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.
Regency, reign and power to feminine (centuries XIV-XVII)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The issue of the woman in the conception of political history presents both suggestions or a new vision in history as interest towards acknowledgment of the past. It is worth mentioning also, that in this short study one has made an attempt to change the historical accents, in other words, one has proposed to filtrate the political history through the feminine perception. Unfortunately, history feminine theme was rejected many years and only in the last decade was deeply researched by the colleges in Romania. Without pretending to fully solve the problem, one considers indisputable that without studying the history of vision as a whole might be unilateral. In this way, the respective study is just an attempt of treating a very delicate issue-the role of the woman in determining the ruling dynasties in Medieval Moldova and the regency of the ladies. The documentary of the questioned era reflects the situation and the position of women. In the continuity of the dynasties, a leading role have played the ladies. In addition, historical facts show that some ladies from Medieval Moldova were true historical figures.
Lilia Zabolotnaia
New documentary explorations in Cantemirology: The will of Matei Cantemir
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVIII [XXXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Some notes about Branković dynasty
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Helena Krasowska, The Polish Minority in South-Eastern Ukraine. Warsaw: Institute of Slavic Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 2017, 389 p. ISBN: 978-83-64031-65-6
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XII [XXVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
The strength and weakness of Alexandra Osipovna Smirnova-Rosset (on the history of the origins of one of the women of the Pushkin era)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XII [XXVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Ştefan Lemny, Dimitrie Cantemir, un principe român în zorile Luminilor europene. A Romanian prince at the dawn of the European enlightenment. Un prince roumain à l’aube des Lumières européennes. Bucureşti: Editura Institutului Cultural Român, 2019, 186 p. + 59 ilustraţii. ISBN 978-973-577-737-1
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], 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
