Valentin Arapu - Institute of Cultural Heritage (original) (raw)
Books edited by Valentin Arapu
Buletinul Științific al Universității de Stat „Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” din Cahul, 2024
Abstract. University Professor Ioan Caproșu has left a prominent mark in history, contributing ... more Abstract. University Professor Ioan Caproșu has left a prominent mark in history,
contributing as a researcher and teacher to the cultivation of knowledge and professional
training of many generations of specialists in the field. Both his disciples and those who knew
him through his numerous publications have noted his qualities as a mentor, as a guide to
young people during their training as historians, a specialty that offered them new
opportunities to explore the medieval past through the prism of age documents. This is a
memoir, based on some of the author's personal memories of the personality and scientific activity of University Professor Ioan Caproșu, who on August 26, 2024 would have been 90
years old... The University Professor Ioan Caproșu carried out a vast scientific activity
intertwined with his teaching activity. At the same time, most of those who knew him
noticed his modest way of being, of communicating amicably with his interlocutor, of being
natural in everyday life. Professor Ioan Caproșu always showed a special affection for
Bessarabia and Bessarabians, nostalgically recalling those times when Romanians from both
sides of the Prut used to go without barriers to visit or do other work on the opposite bank
of the river, which was not a border between brothers at that time. That goodwill, affection
and solidarity towards his brothers from across the Prut he piously maintained throughout
his life, managing to pass it on to the Bessarabian students who first became his disciples,
and then his followers in research and history teaching.
Keywords: Ioan Caproșu, University Professor, historian, mentor, lands of Moldova,
Bessarabia, memories.
Buletinul Științific al Universității de Stat „Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” din Cahul, 2024
Abstract. By means of the ethnographic expedition carried out in October 15-18, 2024, in the vi... more Abstract. By means of the ethnographic expedition carried out in October 15-18,
2024, in the villages of Vadul lui Isac and Colibași in the Cahul district, the Cooperation
Agreement between the Institute of Cultural Heritage (IPC)/Ministry of Culture of the
Republic of Moldova and the "B. P. Hasdeu" State University of Cahul/Ministry of Education
and Research of the Republic of Moldova was implemented in the field of research,
innovation, cultural heritage valorization, and technological development, signed by both
parties on August 22, 2024.
Considering that the research team was on its first ethnographic field study in the
abovementioned localities, its main tasks included conducting of primary surveys, definition
of general outline of the traditional cultural heritage in the researched localities, establishing
of typologies of traditional phenomena in these villages, and promotion of authentic
traditional values.
As a result, the ethnographic studies demonstrated that, although some aspects of
traditional cultural phenomena in the researched villages are in the process of degradation,
there were found numerous authentic ethnic and folklore materials. It should be noted that
in each of the studied localities the team discovered some individuals of different age who
were aware of the importance of traditional culture and involved themselves in the process
of rethinking of the traditions, but who also require more knowledge in the field.
The research conducted during the expedition demonstrated that, in general, the
basic characteristics of traditional cultural phenomena in the investigated villages of Vadul
lui Isac and Colibași fit within the typologies attested in the ethnographic area of the Lower
Prut Valley and simultaneously reveal some specific local elements.
Key words: field ethnographic research, Lower Prut Valley ethnographic area,
villages of Vadul lui Isac and Colibași, traditional culture.
Revista de Etnologie și Culturologie, 2024
The water well and the well sinker: etymological and ethnocultural interferences In tradition... more The water well and the well sinker: etymological and
ethnocultural interferences
In traditional perceptions, the water well was seen
primarily as a source of drinking water, a source of life-giv
ing water for humans and animals in the household. The
word fântână is of Latin origin, with its root word fons (pl.
fontis), meaning spring, origin, beginning. The technical
construction of the well consisted of a series of compo
nents and stages to be carried out by the well sinker, assist
ed by the villagers involved in the activity. The well sinker
is the person who digs, builds, repairs and cleans the well.
In medieval Moldova there were no guilds of well workers,
but the profession was practiced by peasants in the vil
lages and by foreign craftsmen invited to the royal court.
According to popular tradition, the fountain sinker had
to observe a series of strict rules of personal hygiene, re
nounce intimate relations for the duration of the construc
tion, be pious, not quarrel with anyone, not commit the
sin of death, and have a good reputation in the community
and in neighboring villages. Women were not allowed at
the well construction site, otherwise people believed that
the spring would dry up or even the well would collapse.
During the digging and building of the well, the women
prepared dishes, set the table and then offered pomeni –
buckets, towels, colaci, i.e. special gifts to the men who
participated in this community activity.
International conference: Identity, tradition and cultural interferences symbolism of the Romanian blouse „ia”, 2 nd edition, 2024
ALBANICA. Revistă științifică și de cultură a Asociației Liga Albanezilor din România, 2024
Problema artei militare și a răz boaielor lui Skanderbeg prezintă interes prin prisma abordări... more Problema artei militare și a răz
boaielor lui Skanderbeg prezintă interes
prin prisma abordărilor interdisciplinare
și a reactualizării unor fenomene de importanță
majoră pentru civilizația europeană. În perioa
dele mai dificile din istoria fiecărui popor au exis
tat personalități carismatice, înzestrate cu virtuți
și calități deosebite, care insuflau maselor încre
dere într‑un destin mai fericit.
