The word pafta is of Turkish origin and is used in almost identical forms in Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, and Serbian languages and some Aromanian dialects, denoting clothing accessories of a functional and decorative use, which secure or catch one's girdle, sash or belt. Such buckles are accessories of ceremonial and everyday costumes, they were worn by both prince's courtiers and commoners in the Romanian principalities during the reign of the Phanariots, when the influence of Greek culture increased.
Throughout the Balkan Peninsula, silversmiths' workshops produced buckles very different in size, alloys, technique, style, and decoration. Turkish buckles were usually lace-like, often gilded, with many stones, emphasizing opulence. At the Bulgarians and Aromanians, they are simpler, but have a specific model and symbolism. Greek buckles are mostly silver, elegantly shaped, decorated with corals and small coins. The difference between the West and the East in this regard lies in the ability of the Turks to combine other materials with precious stones. Another feature is the predominance of floral motifs over the representations of animals and birds. The peoples under Ottoman rule assimilated these features and integrated them into their own cultures.
The buckles exhibited testify to the presence of a jewelry workshop in the town of Orhei in Bessarabia in the second half of the 19th century, and the quality of workmanship, the fine processing of the details, the complex composition denote the mastery and skill of the craftsmen.
Similar in style, these three buckles are two-piece, germinating seed-shaped, with strongly pronounced tips. The border is decorated with a garland motif, which circumscribes floral decorative elements. Hook and loop fastening is covered with a decorative button. On the reverse side, both sides are equipped with two plus two vertical straps with which the belt was attached.
The buckles are made of silver, as evidenced by the metal fineness hallmark stamp "84", applied according to the regulations on both parts of the buckle, and the hallmark stamp of the jewelry workshop in Orhei - the symbol of oak in a stylized shield. The quality of the metal and workmanship is also certified by the stamp of the assayer, moreover, one of the buckles was expertized by Dmitry Tiunov and has a "ДТ" (DT) stamp on it. On both parts of the buckle, the year of manufacture 1858 and the stamp of the assayer "ПН" (PN) are stamped. The stamp on the second buckle, the initials "МИ" (MI), indicates only the craftsman who made the product. The third buckle, made in the Orhei workshop, does not have the hallmark stamps required by law on the back side, but retains the same hallmarks stamped on the side of the products: the symbol of oak, the metal fineness hallmark stamp "84", the year of manufacture - 1871, and the initials of the assayer "КС" (KS), identified as Klim Sergeev, who worked from 1868 to 1871.
Between the 1840s and 1870s, wearing buckles became obsolete, and women's fashion completely adopted Western cuts and colors. These accessories came back into fashion around 1870 thanks to Princess Elisabeth, the future Queen of Romania. She introduced at court the fashion for the Romanian national costume, decorated with buckles. Her example was followed by the female elite of that time until the eve of the First World War. And her successor, Queen Maria, with her usual elegance and refinement, continued this fashionable tradition with in the interwar period.
The establishment of special administration of city Ismail and its role in the evolution of commercial bourgeoisie (1830-1853)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
In the present article, based on unpublished archival documents and those published, it is shown that after the annexation of Bessarabia to Russia in order to confirm the strategic and commercial importance of the port Ismail in the Danube and Black Sea and employment of province through the Danube ports in European maritime trade, according to Senate decree of September 26th 1830, the Special Administration of city Ismail was established. It included the cities of Reni and Kiliya, localities Cugurlui, Sofian, Brosaca, Hadji-Kurdish, Hasan-Spaga, Câsla, Muravleovka, Cimașir, Vylkove. Commanders of Ismail and Kilya fortresses and the Danube fleet commander were subject to the head of the Special Administration, but border service and the quarantine remained in the responsibility of the military governor. In the district which was under his subordination, the head of the Special Administration of the city Ismail was administrating the police and quarantine service, based on those provisions and instructions issued to heads of special administration of Odessa, Taganrog and Feodosia cities, being directlysubordinate to the General Governor of Novorosia and Bessarabia. Customs Service in the Special Administration of the city Ismail remained under the control of imperial institutions.
Ismail county is changing its name to County Leova, to which were passed from the Bender Land, the Leova fair, 3 settlements of state and 28 landlord settlements. From Ismail to fair of Leova the County Court, Local Court, Treasury County, Prosecutor and Engineer Land were transferred and a city magistrate was established. For maintenance of Special Administration of the city Ismail and chancery annually were allocated 3100 silver roubles.
