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. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Questions on fate of Tatar heritage on the North Moldova territory have been reviewed in many articles and some how solved. But for South Moldova territory we could not affirm the same. The matter is that in second part of XIVc. in Moldova historiography, traditionally these two territories (north and south) were considered as one whole. This could be considered correct for Moldova since the Alexander the Kind period, but erroneously for second part of XIV century. This article propose to look at some historical personalities, which still does not have simple place no in the list of Moldova Dominus neither in list of Dominus suite.
We should mark firstly Tatar brothers Hajibei and Kutlubuga, and Dmitrii which are mentioned in Russian Chronicles and Hungarian King charter as – «Demetrius prinseps tartarorum”, who rule in South Moldova since 1365 till 1369 years. Obviously in 1369 south Moldova territory were crossed from Tatar brothers to Lithuanian brothers Kariatovici. This were approved by the Saray, who according to Sehr ali Djedida coins were in conflict with tatars from Moldova territory. In 1369 – 1991 period Lithuanian prince Iurii Koriatovici ruled at this territory, mentioned in Russian Chronicles and others documents of XV XVI cc. as dux, than Konstantin Kariatovici, who is mentioned in Bistritschii monastery funeral book in 1408 as dux, and Massaria from Chifa document 1386 year under name Konsatantin as dominus.
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
