FOLK CRAFTS MUSEUM

Housed in the buildings of an old farmhouse, this is a rich collection of folk art. Sculptures on wood, horn or bone: almost 200 different objects show the evolution of techniques and styles. There are pottery pieces from Mezőtúr (an important pottery center since the ^18th century, in the Great Plain), Nádudvar (famous for its black pottery), Hódmezövásárhely, Mohács (another style of black pottery), and also from former pottery centers such as Mezőcsát, Debrecen and Gyöngyöspástó. Furs and leathers: worked furs from Mezőkövesd, peasant coats with applied motifs. Leather gourds were once made by saddlers (creators of magnificent braided harnesses). Lace: from Kiskunhalas, the land of lace. Matyó embroidery is undoubtedly the most sumptuous, along with that of Kalocsa, east of the Danube. The museum also makes a small place for blue-dyeing, a craft with traditions in Tápé, on the Tisza River, and Börsákány, on the Little Plain in north-western Hungary. Weaving is also an ancient craft, with the most decorative styles appearing in the early ^19th century. This art (weaving wool, linen, cotton and hemp) is applied to both regional costumes and interior decoration. South of Pécs, in the Baranya region, weaving is influenced by South Slavs, Croats and Sokác.