural heritage, be- cause this treasure of ours deserves that,” say these young and talent- ed people, beginning their story. They work to continue the fam- ily tradition, while their collection numbers over 100 original exam- ples of these rugs that are not for sale, the oldest of which is a kilim rug with the pattern "Tree of Life with 12 nooks”. This is a prayer rug that represents the path to a new cosmos and a family heirloom. Their choice to work with Pirot rugs was no coincidence – a total of seven generations of the Jocić family are engaged in collecting Pirot rugs. “Two grandmothers were weav- ers (ćilimarka rug makers) who used their prowess to feed the family in some olden times that were slow-
THE PIROT RUG - THE SYM- BOL OF A nation, a material testi- mony to Serbia’s rich tradition and folklore, colourful proof of our re- silience, faith and spite - that spar- kling spite within a Serb that com- pels him to create and believe during both the best and toughest of times. Original, authentic and unique - the Pirot rug is created in that unseen point where craft converts into art, so it becomes a product with soul that can have practical or purely aes- thetic applications. Weaving kilim rugs is a kind of art - a painstaking craft that re- quires the kind of skill that could
MARKO (30) AND KATARINA (25) Young guardians of Pirot rugs Seven generations of the Jocić family have been collecting these little works of art that have spent decades patiently awaiting their crowning and embracing, recognition and celebration. Two young people have devoted their lives to the coming glory that awaits these rugs from Pirot
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