We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life. The spirit of the Resurrection is beautifully complemented by ten Easter-themed postcards from the heritage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, printed a century ago. These pieces were added to the museum's postcard collection over a decade ago following a successful acquisition; as the fund for Easter-themed illustrations is modest, we are in a constant search for new additions.
These postcards are "extraordinary" in terms of their postal, typographical, and chromatic effects-the primary reason for revisiting this genre of greetings. Unlike "classic" postcards, these are smaller in size (6.5 cm x 11 cm), made of cardboard (with the exception of one piece made of photographic paper in black and white), and feature "vivid" colors. Printed in Romania and Germany, they bear the marks of having been sent and circulated through the post.
The name of the holiday originates from the verb persach, meaning "to pass," a term adopted by the Jews from the Egyptians. It entered the Romanian language through the Byzantine-Latin form Paschae, signifying the "passage through death to life, the victory of life, and liberation from the bondage of sin." Easter is a holiday of tolerance and forgiveness, representing a bridge between the present and the past. The significance of this celebration is conveyed through its symbols, which are also featured on these postcards: Hand-painted eggs, the Easter Bunny and the Lamb, traditional sweet breads (cozonac and pască), biblical scenes related to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Easter table also features pască-a ritual food reminiscent of ancient, bloodless "reconciliation" sacrifices. Its preparation is the exclusive task of women, the givers of life, as the leavened dough is considered "alive."
The most significant component of the Easter holiday, however, is the Light. The Ceremony of the Holy Light is associated with the miracle of the light appearing on Easter Sunday at Christ's Tomb in Jerusalem. The candle, often depicted in these images, carries a powerful message; it is with the Resurrection candle that we return home after the midnight religious service. Furthermore, the Easter Bunny represents the rebirth of nature, so eagerly awaited after a harsh winter.
Unlike Christmas, when the announcement and ritual integration of the community into sacred time was the duty of caroling groups, at Easter, "one does not go from house to house." Instead, the ritual meal is organized within each family, symbolizing a direct communion with God.
New cartographic materials on the ancient ramparts of Budzhak
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
The article presents new materials on the cartography of the ancient defensive valla of Southern Bessarabia, or Budzhak. In the scientific use there is introduced the previously unknown topographical map of 1864, which marked the coastal part of the Lower Dniester (Serpent's) Wall, as well as other data that clarify the topography of these sites.
List of illustrations:
Fig. 1. Land plots of the Şaba and Şabalat villages on the map of Bessarabia of 1828.
Fig. 2. Fragment of A.P. Chirkov's „Special Map", 1864.
Fig. 3. Part of the Lower Dniester (Serpent's) Wall on A.P. Chirkov's „Special Map", 1864.
Fig. 4. Land plots of the Talmaza and Cioburciu villages on the map of Bessarabia of 1828.
Fig. 5. Land plot of Akkerman on the map of Bessarabia of 1828.
Fig. 6. Land plot of the Nekrasovka vilage on the map of Bessarabia of 1828.
Fig. 7. Area of the Monastyrsky Cape on the map of the Danube Delta of the European Danube Commission, 1887.
Fig. 8. Area of the Monastyrsky Cape on the German map of 1941.
Fig 9. Tashbunar village and a part of the Lower Trajan's Wall on the German map of 1941.
Fig. 10. Fortification near the Novosel'skoye village on the map of the Danube Delta, 1860s.
Fig. 11. Fortification near the Novosel'skoye village on "The map of the Balkan Peninsula covering the entire theatre of war of 1877-1878".
Игорь Сапожников
Андрій Красножон, Фортеці та міста Північно-Західного Причорномор’я (ХV-XVIII ст.). Одеса: Чорномор’я, 2018, 312 c. ISBN: 978-966-555-313-7
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Игорь Сапожников
Outlines on the cartography and ancient fortification of the area of the Danube crossing near Lake of Kartal
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XV [XXX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Игорь Сапожников, Ольга Айсфельд, Виктор Савченко
The Kunstkamera (Museum) and other archaeological collections of Nikolaev, their creators and the transfer to the Odessa Society of History and Antiquities in the 1840s
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Игорь Сапожников, Майя Кашуба
«Corpus of antiques and archaeological findings in Bessarabia» by N. Mogilyansky and Ya. Ebergardt
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Игорь Сапожников
Ancient defensive walls and roads around the Danube crossing near Lake Kartal: Experience of cartographic stratigraphy
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life...
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.
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31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