Akademos. Revistă de știință, inovare, cultură și artă, 2024
În monografia sa „Identitatea aromânilor din Alba nia, de la elenizare și dictatură atee, la in... more În monografia sa „Identitatea aromânilor din Alba
nia, de la elenizare și dictatură atee, la interculturalism”,
Elsa Stavro a cercetat în complexitate o problemă difi
cilă în plan științific, metodologic și istoriografic. Fie
care dintre cele patru capitole în parte are o structură
originală, cuprinzând o parte introductivă urmată de
câteva etape de cercetare, bazate pe sinteza materia
lului teoretic cu cel practic, rezultat în urma adunării
unor valoroase și inedite informații de teren, spicui
te cu acuratețe de către autoare de la 400 de respon
denți în opt districte cu cel mare procent din populația
aromână: Durrës, Tiranë, Elbasan, Fier, Berat, Korçë,
Gjirokastër și Vlorë.
Per ansamblu, demersul Elsei Stavro este unul
profund științific, conceptualizat și documentat, cu
multiple valențe marcate de pluridisciplinaritate și in
terdisciplinaritate, monografia Identitatea aromânilor
din Albania, de la elenizare și dictatură atee, la inter
culturalism fiind una de bun augur atât pentru spe
cialiști, cât și pentru toți cei interesați de problemele
identitare ale aromânilor din Albania și din întregul
spațiu balcanic.
Revista de Etnologie și Culturologie, 2024
Realmente, diversitatea tematică a articolelor publicate pe paginile revistei ALBANICA le oferă... more Realmente, diversitatea tematică a articolelor
publicate pe paginile revistei ALBANICA le oferă tu
turor celor interesați de istoria și cultura albaneză o
veritabilă platformă pentru a învăța, a se documenta
și a se familiariza cu cele mai relevante, mai frumoa
se și fascinante pagini din trecutul și prezentul Al
baniei și al comunității albaneze din România. Cvasi
importante sunt abordările prin prisma rolului unor
personalități notorii care au contribuit pe parcursul
istoriei la dezvoltarea științei și culturii albaneze. Au
torii care publică articole în revista ALBANICA reu
șesc să îmbine armonios tradițiile cu modernitatea,
păstrând intactă autenticitatea vastului patrimoniu
cultural creat de albanezi de la origini până în zilele
noastre.
„Patrimoniul de ieri – implicaţii în dezvoltarea societăţii de mâine”, conferinţă ştiinţifică internaţională , 2024
Clean springs and Jordan's well – sources of „beginningless water” in the context of magical pr... more Clean springs and Jordan's well – sources of „beginningless water” in the context
of magical practices
În practicile medicinei populare remediul apei neîncepute are menirea de a absorbi
răul din organismul omului sau animalului cuprins de boală. Apa neîncepută era numită
de către Dimitrie Cantemir apă negustată de nimenea. Pentru a avea efectul scontat apa
neîncepută urma a fi luată dimineața nemijlocit de persona suferindă, iar în cazul anima
lului bolnav de către stăpânul mamiferului.
Conferința Științifică Internațională „Perspectivele și Problemele Integrării în Spațiul European al Cercetării și Educației”, 2024
Abstract: In the memorial sources of the Bessarabian Romanians, deported by the Soviet regime to ... more Abstract: In the memorial sources of the Bessarabian Romanians, deported by the Soviet regime to
Siberia and Kazakhstan, there often appears the image of the house and the yard in the perimeter of which
a well was necessarily dug and built from stone. The fountain appears both as a source of water and as a
landmark in the layout of the courtyard. In the places where they were deported, the well appears in
memoirs in various guises, including as a source of damage to people's health due to austere living
conditions, aggravated by the bitter frost and frostbite caused by freezing water. In certain circumstances
the well also became a place of perdition where honest people met their end by accident and traitors and
their descendants by suicide. There were also cases when some Basarabians, trying to save themselves
from deportations, hid for a certain period of time from Soviet executioners in abandoned wells.
Keywords: well, deportations, memories, life, perdition
Revista de Etnologie și Culturologie, 2024
Summary ”Unbegotten water” – magic remedy, springing from the well of Jordan In Romanian f... more Summary
”Unbegotten water” – magic remedy,
springing from the well of Jordan
In Romanian folk medicine, unbegotten water was
used as a magic remedy to treat illnesses and soul trou
bles. The sources of unbegotten water were clean sprin
gs, flowing waters, morning dew and Jordan’s fountain,
the last one having this quality due to the sanctification
of the waters on Epiphany, the tradition being also called
Jordan (6/19 January). On this day all wells, houses and
everything around them, and graves, were sprinkled with
holy water. In the texts of the incantations – ”Of the evil
clock”, ”The snake incantation”, ”The hair incantation”, ”Of
the lock”, ”Of the return of the milk” – the source of the
unbegotten water is invoked: ”On Adam’s way / To the
well of Jordan”. Dimitrie Cantemir in his ”Description of
Moldova” uses the phrase ”water that nobody tasted” – a
remedy which, through the intercession of an enchantress,
helped to cure a horse bitten by a snake. According to the
story ”Lady’s Well”, collected in the village of Holercani,
the source of the unbegotten water is in the first splash of
the newly dug well in front of the manor house. This un
begotten water is life-giving because the lady who tasted
it becomes pregnant and within the prescribed time gives
birth to a beautiful baby girl who, having reached the age
of 18, is saved from death thanks to the advice of the en
chantress and the help of the villagers.
Key words: unbegotten water, Jordan’s well, magical
practices, incantations
Conferinţa ştiinţifică națională „Abordări psiho-pedagogice, lingvistico-literare, istorice și didactice în științele educației”, 2024
Abstract: The project „Discovering Heroes in the Community” contributes to the education of stu... more Abstract: The project „Discovering Heroes in the Community” contributes
to the education of students by approaching historical topics through the prism of
the role played by personalities, originally from the village of Puhoi, Ialoveni
district, in social, cultural, spiritual, economic and political life. The students,
authors of the collection of historical and memorial studies, have documented in
the field, gathering information from documentary and oral sources based on an
interdisciplinary research methodology. The work's approach is multifaceted,
bringing together historical, cultural, educational, spiritual, military, political and
civic information. Through the memoirs of the interviewees, the authors bring out
of the shadows of anonymity people hidden from history who contributed to the
development of the local community in different chronological periods. A number
of personalities, originally from the village of Puhoi, have exerted and continue to
exert a three-dimensional impact: local, national and international.
