Bronze zgarda 4х4 (ЗБ 01-06)

Zgarda is an amulet that has a specific form of the cross, which appeared before the Christianity and was called the Maltese cross or Teutonic. It is a very old form of the product, but today these decorations are made at home. First, the cross is cast in bronze and then minted and engraved. Zgardas are necessarily attached to the wire and decorated with ceramic corals. In the old days when the Hutsul girl turned 6 years old for the birthday she was necessarily given such cross, and in the following years two more crosses were presented that were put on the wire on both sides of the main cross.  

Nowadays there are Hutsul masters that specialize in the manufacture of zgardas. This model is designed by the Hutsul master-mosjazhnik Roman Strinadyuk. His grandson Orest Oniskiv is now continuing the grandfather's work. Orest is very famous among craftsmen and artists of Ukraine. Bronze zgarda «ЗБ 01-06» (4х4 сm), which is called «Vyshyvanka», is cast and processed by master, used the ancient technologies that are inherited from generation to generation. Although Church does not approve Maltese cross, often men and women in the Carpathian region wear them with their national costumes, especially with vyshyvanka (embroidered shirt).