ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM

The Ethnographic Museum with a rich collection of 1,300 objects is an important testimony to the culture, the interesting and rich traditions of the Berat area.

On the first floor, a recreated street of a medieval bazaar showcases objects that are representative of the once most developed crafts of the region, such as weaving, silver-smithing, copper-smithing as well as clothes and decorations that indicated the aristocratic quality of life of the middle and rich classes of the city. In the open space of the porch there is an exhibition of crafts which were practiced at home for the needs of the family. The porch is naturally connected to the well and the courtyard in which there is an exhibition of ceramic and stone-carved objects. The exhibitions in the rooms on the second floor show the former lifestyle, organization, traditions and customs of a rich family from the city in the late Medieval Ages.

The Medieval Bazaar

In the bazaar there is a recreation of a medieval street which has on both of its sides small wooden shops with shutters in which different articles were produced, shown and sold. Some of these products are textiles woven in gold and silver, accessories for women and men in silver and bronze, costumes made of felt, shoes, copper ware etc.

The porch

In the porch of the building there is an exhibition of some of the crafts which were practiced at home for domestic needs. Some of the objects shown are the olive oil production complex, the wooden oil press, the potter’s wheel, the forge, the alembic for raki production, etc. All these objects speak of the intense use of these crafts at that time.

The chardak

The chardak is the main part of the house, entirely constructed of wood, open and with no ceiling. The extending and wide shelters facilitated the doing of housework and craft-work during the warm months of the year. The corner is a special and favored element of the chardakcovered with kilims and high pile rugs. The wide space and the possibility to stay and contemplate made the chardak the place that was most used by the family members and where family ceremonies were organized also.

The workroom

In this room women used to sit and work while girls used to prepare the dowry. Inside there is an exhibition of the looms and working tools that were used for embroidery and weaving wool, cotton, silk, etc.

The guest room

It was the most important room in the traditional houses, well-known for its decorative and architectonic values. The room was used for welcoming guests and organizing family ceremonies. Distinct in the room are the elegant fireplace, the built-in cupboards, the decorated ceiling, the mahfil attached to the closet, the divans with high pile rugs, and the tableware.