Keywords: local history, heroes, community, personalities, Puhoi village
Conferinţa ştiinţifică națională „Abordări psiho-pedagogice, lingvistico-literare, istorice și didactice în științele educației, 2024
Abstract: The history of the village begins with its name, which was established in certain soc... more Abstract: The history of the village begins with its name, which was
established in certain social, economic and ethnocultural circumstances. As for the
origin of the toponym Tîrnova / Târnova there are the following hypotheses:
Balkan origin - from the Bulgarian town of Târnovo / Têrnova; Slavic or proto
Slavic origin - from the term tьrnъ meaning spike or thorn; Romanian origin - the
homonym târn having two meanings: (a) „large broom, made of wicker, with
which to sweep the courtyards or streets”; (b) „basket with wicker; handbasket;
fishing tool, made of braided wicker”; ecclesiastical origin - from târnosire, a term
from tronosati, a word of Greek origin - θρόνος - meaning thrónos, i.e. throne. The
verb a târnosi means to consecrate a church, to consecrate, to perform „with the
prescribed ritual, the service of sanctification of a church”. Târnoseală are square
pieces of linen cloth, dipped in melted and fragrant wax, which are distributed to
the faithful participating in the service of târnosirii, as a blessing and having as
their utility the sanctification of houses and the calling of peace and the blessing of
God. In local tradition, the village is still perceived to have been built around a
sheepfold, which people called a târlă, hence the name of the village.
Keywords: Tîrnova / Târnova, toponym, village, local history.
ACTA PANGRATIA. Istorie și patrimoniu ecleziastic. , 2024
The meaning of the anthroponym Pangratie in the etymological context of the toponym and monastery... more The meaning of the anthroponym Pangratie in the etymological context of the toponym and monastery name Pângărați: onomastic, historical, linguistic, theological and ethnocultural aspects
The origins of the anthroponym Pangratie lie in the Greek surname Pancratie, which descends from the ancient Greek name Pankrátos or Pankrátes, also known as Pangratés. The anthroponymic variant Pongrați, being of Catholic influence, penetrated through the Hungarian and German filiation, being the basis of the topical name Pângărați. In the absence of written historical sources of the period, Nicolae Iorga's hypothesis remains valid, according to which the locality and the monastery come from the village of Pancrațiu or Pangratie (pronounced in Greek), in the Hungarian form being Păngrați, Pongracz, and in the Romanian one vocalized Pângărați. In historiography, this first-born Pangratie is considered to have been a monk and/or a hermit (Vasile Bîzgu, Tatiana Petrache). Another anthroponymic hypothesis, formulated and launched by the author of this article, invokes a possible influence on the constitution of the topical name and that of the monastery Pângărați of the anthroponym Pangariu (Pangarie), descended from the oronym with the meaning of mountain range between Macedonia and Thrace, being later spread in the Christian tradition by the Holy Martyr Pangariu / Pangarie.
Key words: Pangratie, Pancratie, Pankrátos, Pângărați Monastery, Pangarie, Panharie.
Patrimoniul cultural de ieri – implicaţii în dezvoltarea societăţii de mâine, 2024
Summary. In Romanian folk traditions, the digging, building and maintenance of a water well wer... more Summary. In Romanian folk traditions, the digging, building and maintenance of a water well
were strictly regulated by prescriptions and customs to be respected by the entire rural community.
An important role in keeping water wells in good condition was played by the Orthodox Church,
which was involved in sanitary activities aimed at maintaining the good quality of drinking water
and preventing the proliferation of diseases caused by contaminated drinking water. The location and
construction of a water well was carried out according to certain technical and time requirements.
Nowadays, good practices of well maintenance and development are promoted and applied at the
local level, the most relevant example being provided by the mayor of Vorniceni village (Strășeni r.)
Vasile Tofan, who since 2015 organizes the annual contest entitled The most well landscaped public
water well.
Key words: water well, care, maintenance, tradition, water, good practices.
Patrimoniul cultural: cercetare, valorificare, promovare. Culegere de studii în baza comunicărilor de la conferința științifică internațională, 2022
Th e world of lepers in conditions of marginalization and mercy: habitat, legislation, restricti... more Th e world of lepers in conditions of marginalization and mercy:
habitat, legislation, restrictions and prejudices
(historical, sanitary-epidemiological and ethnocultural interferences)
Summary: In the historical past, lepers were organized into separate communities, living poorly in leprosariums. In society, lepers were treated diff erently, being tolerated and marginalized.
Tolerance of lepers included Christian perception and multiple biblical postulates in which the
lepers were miraculously healed; Jesus was received in the home of Simeon the Leper. At the same
time, people’s fear of leprosy, amplifi ed by the ignorance of the causes of the disease, made lepers
undesirable in the medieval society. Multiple restrictions were imposed on lepers; marriages were
dissolved when the husband or wife had leprosy. In more serious cases, marked by the phobias
of the time, leprosy patients were killed, being blamed for a series of horrors, born more against
the background of phobias that dominated the collective imagination of the people. Th e imposed
lepers lived in a separate world of their own, a world that existed in the suburbs of the city, a world
that lived by its rules and regulations, imposed for the most part from the outside.
Keywords: leprosy, magical practices, „homeland of lepers”, prejudices, marginalization.
