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.
Abstract: In this article based on the study of archival sources and monographs the author considers some aspects of the influence of the tsarist legislation on the changes in the legal status of the Bessarabian nobility. After the annexation of the territory between the Dniester and the Prut to the Russian Empire, at first the tsarist government maintained the social categories existing in Bessarabia, and the relationships were regulated by the laws and customs of the Principality of Moldavia. Subsequently, Bessarabia was incorporated into the political and socio-economic system of the empire. Thus, the use of the tsarist laws on the territory of the region has led to changes in the status of the Bessarabian nobility. Despite the fact that the Bessarabian nobility had the same rights and have been included in the Russian nobility keeping the former privileges, in reality they, especially the indigenous nobility, were limited in their rights. Chief administrative positions in Bessarabia were given to foreign nobles and officials or those members of the local nobility, who were loyal to the tsarist policy. All this has led to dissociation (due to the introduction of foreign representatives into the ranks of the local gentry) and humiliation (because the nobles had to constantly prove their social status - a rather complicated process due to the lack of supporting documents for those who had the Moldavian noble rank or possessed property) of this social category.
Cristina Gherasim
Aspects of teaching children of the Bessarabian nobility within the educational system of the Russian Empire
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015
Cristina Gherasim
L’identité sociale au milieu de la noblesse de la Bessarabie dans le XIX-ème siècle
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Cristina Gherasim
About changes in the mentality of the Bessarabian nobility during 1830-1840s
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț, Cristina Gherasim
Some considerations on factors that generated mentality shifts of the landlords in Bessarabia under tsarist domination (1812-1817)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Cristina Gherasim
Confirmation of the titles of nobility by Bessarabian nobles in the first half of the 19th century: The noble family of Frunzetti (Frunză)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
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 National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
