METAL DISHES

Copperware was an integral part of the interior of every home in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was used in everyday life by both the wealthy and the poor. Food was cooked, served, and eaten from copperware, and water was carried and used from it, while copper items also served as decorative elements in the home. Copperware was made by kujundžije (craftsmen), and given the wide range of its applications, this craft was considered one of the most developed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The items made of copper in the collection of the Bošnjački Institute have beautiful and interesting shapes and proportions, in accordance with their purpose, and feature high-quality craftsmanship. Each item is decorated in a unique way. The collection includes items of various purposes, such as: mangalas (grills), demirlijas (large pots), sahans (serving trays), ibriks (pitchers), tablas (trays), džezvas (coffee pots), ćasas (small cups), decorative vessels, zarfs (casket-like boxes), meterizas (small cooking pots), đulevdenas (vessels for rosewater), hamam-tas’ (washbasins), buhurdars (small lamps), and a full range of traditional metalworking products.

Alongside the characteristic Bosnian items, this collection also includes objects acquired from Turkey, Persia, the Middle East, and the Maghreb. Special items include those brought back from the Hajj (pilgrimage). These items differ mainly in form and decoration but were made for the same purposes as those produced locally.