ХVІ Міжнародна наукова конференція «Iсторія торгівлі, податків та мита = ХVІ International scientific conference «History of trade, taxes and duties» , 2022
У збірнику опубліковані тези доповідей учасників XVI Міжнародної наукової конференції "Історія то... more У збірнику опубліковані тези доповідей учасників XVI Міжнародної наукової конференції "Історія торгівлі, податків та мита", присвячені конкретноісторичним, історіографічним та джерелознавчим аспектам розвитку торгівлі, справляння податків та зборів, митних органів окремих держав та міжнародних організацій від стародавніх часів до сьогодення.
ACTA TERRAE FOGARASIENSIS, 2022
LEPERS OR PEOPLE WITH „LION FACES” IN HISTORICAL AND ETHNOCULTURAL CONTEXT (GENERAL ASPECTS) ABS... more LEPERS OR PEOPLE WITH „LION FACES” IN HISTORICAL AND ETHNOCULTURAL CONTEXT (GENERAL ASPECTS)
ABSTRACT
Lepers or „lion-faced” people are a category of sick people who were excluded from
society through a special religious procession after which they were declared „dead to the world”, being forced to live their humble lives in leprosy or infirmary. In the collective mind, the leper’s face was associated with the „lion’s face” (facies leonina), the given image persisting in popular perceptions through the circulation of multiple stereotypes and prejudices
about lepers. The lepers were in a contradictory situation in society, being at the same time stigmatized and tolerated, including by the Church. The symptoms of leprosy have been described since ancient times, the most thorough elucidation of the characteristics of the disease belonging to Galen. In the early medieval and modern eras, medical approaches were dominated by multiple misperceptions about leprosy, including the belief of surgeon Ambroise
Paré as a hereditary disease and the solution, agreed by Jean Bodin, to eradicate the disease by preventive castration of people with „lion face”. Folk remedies for leprosy included herbal treatment, accompanied by texts of enchantments and sulfur baths. Information about „lionfaced” people is not only related to the past, but is also a reality today, patients with leprosy, being attested in significant numbers in Southeast Asia.
Keywords: leprosy, facies leonina, „lazy death”, symptoms, folk remedies.
„Studii culturale: Materialele Simpozionului Național de Studii Culturale”, 2021
„The plague shirt” in the „plague performance” (historical and ethnocultural aspects) In Romani... more „The plague shirt” in the „plague performance”
(historical and ethnocultural aspects)
In Romanian traditions, the making of the „plague shirt” is a spectacular event, organized
in order to protect the rural community from disease and natural cataclysms. The making of the
„plague shirt” was entrusted to a certain number of women (3, 7 or 9) who gathered on Tuesday
evening to spin, weave and sew a hemp shirt which was later worn „over seven borders”, being
brought at the end an offering to the ruthless Plague. This custom is attested in Muntenia, Oltenia,
Transylvania, Maramureş, Bucovina and Dobrogea. Similar traditions are present in Greece where
the „plague shirt” was offered as a gift to Saint Haralambie and in the Romanian communities in
Serbia. In its essence, the „plague shirt” is an ancient agricultural practice, a magical-mythical
manifestation, aimed at protecting animals and agricultural crops from evil forces.
Keywords: „plague shirt”, „plague show”, medical folklore, disease.
Akademos. Revistă de știință, inovare, cultură și artă, 2022
Parcursul istoric al fiecărui popor în parte este marcat în mod prioritar de contribuția adusă l... more Parcursul istoric al fiecărui popor în parte este
marcat în mod prioritar de contribuția adusă la dezvoltarea
generală a umanității pe dimensiunea culturală și
civilizațională. Cvasi importante pentru evoluția generală
a societății au fost, sunt și vor fi cu siguranță reperele
identitare de neam, fortificate cu datinile străbune,
obiceiurile și mentalitățile tradiționale. În pofida unor
circumstanțe istorice austere, cauzate de emergența
imperială străină, neamul românesc s-a constituit pe
un vast spațiu geografic, suprapus frontierelor statale,
impuse cu forța armelor de hoardele invadatoare. Anume
identitatea de neam, bazată pe datinile și mentalitățile
tradiționale românești, s-a dovedit a fi reduta cea
mai temeinică în calea stăvilirii puhoaielor de invadatori
barbari din părțile Răsăritului despotic.
Conferința științifică națională „Abordări psiho-pedagogice, lingvisticoliterare, istorice și didactice în științele educației", 2023
THE ORIGIN OF TOPONYMS IN THE CONTEXT OF LOCAL HISTORY: THE CASE OF THE VILLAGE OF SCĂIENI IN DO... more THE ORIGIN OF TOPONYMS IN THE CONTEXT OF LOCAL HISTORY:
THE CASE OF THE VILLAGE OF SCĂIENI IN DONDUŞENI DISTRICT
(HISTORICAL AND ETHNO-CULTURAL ASPECTS)
Summary. The problem of the origin of toponyms in the context of local
history is important due to its complexity, marked by interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary approaches. The origins of the topical name Scăieni are
researched by co-opting historical, linguistic, numismatic, botanical and
ethnocultural information. The toponymic dimension of local history is important for the reconstruction of the past of rural localities throughout the Romanian
space. The circulation and migration of people in the past left its mark on the
topical names of Moldova, Muntenia and Transylvania. As a result of some
historical circumstances, the Romanians took refuge from the bad weather,
founding new villages with old names, both in Wallachia and in Moldavia. Thus,
the toponym Scăieni can still be found today in several geographical regions of
Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The case of Scăieni village in Dondușeni
district is relevant in the context of local history research through the application
of oral history and comparative history methodology.
