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. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
In the 70-ies of the 20th century two medieval monetary and ware hoards were accidentally unearthed. The first treasure was found near Sîngerei town, Sîngerei district and contained four pieces of jewellery and twenty nine coins. The other hoard was discovered at Hîjdieni village, Glodeni district and contained four objects and three coins.
The hoard from Sângerei includes 26 Lithuanian coins: 2 half groshes of Alexander’s I emission of 1495-1501, 6 half groshes of Sigismund II; 16 half groshes and 1 grosh of Sigismund II; a three grosh coin of Sigismund III Wasa. Prussia is represented by a grosh of the time of Albrecht I. Mariengrosh (1553) and a thaler of the time of Rudolf II emitted in 1597 represent Göttingen and Lübeck which were parts of the German Holy Roman Empire. Therefore, the half grosh of Alexander I coined in 1495-1501 is the earliest coin of the Sîngerei treasure. Thaler of the time of Rudolf II emitted in 1597 is the latest of the coins. Judging by that the objects of this hoard may be presumably dated to the end of the 15th -16th c., and the hoard could be dated to the end of the 16th century.
Coins from Hîjdieni village include two leeuwendaalders minted in Utrecht (United Provinces) in 1647 and 1648, and 28 Stubers of Emden town (German Holy Roman Empire) minted during the rule of Friedrich III (1637-1668). The fourth coin is a Lithuanian shilling of the time of Ian Kazimir Wasa (1648-1668) emitted in 1652.
In this period foreign and internal policy of Moldova substantially depended on relations with Turkey and Poland. The war of 1593-1606 in which Moldova was involved lead to destructive devastations which caused anti-Turkish protests. A military conflict of 1648-1654 between Poland and the revolted Cossacks of Bogdan Hmelnitskiy substantially affected the territory of Moldova and lead to its devastation and famine of 1650. These events could possibly be the reason for placing of the two hoards.
Ana Niculiță
Regarding two medieval coin hoards from Florești district, Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Анна Никулицэ
Golden and silver adornment objects discovered at the Aeneolithic and Bronze Age monuments (on the materials from the NMAHM collections
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], 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
