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#Exhibit of the Month
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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.

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Events Archive

Launch of the book „History, truth and myths”

June 16th, 2015

On June 16th, The National Museum of History of Moldova hosted the book launch „History, truth and myths", Editura Enciclopedică, București, 2014, 400 p., signed by academician univ. prof. dr. Ioan-Aurel Pop, rector of University „Babeș-Bolyai" from Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The event, which was organized by the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, was attended by over 100 persons - academicians, historians, university professors, students of History Department - among whom: vice-president of ASM acad. Ion Tighineanu, vice-president of ASM associate Ion Guceac, acad. Andrei Eșanu, univ. prof. dr. hab. Alexandru Moșanu; director of the Romanian Cultural Institute „Mihai Eminescu" from Chișinău Valeriu Matei, H.E. Ambassador of Romania in the Republic of Moldova Marius Lazurcă, vice-rector of University „Babeș-Bolyai" from Cluj univ. prof. dr. Ioan Bolovan, univ. prof. dr. Sorin Șipoș from the University of Oradea ș.a.

The book „History, truth and myths" is an analysis of Lucian Boia's work „History and myth in Romanian consciousness", it is a scientific answer to the attempts of falsifying the history of Romanians.

The need for these reading notes on "demystification" of Romanian history, as stated by the author himself "... raises from professional solidarity, as Mr. Boia and those who follow him, create the belief that historical research has no sense, is false, misleading and full of myths". Another reason for the publication of an "over-sized" review is the spread of Mr. Boia's ideas abroad where we are presented in a distorted way with damaging propaganda results.
About the notorious historian from Cluj and the scientific value of his book spoke the director of the Institute of History dr. hab. Gheorghe Cojocaru, associate of ASM univ. prof. dr. hab. Demir Dragnev, univ. prof. dr. hab. Alexandru Moșanu, univ. prof. dr. hab. Anatol Petrencu, historian dr. Marius Tărâță, director of the Romanian Cultural Institute „Mihai Eminescu" Valeriu Matei, chief editor of weekly „Literatura și Arta" associate of ASM Nicolae Dabija, univ. prof. dr. Ioan Bolovan, univ. prof. dr. Sorin Șipoș.

On the occasion of his arrival in Chișinău, Ioan Aurel Pop was conferred the title of Honorary Member of ASM.
Professor Ioan-Aurel Pop is author of over 50 books, publications of historic resources, university treaties and textbooks and collective works and over 300 studies, articles, reviews, reports, chronicles, prefaces etc. in separate volumes and special journals and cultural publications.

Ioan-Aurel Pop is rector of the University Babeș-Bolyai, member of the Romanian Academy, director of the center of Transilvanian Studies of the Romanian Academy, being specialized in medieval history, medieval institutions and Latin paleography.

Before becoming rector of the University Babeș-Bolyai in Cluj, Ioan-Aurel Pop was director of the Romanian Cultural Center in New York (1994-1995) and director of the Romanian Cultural and Humanistic Research Institute in Venice (2003-2007).

From 1989, Ioan-Aurel Pop is a PhD in history with the thesis „Princely meetings in Transilvania in the 14th-16th centuries", he became the youngest associate of the Romanian Academy and from 2010 is member of the Romanian Academy.

 
 


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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
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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

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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