Keywords: Scăieni, local history, toponyms, micro-toponyms.
Buletinul Științific al Universității de Stat „Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” din Cahul, 2024
Abstract. University Professor Ioan Caproșu has left a prominent mark in history, contributing ... more Abstract. University Professor Ioan Caproșu has left a prominent mark in history,
contributing as a researcher and teacher to the cultivation of knowledge and professional
training of many generations of specialists in the field. Both his disciples and those who knew
him through his numerous publications have noted his qualities as a mentor, as a guide to
young people during their training as historians, a specialty that offered them new
opportunities to explore the medieval past through the prism of age documents. This is a
memoir, based on some of the author's personal memories of the personality and scientific activity of University Professor Ioan Caproșu, who on August 26, 2024 would have been 90
years old... The University Professor Ioan Caproșu carried out a vast scientific activity
intertwined with his teaching activity. At the same time, most of those who knew him
noticed his modest way of being, of communicating amicably with his interlocutor, of being
natural in everyday life. Professor Ioan Caproșu always showed a special affection for
Bessarabia and Bessarabians, nostalgically recalling those times when Romanians from both
sides of the Prut used to go without barriers to visit or do other work on the opposite bank
of the river, which was not a border between brothers at that time. That goodwill, affection
and solidarity towards his brothers from across the Prut he piously maintained throughout
his life, managing to pass it on to the Bessarabian students who first became his disciples,
and then his followers in research and history teaching.
Keywords: Ioan Caproșu, University Professor, historian, mentor, lands of Moldova,
Bessarabia, memories.
Buletinul Științific al Universității de Stat „Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” din Cahul, 2024
Abstract. By means of the ethnographic expedition carried out in October 15-18, 2024, in the vi... more Abstract. By means of the ethnographic expedition carried out in October 15-18,
2024, in the villages of Vadul lui Isac and Colibași in the Cahul district, the Cooperation
Agreement between the Institute of Cultural Heritage (IPC)/Ministry of Culture of the
Republic of Moldova and the "B. P. Hasdeu" State University of Cahul/Ministry of Education
and Research of the Republic of Moldova was implemented in the field of research,
innovation, cultural heritage valorization, and technological development, signed by both
parties on August 22, 2024.
Considering that the research team was on its first ethnographic field study in the
abovementioned localities, its main tasks included conducting of primary surveys, definition
of general outline of the traditional cultural heritage in the researched localities, establishing
of typologies of traditional phenomena in these villages, and promotion of authentic
traditional values.
As a result, the ethnographic studies demonstrated that, although some aspects of
traditional cultural phenomena in the researched villages are in the process of degradation,
there were found numerous authentic ethnic and folklore materials. It should be noted that
in each of the studied localities the team discovered some individuals of different age who
were aware of the importance of traditional culture and involved themselves in the process
of rethinking of the traditions, but who also require more knowledge in the field.
The research conducted during the expedition demonstrated that, in general, the
basic characteristics of traditional cultural phenomena in the investigated villages of Vadul
lui Isac and Colibași fit within the typologies attested in the ethnographic area of the Lower
Prut Valley and simultaneously reveal some specific local elements.
Key words: field ethnographic research, Lower Prut Valley ethnographic area,
villages of Vadul lui Isac and Colibași, traditional culture.
Revista de Etnologie și Culturologie, 2024
The water well and the well sinker: etymological and ethnocultural interferences In tradition... more The water well and the well sinker: etymological and
ethnocultural interferences
In traditional perceptions, the water well was seen
primarily as a source of drinking water, a source of life-giv
ing water for humans and animals in the household. The
word fântână is of Latin origin, with its root word fons (pl.
fontis), meaning spring, origin, beginning. The technical
construction of the well consisted of a series of compo
nents and stages to be carried out by the well sinker, assist
ed by the villagers involved in the activity. The well sinker
is the person who digs, builds, repairs and cleans the well.
In medieval Moldova there were no guilds of well workers,
but the profession was practiced by peasants in the vil
lages and by foreign craftsmen invited to the royal court.
According to popular tradition, the fountain sinker had
to observe a series of strict rules of personal hygiene, re
nounce intimate relations for the duration of the construc
tion, be pious, not quarrel with anyone, not commit the
sin of death, and have a good reputation in the community
and in neighboring villages. Women were not allowed at
the well construction site, otherwise people believed that
the spring would dry up or even the well would collapse.
During the digging and building of the well, the women
prepared dishes, set the table and then offered pomeni –
buckets, towels, colaci, i.e. special gifts to the men who
participated in this community activity.
International conference: Identity, tradition and cultural interferences symbolism of the Romanian blouse „ia”, 2 nd edition, 2024
ALBANICA. Revistă științifică și de cultură a Asociației Liga Albanezilor din România, 2024
Problema artei militare și a răz boaielor lui Skanderbeg prezintă interes prin prisma abordări... more Problema artei militare și a răz
boaielor lui Skanderbeg prezintă interes
prin prisma abordărilor interdisciplinare
și a reactualizării unor fenomene de importanță
majoră pentru civilizația europeană. În perioa
dele mai dificile din istoria fiecărui popor au exis
tat personalități carismatice, înzestrate cu virtuți
și calități deosebite, care insuflau maselor încre
dere într‑un destin mai fericit.
