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.
Surface structures from the settlements near by Saharna village
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Several Iron Age monuments are known in the village of Saharna, Rezina region. For a few years planned archeological research had been conducted in three of them: Saharna Mică, Saharna Mare and Saharna “La Şanț”. In the course of research, it was established that Saharna Mare stony cape was first settled in the end of the 12th century B.C. In the 11th century B.C. an unfortified settlement existed here. By the end of this century or at the end of the next century, it was abandoned and the population moved to another area. As evidenced by the archaeological materials Saharna Mică cape was resettled by the 7th century B.C. The most intensive economic development the settlement reached in the 6th-5th centuries B.C., and military development by the 4th-3d centuries B.C. when it was fortified by a complicated system of fortified structures.
On the ground of research conducted on the territory of the Saharna Mare settlement it was established that in the 6th-5th centuries B.C. it occupied a considerable part of the cape and reached its peak of development in the 4th-3d centuries B.C.
According to the archeological materials, the fortified settlement of Saharna “La Şanț” was established in the 7th-6th centuries B.C., and later in the 5th-4th centuries B.C. it was already fortified by a wooden-earthen structure. Follow-up studies will allow us to more accurately determine the time when the settlements were settled and then abandoned.
Tudor Arnăut
In memoriam professoris Constantini Predae
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Aurel Zanoci, Tudor Arnăut
Profesorul Ion Niculiță la 70 de ani
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ion Niculiță, Aurel Zanoci, Tudor Arnăut
Fortifications of the Early Iron Age settlement Saharna Mare
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Aurel Zanoci
Typology and evolution of gates and access into early hallstattian fortresses in Tisa-Dniester space
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică Chișinău, 2015
Aurel Zanoci
Zur Typologie und Entwicklung der Befestigungsanlagen östlich der Karpatengebirge im 12./11.-3. Jh. v. Chr.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], 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