General S.A. Tucikov was named the Head of the Special Administration of the Ismail city by the Senate decision of 27 September 1830, confirmed by emperor on 27 December 1830. On January 13 1831 S.A. Tucikov informs I.M. Sorokunski, General Governor of Novorosia and Bessarabia on this imperial decision. On January 31 1831 Regional Administration of Bessarabia discusses the modalities of institution of the Special Administration of the Ismail city. On 13 May 1831 Regional Administration of Bessarabia transmits to the general S.A. Tucikov all the attributions referring to the Special Administrative Ismail city.
Analysis of unpublished archival sources and specialized publications allows us to ascertain that special administrations created favourable conditions for business activity of commercial bourgeoisie. At the same time the special administrations was an attempted to extend the autonomy of urban municipalities to regional and central bodies of power, without carrying out a reform in this respect. This allowed the abolition of function at any time to regain authority over municipal finances. In other words, the establishment of special government was a temporary way to facilitate the development of cities-ports on the Black Sea and Azov Sea, without touching the bankrupt system Russian city found itself in first half of 19th century.
In 1857, with the passage of territory in southern Bessarabia to the Principality of Moldova, Special Administrative Ismail city ceased to exist.
Valentin Tomuleț
The numerical dynamic and the social structure of the population of Tabani village, in Hotin county, according to the fiscal censuses in the 1820s-1850s
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț, Victoria Bivol
Representatives of bourgeois elite in Bessarabia: Greek merchant Pantelei Sinadino (1830-1850)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț, Angela Baxan
On the question of competence of the Supreme Council of Bessarabian Oblast (August 28, 1816 - February 29, 1828)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Jewish component in the ethnical structure of the commercial bourgeoisie in Bessarabia (1812-1868)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
Valentin Tomuleț, Cristina Gherasim
Some considerations on factors that generated mentality shifts of the landlords in Bessarabia under tsarist domination (1812-1817)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The word pafta is of Turkish origin and is used in almost identical forms in Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, and Serbian languages and some Aromanian dialects, denoting clothing accessories of a functional and decorative use, which secure or catch one's girdle, sash or belt...
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.
Throughout the Balkan Peninsula, silversmiths' workshops produced buckles very different in size, alloys, technique, style, and decoration. Turkish buckles were usually lace-like, often gilded, with many stones, emphasizing opulence. At the Bulgarians and Aromanians, they are simpler, but have a specific model and symbolism. Greek buckles are mostly silver, elegantly shaped, decorated with corals and small coins. The difference between the West and the East in this regard lies in the ability of the Turks to combine other materials with precious stones. Another feature is the predominance of floral motifs over the representations of animals and birds. The peoples under Ottoman rule assimilated these features and integrated them into their own cultures.
The buckles are made of silver, as evidenced by the metal fineness hallmark stamp "84", applied according to the regulations on both parts of the buckle, and the hallmark stamp of the jewelry workshop in Orhei - the symbol of oak in a stylized shield. The quality of the metal and workmanship is also certified by the stamp of the assayer, moreover, one of the buckles was expertized by Dmitry Tiunov and has a "ДТ" (DT) stamp on it. On both parts of the buckle, the year of manufacture 1858 and the stamp of the assayer "ПН" (PN) are stamped. The stamp on the second buckle, the initials "МИ" (MI), indicates only the craftsman who made the product. The third buckle, made in the Orhei workshop, does not have the hallmark stamps required by law on the back side, but retains the same hallmarks stamped on the side of the products: the symbol of oak, the metal fineness hallmark stamp "84", the year of manufacture - 1871, and the initials of the assayer "КС" (KS), identified as Klim Sergeev, who worked from 1868 to 1871.
Between the 1840s and 1870s, wearing buckles became obsolete, and women's fashion completely adopted Western cuts and colors. These accessories came back into fashion around 1870 thanks to Princess Elisabeth, the future Queen of Romania. She introduced at court the fashion for the Romanian national costume, decorated with buckles. Her example was followed by the female elite of that time until the eve of the First World War. And her successor, Queen Maria, with her usual elegance and refinement, continued this fashionable tradition with in the interwar period.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
