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Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 1999 - Ethnological Wealth - Folk Costumes from Posavina


Technical details
Issue Date: 26 March 999
Designer: Ivica Šiško
Printer: Zrinski d.d. Čakovec
Size: 35.50 x 24.14 mm
Values: 0,40 BAM

About Ethnological Wealth - Folk Costumes from Posavina

Posavina, the Sava River valley, is the area along the right shore of the River Sava, from Bosanska Gradiška to Brčko.

The folk costume of the Croats in Posavina developed since the second half of the 19th century in close relation with neighbouring regions, and was particularla under the influence of Croatian Posavina and Slavonia. It goes as far as calling the inhabitants of the villages down the river Bosna in the neighbourhood of the Bosanski Šamac Šokac, which is the name given to the inhabitants of Baranya. It can be classified into two groups: the folk costumes of the ‘real’ Posavina and the ones from the upper regions, called Gornjaci. The basic part of the men’s and women’s folk costume is the shirt called rubina. This is an Old Slavonic term that is still used in Slavonia.

The women’s skirt has soft, dense folds round the neck that fall radially to the shoulders, back and breast and backwards. The sleeves on the shirt are wide and free at the beginning then are gathered round the wrist in tiny folds. There is embroidery on the sleeves, along the length of the sleeve and along the skirt at the back and all round the length of the hem. The shirt is also embroidered in front, on the breast. The sleeves are not sewn on but they start at the neck and go down to the end of the arm, in the raglan cut. What makes the men’s shirt, rubina, characteristic is the fact that the shirt is worn above the wide pants, gaće, reaching down to the knee and it is similar in cut to the women’s shirt. The pants are wide and, depending on the region, more or less richly decorated along the lower hem, like shirt. A part of this costume is a lambskin vest, kožuh, with applications of multicoloured leather decorations and tiny mirrors. The motives are of herbal pattern. The women’s costume also has diagonally woven aprons with long tresses, laced on the bottom with the shedding technique. Unmarried women have an embroidered small cap, počelica, on their heads, characteristic of all the costumes of Croatian Posavina. They also wear hoops of different shapes on their heads, as pads for the head covering.

The cover for head is in the lengthened shape of a longer cloth, like a towel and is called krpa, a cloth. In the case of young girls this is called krpica (small cloth) or the local word jagluk, covering only the crown of the head, while the tresses fall down over the forehead. The remaining part fall down the back with its total length. There was a decoration tucked behind the ear, made of multicoloured wool shaped into tiny balls, like a flower. A specially interesting feature in the region are the costume parts worn on the heads of the married women as well as the way of doing their hair in plaits in the case of young unmarried girls. Both men and women wear low leather footwear known as opanak. The stockings are decorated by tiny white beads that can also be found on the cufflinks. For all the home-woven linen for shirts, pants and head coverings there is a characteristic feature called jumačenje, executed in cotton and silk, an embroidery made in the shedding technique. The clothes were dyes with laundress’ blue or copper vitriol and were either blue or greenish. Flax, hemp, wool and cotton were used for the manufacturing clothes.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 2005 - Folk Costume from Kupres


Technical Details:
Issue Date: 20 February 2005
Designer: Davorin Briševac
Size: 25.56 x 35.50 mm
Values: 1.50 BAM

About Folk Costume from Kupres

Kupres is situated on the hill with 1190m altitudes. Women’s folk costume from Kupres belongs to dinarian type of folk costumes. Folk customs consists from 20 different parts, clothing, jewelry and garnish.

The material, which is used for manufacture of clothing and jewelry of Kupres folk costume, are mainly homemade (wool cloth, flax, cotton).

Shirt is made from meleza (combination of flax and cotton) and it is rich with embroidery.
Jelek (waistcoat) is made from black silk and it is decorated with red, green and yellow ribbon and decorated with embroidery.
In wintertime, over shirt and waistcoat its dressed gown from domestic wool cloth also decorated with embroidery and silk. In summer time, over waistcoat and shirt its dressed ančarma (wool cloth dress without sleeves).

Apron and belt are also woven from wool. Socks and strapped soft-soled footwear are worn on legs. Women wear red homespun cap and white wrap, which can be all white or with embroidery.

Jewelry of women’s folk costume is multifarious and on costume are often appeared silver coins as decoration.
Around neck women wear rešma or đerdan (necklace) made from silver coins with the cross in the middle.

Also, in hands women carry recognized Kupres bag, and part of the jewelry are also crown, šklopac (knife), towel and mašice (poker).

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 2003 - Folk Costume of Rama


Technical Details:
Issue Date: 20 August 2003
Designer: Marin Musa
Printer: Grafotisak d.o.o. Grude
Size: 25.56 x 35.50 mm
Values: 0,50 BAM


About Folk Costume of Rama

Rama is the name of a region and river in Bosnia.Today, the river practically no longer exists and most of its basin is covered by Lake Rama.Rama is divided into Upper and Lower Rama.The folk costumes of Rama, particularly those worn by women, are distinguished by their beauty and authenticity, fashioned from coarse, simple wool and hemp fabrics.

