Frozen in time

 What is the most important achievement a person and a people can pride themselves on? I believe it’s the footprints of our life work and experiences that are left behind to guide those that come after, and what we create today will become our legacy. We need the past in order to create the future, and luckily, we have just the right places to get in touch with our history. 

 

Although our history is rich and ancient, Kosovo is rather poor in cultural sites, yet I could work with what my blooming country had to offer, given that The National Museum of Kosovo is the largest museum so you bet I had to start there, and it was marvelous. For a person like me who dearly fancies old artefacts, it felt like a journey through centuries, I could recall the folk stories of Albanian beauties but seeing the combs and jewelry behind the glass felt like I was there, witnessing them and the grace they’re so well-known for, and what made it even more special is the similarity one of them had with the artisanal necklace i always wear. The statue of a Dardan Goddess stood there with engraved bravery; it was impossible not to feel her presence which survived time so perfectly and inspires power to this day.  

 

Torso Statue of Dardan Goddess and A Sculpture of a Sleepy head of Eros the diety of love. 

In a room of priceless remains, the silence of the sculptures and objects speaks volumes, they are frozen in time. My sight could never overlook the handwork of my people, beautifully carved sculptures of a man and a woman and a herm of the Greek god of vine Dionysus whereas the rooms in the east wing held the urns and ritual vessels. 

Marble Sculptures of a woman (middle), a man (right) and    a Herm od Dionysus (left).

Herm of Dionysus - Roman Period ll - lV century

Moving on to our most recent history which is still fresh in the memory of Kosovo’s people. During the visit in the museum i was surprised by the weapons used during this difficult and decisive time period for our country which were not that advanced but still managed to resist the usurper and make it to this day to prove us the freedom is won with blood and will. 

My curiosity could not hold me from going after yet another important location of Kosovo Albanians’ record of history. The Ethnological museum provided me with another perspective on our traditional family vitality. Since one of the two houses was undergoing renovations, the guide showed us inside the oldest lodging place which existed now for 300 hundred years survivor from the Ottoman period of rule in our lands, yet the furnishings were well kept and pleasant to behold. Inside the main hall were situated the kitchen tools and up the stairs resided traditionally decorated rooms. 

Kitchen tools of the House of Ottoman rule period. 

Upstairs room for daytime activity with basic amenities and two traditional baby cradles.

The room which leads to the balcony is also decorated in Albanian traditional style of Ottoman rule period.

Traditional Albanian style room of Ottoman rule period

The outside look of the house

We are a rather fortunate generation to have the technological advancements of our time, and even more because we get to trace the progress and sacrifices of generations before that brought us to have those artefacts that prove our ancient presence in The Balkans. The sacred soil kept these evidences safe from the misery of time and human cruelty long enough to defend our claims and heritage.