Akademos. Revistă de știință, inovare, cultură și artă, 2024
În monografia sa „Identitatea aromânilor din Alba nia, de la elenizare și dictatură atee, la in... more În monografia sa „Identitatea aromânilor din Alba
nia, de la elenizare și dictatură atee, la interculturalism”,
Elsa Stavro a cercetat în complexitate o problemă difi
cilă în plan științific, metodologic și istoriografic. Fie
care dintre cele patru capitole în parte are o structură
originală, cuprinzând o parte introductivă urmată de
câteva etape de cercetare, bazate pe sinteza materia
lului teoretic cu cel practic, rezultat în urma adunării
unor valoroase și inedite informații de teren, spicui
te cu acuratețe de către autoare de la 400 de respon
denți în opt districte cu cel mare procent din populația
aromână: Durrës, Tiranë, Elbasan, Fier, Berat, Korçë,
Gjirokastër și Vlorë.
Per ansamblu, demersul Elsei Stavro este unul
profund științific, conceptualizat și documentat, cu
multiple valențe marcate de pluridisciplinaritate și in
terdisciplinaritate, monografia Identitatea aromânilor
din Albania, de la elenizare și dictatură atee, la inter
culturalism fiind una de bun augur atât pentru spe
cialiști, cât și pentru toți cei interesați de problemele
identitare ale aromânilor din Albania și din întregul
spațiu balcanic.
Revista de Etnologie și Culturologie, 2024
Realmente, diversitatea tematică a articolelor publicate pe paginile revistei ALBANICA le oferă... more Realmente, diversitatea tematică a articolelor
publicate pe paginile revistei ALBANICA le oferă tu
turor celor interesați de istoria și cultura albaneză o
veritabilă platformă pentru a învăța, a se documenta
și a se familiariza cu cele mai relevante, mai frumoa
se și fascinante pagini din trecutul și prezentul Al
baniei și al comunității albaneze din România. Cvasi
importante sunt abordările prin prisma rolului unor
personalități notorii care au contribuit pe parcursul
istoriei la dezvoltarea științei și culturii albaneze. Au
torii care publică articole în revista ALBANICA reu
șesc să îmbine armonios tradițiile cu modernitatea,
păstrând intactă autenticitatea vastului patrimoniu
cultural creat de albanezi de la origini până în zilele
noastre.
„Patrimoniul de ieri – implicaţii în dezvoltarea societăţii de mâine”, conferinţă ştiinţifică internaţională , 2024
Clean springs and Jordan's well – sources of „beginningless water” in the context of magical pr... more Clean springs and Jordan's well – sources of „beginningless water” in the context
of magical practices
În practicile medicinei populare remediul apei neîncepute are menirea de a absorbi
răul din organismul omului sau animalului cuprins de boală. Apa neîncepută era numită
de către Dimitrie Cantemir apă negustată de nimenea. Pentru a avea efectul scontat apa
neîncepută urma a fi luată dimineața nemijlocit de persona suferindă, iar în cazul anima
lului bolnav de către stăpânul mamiferului.
Conferința Științifică Internațională „Perspectivele și Problemele Integrării în Spațiul European al Cercetării și Educației”, 2024
Abstract: In the memorial sources of the Bessarabian Romanians, deported by the Soviet regime to ... more Abstract: In the memorial sources of the Bessarabian Romanians, deported by the Soviet regime to
Siberia and Kazakhstan, there often appears the image of the house and the yard in the perimeter of which
a well was necessarily dug and built from stone. The fountain appears both as a source of water and as a
landmark in the layout of the courtyard. In the places where they were deported, the well appears in
memoirs in various guises, including as a source of damage to people's health due to austere living
conditions, aggravated by the bitter frost and frostbite caused by freezing water. In certain circumstances
the well also became a place of perdition where honest people met their end by accident and traitors and
their descendants by suicide. There were also cases when some Basarabians, trying to save themselves
from deportations, hid for a certain period of time from Soviet executioners in abandoned wells.
Keywords: well, deportations, memories, life, perdition
Revista de Etnologie și Culturologie, 2024
Summary ”Unbegotten water” – magic remedy, springing from the well of Jordan In Romanian f... more Summary
”Unbegotten water” – magic remedy,
springing from the well of Jordan
In Romanian folk medicine, unbegotten water was
used as a magic remedy to treat illnesses and soul trou
bles. The sources of unbegotten water were clean sprin
gs, flowing waters, morning dew and Jordan’s fountain,
the last one having this quality due to the sanctification
of the waters on Epiphany, the tradition being also called
Jordan (6/19 January). On this day all wells, houses and
everything around them, and graves, were sprinkled with
holy water. In the texts of the incantations – ”Of the evil
clock”, ”The snake incantation”, ”The hair incantation”, ”Of
the lock”, ”Of the return of the milk” – the source of the
unbegotten water is invoked: ”On Adam’s way / To the
well of Jordan”. Dimitrie Cantemir in his ”Description of
Moldova” uses the phrase ”water that nobody tasted” – a
remedy which, through the intercession of an enchantress,
helped to cure a horse bitten by a snake. According to the
story ”Lady’s Well”, collected in the village of Holercani,
the source of the unbegotten water is in the first splash of
the newly dug well in front of the manor house. This un
begotten water is life-giving because the lady who tasted
it becomes pregnant and within the prescribed time gives
birth to a beautiful baby girl who, having reached the age
of 18, is saved from death thanks to the advice of the en
chantress and the help of the villagers.
Key words: unbegotten water, Jordan’s well, magical
practices, incantations
Conferinţa ştiinţifică națională „Abordări psiho-pedagogice, lingvistico-literare, istorice și didactice în științele educației”, 2024
Abstract: The project „Discovering Heroes in the Community” contributes to the education of stu... more Abstract: The project „Discovering Heroes in the Community” contributes
to the education of students by approaching historical topics through the prism of
the role played by personalities, originally from the village of Puhoi, Ialoveni
district, in social, cultural, spiritual, economic and political life. The students,
authors of the collection of historical and memorial studies, have documented in
the field, gathering information from documentary and oral sources based on an
interdisciplinary research methodology. The work's approach is multifaceted,
bringing together historical, cultural, educational, spiritual, military, political and
civic information. Through the memoirs of the interviewees, the authors bring out
of the shadows of anonymity people hidden from history who contributed to the
development of the local community in different chronological periods. A number
of personalities, originally from the village of Puhoi, have exerted and continue to
exert a three-dimensional impact: local, national and international.
