The base of this necklace is made of baroque white pearls with naturally uneven surfaces, giving the piece distinctive texture and depth. At the center are three brass Hutsul swarga-crosses — replicas of antique ones. These crosses are unique, as they resemble solar symbols found across many cultures since the Neolithic era. It is believed that such crosses are pre-Christian representations of the sun’s movement. In ancient times, people worshipped the sun as a life-giving force. Marking its movement meant recognizing the end of important cycles and the beginning of new ones — like the start of fieldwork, harvesting, and storage. The beginning, middle, and end of the year were observed with special celebrations — echoes of which we still feel today: Koliada, Christmas, Melania and Vasyl Day, Easter, Green Holidays, Spas, Pokrova, and others.
The beads in this necklace are natural baroque pearls. Their gentle pearly sheen brings softness and lightness, while their organic forms make each piece one of a kind.
We have deliberately modernized the traditional look of the zgarda by adding pearls as the base. The ribbon ties reference traditional flower crowns, which girls used to wear with long flowing ribbons down the back.
Zgarda is a traditional Hutsul necklace made of brass crosses strung on a solid twisted wire, with connecting elements called perelizhky or peremizhky. It was fastened with a massive ornamented clasp — the chepraga. It served not only as an adornment but also as a symbol of community belonging and spiritual protection.
The length of the necklace is 40 cm, the ribbon ties are 30 cm. This allows you to adjust the length and height of the necklace when used with other jewelry.
Care & Guarantee
Remove the necklace before bathing, sleeping, or exercising.
Avoid contact with water and perfumes to preserve the shine of the brass elements.
If the necklace gets wet, gently dry it and wipe it with a soft cloth.
Store it in a box or pouch, protected from dust and direct sunlight.
If your piece is damaged, contact us via Instagram @shterno_brand — we will repair or restore it free of charge or for the cost of shipping only.
