Livre - Ex Votos

The story of ex-votos is as old as the world. This is the tale about the tangible expressions of the eternal human hope, expectations, dreams, fears, requests for good health, for a child, healing, prosperity, for the livestock’s health and fertility. This manner of presenting gifts to gods combined with a request could be traced back to Antiquity ant it is a particular way to get in touch with divinity. There are many memories and artifact left from traditions like those, but the very practice is still live. Anyway, as is the case with traditions, this one has also undergone many changes and transformations in the course of time. This was an inspirations for us to discover the votive offerings in the collections of Bulgarian museums and to present them to the general audience in an exhibition intended to reflect the development and current condition of ex-votos in Bulgaria. Bringing the topic of ex-votos to the agenda presents an opportunity to extend the aspects of their research, to continue the search for more information. In this sense we regard the publication of this album – as a starting point for new investigation, as an opportunity for remembrance of those old practices and sharing of family and personal stories related to votive offerings and theirs symbolism.