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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.

Virtual Tour


Exhibitions

“Among posters and musical instruments”

June 27, 2019 - November 23, 2020

 
The exhibition Among posters and musical instruments is the result of the research and valorization of the collection of posters (about a thousand pieces) and musical instruments from the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova. Through its approximately 80 posters and 50 musical instruments, selected according to a chronological, typological and diversity criteria, the museum institution fulfills its obvious function to preserve in time and valorize the cultural heritage which includes posters and musical instruments. Established over several decades during the 20th century from donations and acquisitions, the poster collection is a short chronicle of Moldovan musical events from the East of Prut between 1900-2010. It is a pioneering exhibition, the collection of musical posters being displayed for the first time, and aims to familiarize the public with the evolution of the musical poster as advertising support of documentary and artistic value, but also as a work of art. The diversity of the collection of musical instruments, some with particular memorial value, allows us to follow and fill in the creative biography of artists, but also the existence of a musical piece in time.

The evolution of the musical poster both chronologically and as composition, form and content was structured into four categories: the musical poster from the Tsarist period (1812-1918), the interwar period (1918-1944), the Soviet period (1944-1991) and the musical poster from the period of independence of the Republic of Moldova. The oldest music program poster in the collections of the museum dates back to the 19th century and it is an announcement of the concert of the baritone V. Anenkov at the Nobility Club in Chişinău on February 6, 1900. The musical poster of the interwar period, modest as number, is valuable through generous information, where we can identify musical events, valuable interpreters, and places where musical performances were given. The Soviet-era musical poster was different from the previous ones in color, but also in text, as they also had an ideological role. In the early 90ies of the 20th century, the poster is varied in shape, chromatics, rich in images (with pictures of performing artists), but modest as informative text.

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The most valuable category of musical posters is those of classical music (symphonic, choral, instrumental, vocal) represented by the most famous orchestras of the time: Symphonic Orchestra of the State Philharmonic, National Symphonic Orchestra of „Teleradio Moldova" Company, National Chamber Orchestra, Academic Chapel „Doina", etc. A special message is offered by the posters of the popular folk music orchestras, which contributed to preserving and promoting the folk music: „Mugurel", „Fluieraş", „Folclor", „Lăutarii", the ethnofolkloric group „Tălăncuţa" etc. The collection includes posters of music groups and interpreters of popular music „Noroc", „Orizont", „Plai", „Legenda", „Colinda" etc., as well as posters of various festivals, contests and tours. In the musical atmosphere of the exhibition there is a beautiful collection of musical instruments, some of them of memorial value: the violin of the famous Bessarabian Gheorghe Heraru (1853-1920) and the violin of the master Sergei Lunchevici (1934-1995). The elegance of the music is also transmitted by the pieces of clothing that belonged to some personalities who left an important page in the history of the musical culture of the Republic of Moldova.


 




Independent Moldova
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
Bessarabia and MASSR between the Two World Wars
Bessarabia and Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Period between the Two World Wars
Revival of National Movement
Time of Reforms and their Consequences
Abolition of Autonomy. Bessarabia – a New Tsarist Colony
Period of Relative Autonomy of Bessarabia within the Russian Empire
Phanariot Regime
Golden Age of the Romanian Culture
Struggle for Maintaining of Independence of Moldova
Formation of Independent Medieval State of Moldova
Era of the
Great Nomad Migrations
Early Middle Ages
Iron Age and Antiquity
Bronze Age
Aeneolithic Age
Neolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age
  
  

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#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....

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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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

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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.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC