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.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
In the present article the author debates the question on professional ethics and deontology in the field of archaeology. His works starts with some general appreciation of the terms of ethics and deontology and than continues with historic presentation of the development of the movement among archaeologists on development of the Code of Ethics.
The Codes of Ethics are considered as legal instruments, because most of them settles relations between archaeologists; between archaeologists and state bodies; between archaeologists and donors; between archaeologist and the native people or settled near to the archaeological sites. At the same time the Code of Ethics contains the list of principles and professional norms. Some experts consider that in this list shall be mentioned the aspects on political partisanat too.
One of the actual and common problems of the archaeologists is combating the black archaeology and illicit trade of antiquities. The names of archaeologists and institutions have not to be involved in such illegal phenomena.
The EEA Code of Practice and other international experience should be taken into account in the preparation of the national Code of Ethics according to the local realities and need. At the end of the paper the author is inviting the archaeological community from Moldova to establich a working group and prepare the draft of the Code which could be later discussed and approved.
Sergiu Musteață
Preservation of the historic heritage in USA
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Sergiu Musteață
Florin Curta, (Ed.), The Other Europe in the Middle Ages. Avars, Bulgars, Khazars and Cumans, Florin Curta, General Editor, East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450, volume 2, Leiden/Boston: BRILL, 2008, ISSN 1872-8103, ISBN 978 90 04 16389 8
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Sergiu Musteață
A new law - a new perspective for the archaeological heritage preservation in the Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Sergiu Musteață
Stefan Ihrig, Wer sind die Moldawier? Rumänismus versus Moldowanismus in Historiographie und Schulbüchern der Republik Moldova, 1991-2006, Stuttgart: ibidem-Verlag, 2008, ISBN-10: 3-89821-466-4
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Sergiu Musteață
Манаджемент археологического насследия и кража древностей в Республике Молдова
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
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