Keywords: local history, heroes, community, personalities, Puhoi village
Conferinţa ştiinţifică națională „Abordări psiho-pedagogice, lingvistico-literare, istorice și didactice în științele educației, 2024
Abstract: The history of the village begins with its name, which was established in certain soc... more Abstract: The history of the village begins with its name, which was
established in certain social, economic and ethnocultural circumstances. As for the
origin of the toponym Tîrnova / Târnova there are the following hypotheses:
Balkan origin - from the Bulgarian town of Târnovo / Têrnova; Slavic or proto
Slavic origin - from the term tьrnъ meaning spike or thorn; Romanian origin - the
homonym târn having two meanings: (a) „large broom, made of wicker, with
which to sweep the courtyards or streets”; (b) „basket with wicker; handbasket;
fishing tool, made of braided wicker”; ecclesiastical origin - from târnosire, a term
from tronosati, a word of Greek origin - θρόνος - meaning thrónos, i.e. throne. The
verb a târnosi means to consecrate a church, to consecrate, to perform „with the
prescribed ritual, the service of sanctification of a church”. Târnoseală are square
pieces of linen cloth, dipped in melted and fragrant wax, which are distributed to
the faithful participating in the service of târnosirii, as a blessing and having as
their utility the sanctification of houses and the calling of peace and the blessing of
God. In local tradition, the village is still perceived to have been built around a
sheepfold, which people called a târlă, hence the name of the village.
Keywords: Tîrnova / Târnova, toponym, village, local history.
ACTA PANGRATIA. Istorie și patrimoniu ecleziastic. , 2024
The meaning of the anthroponym Pangratie in the etymological context of the toponym and monastery... more The meaning of the anthroponym Pangratie in the etymological context of the toponym and monastery name Pângărați: onomastic, historical, linguistic, theological and ethnocultural aspects
The origins of the anthroponym Pangratie lie in the Greek surname Pancratie, which descends from the ancient Greek name Pankrátos or Pankrátes, also known as Pangratés. The anthroponymic variant Pongrați, being of Catholic influence, penetrated through the Hungarian and German filiation, being the basis of the topical name Pângărați. In the absence of written historical sources of the period, Nicolae Iorga's hypothesis remains valid, according to which the locality and the monastery come from the village of Pancrațiu or Pangratie (pronounced in Greek), in the Hungarian form being Păngrați, Pongracz, and in the Romanian one vocalized Pângărați. In historiography, this first-born Pangratie is considered to have been a monk and/or a hermit (Vasile Bîzgu, Tatiana Petrache). Another anthroponymic hypothesis, formulated and launched by the author of this article, invokes a possible influence on the constitution of the topical name and that of the monastery Pângărați of the anthroponym Pangariu (Pangarie), descended from the oronym with the meaning of mountain range between Macedonia and Thrace, being later spread in the Christian tradition by the Holy Martyr Pangariu / Pangarie.
Key words: Pangratie, Pancratie, Pankrátos, Pângărați Monastery, Pangarie, Panharie.
Patrimoniul cultural de ieri – implicaţii în dezvoltarea societăţii de mâine, 2024
Summary. In Romanian folk traditions, the digging, building and maintenance of a water well wer... more Summary. In Romanian folk traditions, the digging, building and maintenance of a water well
were strictly regulated by prescriptions and customs to be respected by the entire rural community.
An important role in keeping water wells in good condition was played by the Orthodox Church,
which was involved in sanitary activities aimed at maintaining the good quality of drinking water
and preventing the proliferation of diseases caused by contaminated drinking water. The location and
construction of a water well was carried out according to certain technical and time requirements.
Nowadays, good practices of well maintenance and development are promoted and applied at the
local level, the most relevant example being provided by the mayor of Vorniceni village (Strășeni r.)
Vasile Tofan, who since 2015 organizes the annual contest entitled The most well landscaped public
water well.
Key words: water well, care, maintenance, tradition, water, good practices.
Patrimoniul cultural: cercetare, valorificare, promovare. Culegere de studii în baza comunicărilor de la conferința științifică internațională, 2022
Th e world of lepers in conditions of marginalization and mercy: habitat, legislation, restricti... more Th e world of lepers in conditions of marginalization and mercy:
habitat, legislation, restrictions and prejudices
(historical, sanitary-epidemiological and ethnocultural interferences)
Summary: In the historical past, lepers were organized into separate communities, living poorly in leprosariums. In society, lepers were treated diff erently, being tolerated and marginalized.
Tolerance of lepers included Christian perception and multiple biblical postulates in which the
lepers were miraculously healed; Jesus was received in the home of Simeon the Leper. At the same
time, people’s fear of leprosy, amplifi ed by the ignorance of the causes of the disease, made lepers
undesirable in the medieval society. Multiple restrictions were imposed on lepers; marriages were
dissolved when the husband or wife had leprosy. In more serious cases, marked by the phobias
of the time, leprosy patients were killed, being blamed for a series of horrors, born more against
the background of phobias that dominated the collective imagination of the people. Th e imposed
lepers lived in a separate world of their own, a world that existed in the suburbs of the city, a world
that lived by its rules and regulations, imposed for the most part from the outside.
Keywords: leprosy, magical practices, „homeland of lepers”, prejudices, marginalization.