Fabrics of wool and hemp were woven on a special type of loom possessed by every household.The basic fabrics were decorated with multicolored cross-stictch embroidery, pieces of homespun and coins.

A shirt of white linen was decorated with embroidery around the edges.

Over the shirt was worn a ćurdija, similar to a coat without sleeves, from woolen material.The ćurdija came down to below the knee and was decorated with pendants from homespun, colored embroidery, shells and coins attached to the fabric.

Marriageable girls adorned themselves with jewelry, kitnja. On their heads they wore a cap, fez and kerchief. Silver coins were sewn on the fez.

Over the fez was worn an embroidered kerchief, krpa.These kerchiefs were identical for unmarried girls and young married women.The kerchiefs worn by older women had less ornamentation.

The ornaments on kerchiefs were of enormous size and the color of dark cherries. Over shirt was worn a woolen apron, pregnjač or pregač.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 2024 - Ethnological Treasure


Technical Details: 
Issue Date: 09 October 2024
Designer: Zoran Vlašić
Printer: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb
Size: 25.56 x 35.50 mm
Values: 1.30 BAM

About Ethnological Treasure

Folk costumes, especially women's costumes, are an immense treasure that must be cared for and preserved for future generations. The folk costumes of women from the Žepče area are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful Croatian costumes in central Bosnia. The stamp shows the old headdress of a married woman that was once placed on her head on the first morning after the wedding. First, the koturača - a concentric ring of vine branches wrapped in colourful cloth - was placed around the fez on the head. Then a colourful cloth scarf, called ćenar, was placed on the koturača and tied at the back of the head. Then, braids were braided onto the koturača and the ćenar and tied at the back of the head, and a cloth was placed on top - a scarf woven from cotton in two threads" and decorated with embroidered or woven ornaments. Richer women also placed a ducat chain „under the cloth".

The FDC shows a typical Croatian ladies’ belt in Bosnia - pâs, made of multi-coloured silk, woven “in four threads” - with silver filigree buckles at the ends - pafte or pavte, decorated with precious stones.

(Marinko Jurić)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 2022 - Ethnological Treasure


Technical Details:
Issue Date: 09 October 2022
Designer: Manlio Napoli
Printer: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb
Size: 35.50 x 25.56 mm
Values: 1.10 BAM


About Ethnological Treasure

Džoka is a part of men's and women's costume, a short sleeveless cloak made of finer fabric, as a component of the costume of the local people of earlier times, especially the people of western Herzegovina. Today, it resembles a waistcoat that protects the back. Original specimens of this garment are rare and belong to the ethnological treasure of Herzegovina. What is special about this original cloak shown on the picture is the multicolored cord, which is sewn onto the fabric by hand and creates a perfect harmony of colors and shapes.

The picture shows the „chest part” of this waistcoat, in the photo of the old Association of Saint Anthony of Padua, founded in 1872 in the Franciscan monastery in Mostar. At the time, the Association was the sponsor of numerous social, cultural and educational events in Herzegovina. In all the years the Association existed, but also today, in the last 30 years since the renewal, the renewed Association under the name HKUD “Sv. Ante - Cim" Mostar, great attention has been paid to the preservation of the ethnological treasures of the Croats in these areas.

In addition to the postage stamp itself, there is also a seal with the original appearance of the Association’s first seal, a shield with cross and spike, as a symbol of the religious and busy life of the citizens and the Association at the time. The first day cover bears the memory of the Association’s handwritten rules of 150 years ago.

(Marinko Jurić)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 2004 - Traditional Tattoos of the Croatian Women in BIH


Technical Details
Issue Date: 20 March 2004
Designer: Miro Raguž and Stjepan Barbarić
Printer: Grafotisak d.o.o. Grude
Size: 35.50 x 24.14 mm
Values: 0.50 BAM


About Traditional Tattoos of the Croatian Women in BIH


Traditional tattooing in Bosnia and Herzegovina is solely linked to the catholic population and almost regularly to women. The motifs of the tattoos are mostly crosses of various forms that were tattooed most frequently on their hands (fingers, fists, forearms).

There are cases of tattooing on chests or even foreheads. Tattooing was conducted at 12 to 16 years of age and usually it was done by an elderly experienced woman.

Grime and coal dust, honey or the bark of a tree (ash, cornel - wood) was usually used for the colour.

It was usually conducted in the spring time and during religious holidays.There a few theories about the genesis of the custom of tattooing ( resistance of islam, prechristian roots, bogomilian roots etc.)

The people accepted the theory that the reason catholic women were tattoeed during the period of islamic domination over Bosnia and Herzegovina was because those same women wanted to avoid being taken away into captivity or changing their religion.

Today, when tattooing is attributed to mostly modern trends and since traditional tattooing is very rare, thus, it can only be seen on elderly women.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar) 2025 - Ethnological Heritage


Technical Details:
Issue Date: 09 October 2025
Designer: Trpimir Grgić
Printer: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb
Size: 25.56 x 35.50 mm
Values: 0.10 BAM


About Ethnological Heritage


The Croatian Cultural and Artistic Society Seljačka sloga Trebižat – Čapljina, through its sections – Brass Band, Folk Dance Group, Female Vocal Ensemble Lira, Male Vocal Ensemble Trebižat, and Carnival Group Pokladari – has continuously promoted the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 100 years. In addition to the aforementioned sections, the Society also operates a music school and a folk dance school. The Society organizes a series of traditional international events and regularly participates in all events of significance for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the wider region. The year 2025 is especially festive, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the Society’s work and existence. In a century-long tradition, it is difficult to enumerate all activities and events from the Society’s past, but on this occasion, the verses of the song “Trumpeter from Trebižat” echo in our ears:

I hear,
how an unrestrained trumpeter, an unknown player,
at the close of day when the sun loses its last traces,
by the whimsical river, plays unknown melodies.
I listen to you, trumpeter, and carefully follow your sounds.
They flow abundantly and twist like a storm, like when full clouds meet.
Generously pour your sounds into my ears, play the song of love.
Play, trumpeter, play!
Song, do not run dry!
------------
(Ante Ramljak)

The motif on the postage stamp depicts a trumpeter in traditional Herzegovinian folk costume, performing with the brass band and folk dance ensemble of HKUD Seljačka sloga.

(Trpimir Grgić)

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Serbia 2025 - Joint Issue Serbia - Indonesia




Technical Details:
Date of issue: 11 December 2025
Number of stamps in set: 2
Denomination: 132.00 RSD
Printrun: 15.000 x 2
Sheet of: 8
Dimensions of Stamp: 42 x 34,8 mm
Artistic Realization: Nadežda Skočajić
- Traditional women’s costume from Srem and A Vajat with a porch from the village of Alin Potok
- Traditional Batak Toba attire and Rumah Bolon
Issue Format: block
Perforations: 13 3/4
Printer: Forum Novi Sad


A joint stamp issue between two countries is always an exceptional opportunity to reaffirm and deepen their friendly relations. Through postage stamps, countries communicate with ease, regardless of geographic distance or differences in language. On this occasion, the connection between Serbia and Indonesia is represented through elements of the cultural heritage of both nations: traditional folk costumes and houses depicted on the stamps, as well as musical instruments featured on the vignettes and the commemorative cover.

The traditional women’s costume from Srem (Vojvodina, Serbia), dating from the late 19th century, represents a rich and functional ensemble that reflects the clothing characteristics of Slavic peoples, combined with later elements typical of the wider Pannonian cultural area. The men’s Šumadija folk costume, characteristic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, consists of a cap (šajkača) as an essential element, breeches trousers, a shirt, a woven belt, a vest (jelek), woolen socks and leather opanci. Over time, this type of attire came to carry a strong national connotation and became a recognizable symbol of traditional Serbian dress. The costumes depicted on the stamps come from the permanent exhibition of the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade (photo: Vuk Nenezić).

A Vajat with a porch from the village of Alin Potok (1890), is preserved at the open-air museum “Old Village” in Sirogojno (Zlatibor Mountain). Vajati are small buildings traditionally used by younger married couples within extended family households for sleeping and storing their personal belongings. The museum complex comprises 50 examples of vernacular architecture, presenting the construction style, interior organization, and family life characteristic of the hilly and mountainous regions of the Dinaric area of the Balkans. It is designated as a cultural property of exceptional importance for the Republic of Serbia (photo: Tijana Jevtić).

Traditional Batak Toba attire is made from ulos, a traditional hand-woven fabric characterized by predominantly dark colors (black and red), accented with gold or silver threads and patterns that are structurally divided into sections for the head, the body, and the border. Different types and patterns are used for different ceremonies (e.g., Ulos Ragidup for major ceremonies, Ulos Sibolangi for mourning).

Rumah Bolon (Bolon House) is the traditional house of the Batak people of North Sumatra, one of the largest ethnic groups in Indonesia. It consists of two main parts: an elevated living area and a lower section used for storing crops and livestock. The saddle-shaped roof is typically made of palm fibers or thatch, while the walls are constructed from wooden planks. The interior layout is divided into several sections without permanent partition walls, with a central hearth serving as the focal point of the household. The house holds profound symbolic meaning: the high roof represents the connection with the Creator, while the strong supporting pillars symbolize the strength and unity of the family.

Expert collaboration: Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade; Open-Air Museum “Old Village” Sirogojno; Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Belgrade.
Stamp design featuring motifs from Serbia: Nadežda Skočajić, academic graphic artist.
Stamp design featuring motifs from Indonesia: Siswanto.

Indonesia 2025 - Joint Issue Indonesia - Serbia






 

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