#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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Exhibitions

"From the Past of Chisinau"

The National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova in collaboration with the Scientific Archives of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, the Cultural Heritage Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, and the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova organizes the exhibition "From the Past of Chișinău" dedicated to the celebration of the 575^th anniversary of the first documentary evidence about Chișinău. The exhibition presents the objects reflecting the history of Chișinău from ancient times to the early 19th century.

An important section of the exhibition presents the archaeological remains discovered in Chișinău. Among these there are objects found at Valea Morilor, which cover several historical periods, from Paleolithic to the 15th century; a hoard of tools dated from the Bronze Age; objects found near the Mazarache church. Many of these artifacts will be exhibited for the first time.

For years in the city area there were discovered many coins, in hoards or as individual finds, which evidence the trade activity of the market town. The exhibition includes coin hoards found in Chișinău, which are kept in the collections of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova

In medieval times Chișinău and places in its vicinity, which now are the parts of the city, have been mentioned in a great number of gospodars' papers, in which Chișinău was represented as a market town, as a property of the Galata and St. Paraskevi Monasteries from Iași, etc. In these acts there are also mentioned other owners of the town, as well as founders of churches who contributed to the development of Chișinău. The collection of such documents is kept in the Scientific Archives of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and will be presented to the public in this exhibition. Most of these papers will be exposed for the first time.

Opening of the exhibition took place on Thursday, October 13, 2011, at the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova, 121"A" 31 August 1989 St., (Room no. 1, ground floor).

In the framework of the event "Poșta Moldovei" SE presented a series of postcards and stamps dedicated to the anniversary.

#Exhibit of the Month

Buckles Decorated in the Polychrome Enamel Technique

"From the Past of Chisinau"

#Exhibit of the Month