#Exhibit of the Month

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.

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Publications

Library „Tyragetia"

Elena Ploșnița

Museum. Traditionalism and modernity

Biblioteca „Tyragetia” XXXVII, Chișinău, 2022, 210 p. ISBN 978-9975-80-903-0; 978-9975-166-26-3.

The book "Museum. Traditionalism and modernity" is a theoretical reflection on what is a museum institution between traditionalism and modernity. Specific topics that draw up the museum between tradition and modernity are considered. The systematization and analysis of the latest achievements in Moldavian museography has been carried out. Both traditional and innovative processes in the evolution of the contemporary museum as a public institution are traced.

The work is focused on the problems of museums in the Republic of Moldova, the evolution of these institutions over the past 30 years in the dimension between traditionalism and modernity. The main milestones of this evolution are indicated, with many meanings, contradictions, and changes that mark it. In order to present a complete picture of the issue, a systematization and analysis of the latest achievements in Moldavian museography in three specific areas is given, taking into account the specifics of the functioning of a museum: collections, exposition, communication. The book may be of interest to specialists, since for the first time it approaches, in a comprehensive way, the problems of traditionalism and modernity in the museum system of the Republic of Moldova.

The monograph comes as an argument in support of the motivations for reforming and modernizing the traditional museums in the Republic of Moldova, and we hope that it will help museum professionals in the process of internal and external reforming and modernization of the institution. The contemporary museum in the Republic of Moldova remains a traditional one, designed even today as an ordinary institution, but it can become modern only through reform and reorganization, formulating a clear mission and specific goals, through efficient management of collections, by attracting visitors, by developing and implementing national and international projects.

Contents

Preface

1. MUSEUM COLLECTIONS: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS

1.1. Museum collections management coordinates
1.2. Scientific records for museum cultural values
1.3. Research and classification of museum collections
1.4. Digitization of museum collections
1.5. Nominal assessment of museum cultural heritage

2. MUSEUM EXHIBITION: APPROACHES

2.1. The concept of museum exhibition
2.2. Typology and methods of organizing a museum exhibition
2.3. Permanent exhibition - a traditional necessity or a modern bagatelle?
2.4. Museum exhibition and information technologies

3. MUSEUM AUDIENCES: COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION

3.1. Public relations/museum's relationship with the public
3.2. Traditional and modern museum communication
3.3. Education in a modern museum
3.4. Knowing visitors is a modern imperative

CONCLUSIONS

Bibliography
List of abbreviations
Summary (in English)
Summary
Annexes
Index of names
Index of museums