#Exhibit of the Month

Christmas bells entered the Romanian cultural space through a long process in which archaic traditions blended with Christian belief and European influences. Long before the holiday of Christmas developed as we know it, metallic sounds played an important ritual role in old communities: they were used to drive away evil spirits, to purify spaces, and to protect people during transitional moments at the turn of the year. These beliefs have been preserved in winter customs such as caroling, the Plugușor, and masked dances, where bells and jingles were indispensable.
With the spread of Christianity, the sound of the bell also acquired a profound religious meaning, becoming an announcer of major feasts and a symbol of the Nativity. Small bells, however, were not originally used as decorations but primarily as functional or ritual objects.
The first decorated Christmas tree in the Romanian lands was the one at the palace of Prince Carol I of Hohenzollern, following his arrival in the Romanian Principalities in 1866. From that moment the tradition took root, and on Christmas Eve princes and princesses invited to the palace would take part in decorating the tree. Among the ornaments used were small metal bells, symbolizing joy, the good news, and divine protection for the home.
In the twentieth century, Christmas bells spread across all Romanian provinces and became a visual emblem of the holiday, appearing in both decorations and carols. Even during periods when religious expression was curtailed, bells remained in people's homes as signs of joy and the continuity of tradition. Today they retain this dual meaning: the echo of ancient beliefs and, at the same time, the announcement of the Birth of Christ - a symbol of hope, light, and the link between past and present.
These tinkling pieces are part of a generous heritage collection at the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM), which includes more than 200 cultural items. A substantial contribution to the museum's collection of decorative bells was made by Dorina Raischi, a teacher at School No. 94 in Chișinău, who donated 174 bells, of which around 30 are winter-themed. Made of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and metal, they were brought from different parts of the world and together offer a succinct picture of the global culture of bells. They add a festive note to the home and even to a gift, and it is hard to imagine Christmas without their cheerful tinkling.

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Exhibitions

“Lithuanian Tatars in Archive Documents”

October 1-31, 2021

In commemoration of the 700th anniversary of the history and culture of the Tatars in Lithuania, 2021 was declared the Year of Lithuanian Tatar History and Culture. On this occasion, the exhibition "Lithuanian Tatars in Archival Documents" organized by the State Historical Archives of Lithuania invites you to take a look at the past to get acquainted with the development of the multinational Lithuanian culture.

The exhibition presents documents reflecting the history of the Lithuanian Tatars from the second half of the 16th century to the present day. Lithuanian Tatars are a unique ethnos that settled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania more than 600 years ago, in the 14th-15th centuries. The vast majority of them moved to Lithuania during the time of Vytautas the Great. Immigration to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was favored by the excellent conditions that were offered to the Tatars: complete freedom of religion and customs was ensured, the construction of mosques was allowed, and the rights of noble Tatars were equated with those of the Lithuanian nobility.

Lithuanian Tatars were famous as excellent warriors. They fought in the Žalgiris (Grunwald) battle under the Lithuanian flags, and later in the front line regiments of the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Republic of the Two Nations until its dismemberment.

The archives contain many documents related to the history and culture of the Lithuanian Tatars, therefore the exhibition is divided into two parts. The documents presented in the first part reflect the history of the Lithuanian Tatars: these are the privileges and letters of the Lithuanian and Polish rulers to the Tatars, documents regarding their service in the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Tsarist Russia, files confirming the Tatar nobility, with their family trees and coats of arms, Tatar private property documents, and so on. The Special Archives of Lithuania contains documents related to the Tatars exiled by the Soviet occupation authorities in 1950s.

The second part of the exhibition presents documents related to Lithuanian Tatar mosques and registers drawn up in the places of worship.

The Tatars are a small ethnic group that currently makes up only 0.1% of the population of Lithuania, and although they lost their language in the 16th and 17th centuries, they managed to preserve their customs, religion and culture.

The documents presented testify that the Lithuanian Tatars contributed significantly to the restoration of Lithuanian statehood, history and culture, that this community has closely linked its life with Lithuania and is an integral part of its history.

Organizers of the exhibition in Moldova: Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Moldova in partnership with the National Museum of History of Moldova and the Institute of History, Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova. The opening of the exhibition will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 15:00, in the upstairs hall.

#Exhibit of the Month

Decorative Bells

“Lithuanian Tatars in Archive Documents”

October 1-31, 2021

#Exhibit of the Month