#Exhibit of the Month

Buckles (paftale) are an almost indispensable element of traditional women's dress in the Southeastern European area, particularly in the Balkans, and have been in use over a long period, from the 14th to the 20th century.
The word pafta is of Turkic origin-possibly entering the language via Iranian influence-derived from the Persian word bafta, meaning "woven," which evolved in Turkish to signify "plate." Today, the term is used in nearly identical forms in Romanian (pafta), Bulgarian (пафта), Serbian (пафте), and some Aromanian dialects (pafta), designating functional and ornamental clothing accessories used to fasten belts, girdles, or sashes, crafted from various materials and decorated using different techniques.
The three buckles decorated in the polychrome enamel technique, preserved in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova, belong to the South-Danubian tradition and are dated to the late 19th - early 20th century.

Each buckle consists of two identical trapezoidal parts, their surfaces divided into three roughly equal registers, adorned with stylized vegetal motifs forming a metal lattice into which enamel is poured. The two parts extend into sharp angles at the ends, forming a triangle with the edge of the last decorative register, similarly ornamented. The enamel used to fill the floral motifs is black, turquoise, white, orange, green, yellow, and burgundy. The entire decorative field is framed by a beaded border.

On the reverse, both components retain a copper band riveted along the edge, used to fasten the ends of the belt. The fastening system, made by interlocking the hinges of the two parts and secured with a movable pin attached by a chain to a clasp fixed on one of the buckle pieces, is concealed by a rectangular plate (riveted with three pins to the body of the piece), with narrow edges ending in sharp angles, decorated in the same style and technique. Additionally, it features three circular settings with notched edges bent inward to hold centrally placed red and green glass paste. These settings are framed by a radiant, notched band.

The symbolism of the color palette encodes meanings and symbols, chosen for their believed magical powers. Red has always represented love, affection, and protection against curses and the evil eye; white symbolizes purity and spiritual and physical cleanliness; blue is symbolically associated with infinity, morning, new beginnings, and transformation; green represents destiny, hope, prosperity, balance, and rebirth, being linked to nature's revival each spring and to life itself.

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#Exhibit of the Month

December 2021

Engraving-document “The Battle of the Prut between the Turks and the Muscovites / The Battle of Stănilești”

A German keen on Romanian history, Robert Denndorf, donated to the museum several cultural goods of special historical and artistic significance. Among them there is the engraving “The Battle of the Prut between the Turks and the Muscovites / The Battle of Stănilești”. The work – with the dimensions: L – 420 mm, 380 mm; W – 350 mm, 300 mm – was executed by the German engraver and publisher of Swiss origin Matthӓus Merian, commissioned by the German historian Iohan Abelin known as the author under the name of Iohan Ludwig Gottfreid. It represents a general overview of the deployment of Turkish and Russian troops on the banks of the Prut, near Stănilești, before the beginning of the Battle of Stănilești (Vaslui County). In the center is the Prut River, in the upper part of the river being placed the Ottoman army and in the lower part – that of Russia, supported by the troops of Dimitrie Cantemir (Principality of Moldavia). By means of various symbols on the engraving certain actions and things are indicated and numbered, without decipherments and explanations. At the bottom of the engraving, in the center, in a frame, there is the title of the work in German: “Action bey der Prutt zwijehen denen Turcken und Mofcowiten”. The engraving was first published in 1715 in the historical journal “Theatrum Europaeum” founded by Mattthӓus Merian and issued in German between 1633 and 1738. Later, it was reproduced in 1673 in the book in Italian “Colonna Traiana – Eretta Dal Senato, E. Popolo Romano All, imperatore Traiano Augusto Nel Suo Foro in Roma” [“Trajan's Column, erected by the Senate and the Roman people to Emperor Trajan in his forum in Rome”]. The volume also included an exposition in Latin by Alfonso Ciaccone. As a result of the Battle of Stănilești, the Phanariotes regime was established in Moldavia in 1711, and in Wallachia in 1716. Dimitrie Cantemir settled in Russia.

The engraving-document “The Battle of the Prut between the Turks and the Muscovites / The Battle of Stănilești” is one of the first images in the medieval history of Romania, depicting the historical event of the early 18^th century – the Battle of Stănilești, which had important consequences for Moldavia and Wallachia. There are no images on this topic by Romanian authors of the 18^th century. The only depictions known to date are by Western artists.

The engraving has a remarkable artistic and historical value and is classified as a piece of movable cultural heritage in the Treasure category.