ХVІ Міжнародна наукова конференція «Iсторія торгівлі, податків та мита = ХVІ International scientific conference «History of trade, taxes and duties» , 2022
У збірнику опубліковані тези доповідей учасників XVI Міжнародної наукової конференції "Історія то... more У збірнику опубліковані тези доповідей учасників XVI Міжнародної наукової конференції "Історія торгівлі, податків та мита", присвячені конкретноісторичним, історіографічним та джерелознавчим аспектам розвитку торгівлі, справляння податків та зборів, митних органів окремих держав та міжнародних організацій від стародавніх часів до сьогодення.
ACTA TERRAE FOGARASIENSIS, 2022
LEPERS OR PEOPLE WITH „LION FACES” IN HISTORICAL AND ETHNOCULTURAL CONTEXT (GENERAL ASPECTS) ABS... more LEPERS OR PEOPLE WITH „LION FACES” IN HISTORICAL AND ETHNOCULTURAL CONTEXT (GENERAL ASPECTS)
ABSTRACT
Lepers or „lion-faced” people are a category of sick people who were excluded from
society through a special religious procession after which they were declared „dead to the world”, being forced to live their humble lives in leprosy or infirmary. In the collective mind, the leper’s face was associated with the „lion’s face” (facies leonina), the given image persisting in popular perceptions through the circulation of multiple stereotypes and prejudices
about lepers. The lepers were in a contradictory situation in society, being at the same time stigmatized and tolerated, including by the Church. The symptoms of leprosy have been described since ancient times, the most thorough elucidation of the characteristics of the disease belonging to Galen. In the early medieval and modern eras, medical approaches were dominated by multiple misperceptions about leprosy, including the belief of surgeon Ambroise
Paré as a hereditary disease and the solution, agreed by Jean Bodin, to eradicate the disease by preventive castration of people with „lion face”. Folk remedies for leprosy included herbal treatment, accompanied by texts of enchantments and sulfur baths. Information about „lionfaced” people is not only related to the past, but is also a reality today, patients with leprosy, being attested in significant numbers in Southeast Asia.
Keywords: leprosy, facies leonina, „lazy death”, symptoms, folk remedies.
„Studii culturale: Materialele Simpozionului Național de Studii Culturale”, 2021
„The plague shirt” in the „plague performance” (historical and ethnocultural aspects) In Romani... more „The plague shirt” in the „plague performance”
(historical and ethnocultural aspects)
In Romanian traditions, the making of the „plague shirt” is a spectacular event, organized
in order to protect the rural community from disease and natural cataclysms. The making of the
„plague shirt” was entrusted to a certain number of women (3, 7 or 9) who gathered on Tuesday
evening to spin, weave and sew a hemp shirt which was later worn „over seven borders”, being
brought at the end an offering to the ruthless Plague. This custom is attested in Muntenia, Oltenia,
Transylvania, Maramureş, Bucovina and Dobrogea. Similar traditions are present in Greece where
the „plague shirt” was offered as a gift to Saint Haralambie and in the Romanian communities in
Serbia. In its essence, the „plague shirt” is an ancient agricultural practice, a magical-mythical
manifestation, aimed at protecting animals and agricultural crops from evil forces.
Keywords: „plague shirt”, „plague show”, medical folklore, disease.
Akademos. Revistă de știință, inovare, cultură și artă, 2022
Parcursul istoric al fiecărui popor în parte este marcat în mod prioritar de contribuția adusă l... more Parcursul istoric al fiecărui popor în parte este
marcat în mod prioritar de contribuția adusă la dezvoltarea
generală a umanității pe dimensiunea culturală și
civilizațională. Cvasi importante pentru evoluția generală
a societății au fost, sunt și vor fi cu siguranță reperele
identitare de neam, fortificate cu datinile străbune,
obiceiurile și mentalitățile tradiționale. În pofida unor
circumstanțe istorice austere, cauzate de emergența
imperială străină, neamul românesc s-a constituit pe
un vast spațiu geografic, suprapus frontierelor statale,
impuse cu forța armelor de hoardele invadatoare. Anume
identitatea de neam, bazată pe datinile și mentalitățile
tradiționale românești, s-a dovedit a fi reduta cea
mai temeinică în calea stăvilirii puhoaielor de invadatori
barbari din părțile Răsăritului despotic.
Conferința științifică națională „Abordări psiho-pedagogice, lingvisticoliterare, istorice și didactice în științele educației", 2023
THE ORIGIN OF TOPONYMS IN THE CONTEXT OF LOCAL HISTORY: THE CASE OF THE VILLAGE OF SCĂIENI IN DO... more THE ORIGIN OF TOPONYMS IN THE CONTEXT OF LOCAL HISTORY:
THE CASE OF THE VILLAGE OF SCĂIENI IN DONDUŞENI DISTRICT
(HISTORICAL AND ETHNO-CULTURAL ASPECTS)
Summary. The problem of the origin of toponyms in the context of local
history is important due to its complexity, marked by interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary approaches. The origins of the topical name Scăieni are
researched by co-opting historical, linguistic, numismatic, botanical and
ethnocultural information. The toponymic dimension of local history is important for the reconstruction of the past of rural localities throughout the Romanian
space. The circulation and migration of people in the past left its mark on the
topical names of Moldova, Muntenia and Transylvania. As a result of some
historical circumstances, the Romanians took refuge from the bad weather,
founding new villages with old names, both in Wallachia and in Moldavia. Thus,
the toponym Scăieni can still be found today in several geographical regions of
Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The case of Scăieni village in Dondușeni
district is relevant in the context of local history research through the application
of oral history and comparative history methodology.
Keywords: Scăieni, local history, toponyms, micro-toponyms.