Only specialists can tell authentic Slutsk sash from modern one

In the photo - Barys Lazuka demonstrates the Slutsk sash that will be copied

"The sash resembling the original one kept in our Museum will be created at the beginning of December or in mid-December. The public and the state will be able to make sure that it will be authentic and very similar when the new sash and the sash created in Slutsk in the 18th century will be demonstrated together", - says Barys Lazuka, director of the History Museum of the Academy of Sciences.

Euroradio has found out that the modern loom for Slutsk factory will be delivered from Germany. It will be possible to produce sashes that only specialists will be able to tell from the ancient Slutsk ones. At least the History Museum says so.

Meanwhile, copies of a Slutsk sash have been created in Barysau.

"The embroidery has been made with the help of a photo of an 18th-century Slutsk sash that can be found in the book "Old Catholic Church". Our artist zoomed in the image and made the exact copy. The sash is no different from the photo. It is a fragment of the sash - a souvenir. One picture is a flower, the other one is the top of the sash and one more picture is the middle part. There were nine parts in the sash", - says the head of the sewing workshop of Barysau arts and crafts factory Tatstsyana Shastuhina.

The two fragments cost about 2.3 million roubles. The smaller one costs 900 thousands and the bigger one - 1.3 million. The size is the same as the size of the old Slutsk sash - they are 35 cm wide and 85 and 25 cm long. A smaller copy of the Slutsk sash has also been created in Barysau.

 "One side is bright - for weddings and the other one is dark - for funerals. We have made a smaller copy because the original  would cost too much. However, it is too thick and you won't be able to wear it. But it looks like a Slutsk sash", - says Tatstsyana Shatsuhina.

"They were presented to big pots and some of them were foreigners. They cost about 5 or 6 millions, it depends on size and complexity. If a new loom is delivered, they will be cheaper and better", - says Ryhor Shemit, director of Barysau factory.

They tried weaving a sash on a loom in Barysau but it was very different from the original one and they admit it.

"The sash was woven on a loom. It was very different from the original one. The only thing they had in common was the fact that they were double sashes", - says Tatstsyana Shastuhina.

It is not for sale and it is twice narrower than the original one.

Photo by: STV, Euroradio