Bulgarian Folk Customs

This comprehensive exploration of Bulgarian traditions, beliefs and lifestyles provides a wealth of information available for the first time in English, in one volume. Folk customs sustain a community and promote the welfare of the individual within it, and in Bulgarian these customs have for centuries fulfilled many social and personal needs, strengthening the family, comforting the bereaved, educating and celebrating. Part One includes an introductory overview of Bulgarian history and looks at the background to traditional Bulgarian society, costumes, music and dance. Part Two and Three detail the various festivals and customs that are related to almost every aspect of Bulgarian life, dividing them into two groups: customs relating to the family and individual, and calendar customs and festivals. The book includes general information on human behaviour and beliefs, as well as more specialized information on subjects such as the ritual use of plants or the significance of, for example, the colour red. It will be a valuable source of reference for anthropologists, ethnographers and historians.