#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.

Virtual Tour

International Collaboration

Visit of researcher Jan Mispelaere from the Royal Swedish Archives to the National Museum of History of Moldova

October 9-10, 2023

During October 9-10, 2023, the National Museum of History of Moldova had the pleasure of hosting the visit of researcher Dr. Jan Mispelaere from Riksarkivet (Royal Swedish Archives). Dr. Mispelaere, concerned with the Moldavian-Swedish history, visited the museum in order to carry out research in connection with the historical site "Camp of the Swedish King Charles XII" in Varnița commune, Republic of Moldova.

This visit represented a significant step in the scientific collaboration efforts between specialists from the Republic of Moldova and Sweden. Together with Dr. Ion Tentiuc, specialist in archeology and ancient history at the National Museum of History of Moldova, Dr. Mispelaere took soil samples from the historical site. These samples will later be subjected to thorough analyzes in laboratories in Sweden, with the aim of determining whether they match the traces identified in the Swedish archival documents, kept at the Riksarkivet.

The close collaboration between researchers from the Republic of Moldova and Sweden, highlighted by this research visit, opens new opportunities for a deeper understanding of Moldovan-Swedish history and for strengthening our knowledge of the common cultural and historical heritage. This research initiative is an eloquent example of how international expertise and resources can contribute to the development of historical knowledge to the benefit of both countries.

The National Museum of History of Moldova expresses its gratitude to Dr. Jan Mispelaere and Dr. Ion Tentiuc for their efforts to promote cultural and historical collaboration, and looks forward to the results of further research. This initiative is a positive example of how joint research can help reveal and promote our shared history and culture.