ARHEOLOGIE – ISTORIE / ARCHAEOLOGY – HISTORY
Demjén Andrea, Gruia Fazecaș, Florin Sfrengeu, Florin Gogâltan
CERCETĂRI ARHEOLOGICE SISTEMATICE LA SÂNTION – MOVILA MĂNĂSTIRII, COM. BORȘ, JUD. BIHOR. CAMPANIA ANULUI 2024
SYSTEMATIC ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT SÂNTION – MOVILA MĂNĂSTIRII, BORȘ COMMUNE, BIHOR COUNTY. THE 2024 CAMPAIGN
Archaeological research conducted in 2024 at the Sântion – Movila Mănăstirii site (Hungarian: Biharszentjános – Kolostor-domb) focused on the central part of the monastic complex, where ground-penetrating radar surveys had revealed a series of anomalies. One of the most significant results of the 2024 excavation was the investigation of the medieval cemetery which, based on radiocarbon dates and the associated archaeological material, appears to have been in continuous use from the late 10th to the 12th century, prior to the construction of the structures identified so far. The earliest stone structure (Z-4) can be dated to the 14th century. The most recent brick structure identified belongs to the final construction phase of the monastic complex and dates to the mid-16th century. Excavations were halted at the upper level of the Bronze Age tell. Only the medieval pit G 1 disturbed approximately 1 m of the tell stratigraphy, yielding a rich archaeological assemblage recovered in a secondary depositional context and dated to 1743–1618 cal BC (2σ).
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Gizella Nemeth, Adriano Papo
MOHÁCS, GIOVANNI ZÁPOLYA E IL TRONO D’UNGHERIA
MOHÁCS, JOHN ZÁPOLYA, AND THE THRONE OF HUNGARY
After the Ottoman conquest of Belgrade (29 August 1521), the Kingdom of Hungary was gravely threatened by a possible offensive from the Turkish army, especially since its economic, financial, and political situation was very precarious. The voivode of Transylvania, John Zápolya, was meanwhile becoming the most powerful man in the kingdom; however, suspicions that he was collaborating with the Turks were also growing day by day. As reports intensified that the Turks were marching toward Hungary, after much hesitation and delay, the king finally departed from Buda to confront the Ottoman army. John Zápolya, despite being repeatedly urged to join the main Hungarian forces, halted his troops at Szeged and would never reach the site of the Battle of Mohács. With his support, the Hungarian army could have achieved considerable strength. Mohács was a disaster for the Hungarians. The death of King Louis II paved the way for John Zápolya’s succession, as he was the richest magnate in Hungary and enjoyed recognized merits as an administrator and military commander. Therefore, as soon as Suleiman left Buda, which he had temporarily occupied after the Battle of Mohács, John Zápolya, anticipating the actions of Queen Mary and her brother Ferdinand of Habsburg, convened the Diet at Tokaj, where he himself was proposed as the most suitable person to succeed the deceased king. His election as king of Hungary was formalized at the Diet of Székesfehérvár on 11 November 1526.
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Șerban Turcuș
ÎN JURUL ORIGINII STEMEI TRANSILVANIEI – RELAȚIA HERALDICĂ CU IMPERIUL – IN SIGNUM SUBJECTIONIS
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE COAT OF ARMS OF TRANSYLVANIA – THE HERALDIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EMPIRE – IN SIGNUM SUBJECTIONIS
The study refers to the appearance around 1530, in an armorial from Augsburg, of the coat of arms of Transylvania. As it is presented in its original and primitive version, the coat of arms of Transylvania does nothing more than represent the obedience of the Saxon community in Transylvania to the German kingdom and the Empire, since it has as its chief the heraldic charges of the Empire, a crowned black eagle emerging on a gold field. For heraldic science and art, the presence of a chief, this time the chief of the Empire, signifies the submission that the Saxons of Transylvania, from the cities of the province, show towards the king of Germany, Hungary and Bohemia, Ferdinand I of Habsburg, and towards his brother, Emperor Charles V. The presence, in 1597, of an identical coat of arms, the work of Levinus Hulsius, demonstrates to us the heraldic stability of Transylvania in obedience to the Empire.
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Constantin-Tufan Stan
BANAT – INTERFERENȚE CULTURALE ROMÂNO-ITALIENE
BANAT – ROMANIAN-ITALIAN CULTURAL INTERACTIONS
With the establishment of the Habsburg Empire, following the Treaty of Passarowitz, Romanian-Italian economic and cultural relations in Banat, building on previous experiences, intensified. Tours by Italian opera companies influenced the professional paths of young people who would dedicate themselves to musical studies in the major cultural centers of Italy. The pilgrimage to Rome in 1908 by representatives of the Greek-Catholic Diocese of Lugoj, during the episcopacy of Vasile Hossu, provided the occasion for the first-ever performance of a Romanian Liturgy under the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, performed by the Choir of the ‘De Propaganda Fide’ College. A major role in promoting European cultural values in Banat was played by the Italian Cultural Institutes in Lugoj and Timișoara, founded in the interwar period, which maintained a vibrant artistic life: lectures, concerts, and Italian language courses.
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Raluca Gabriela Blaga
PRACTICI ȘI DIRECȚII CULTURALE ALE ELITELOR DIN SPAȚIUL ROMÂNESC (SECOLELE XVIII-XIX)
CULTURAL PRACTICES AND DIRECTIONS OF THE ELITES IN THE ROMANIAN SPACES (18TH-19TH CENTURIES)
This study, inspired by the Annales School methodology, analyzes a large corpus of travel accounts written by over one hundred foreign travelers between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It investigates how the political elite of the Romanian Principalities was perceived in relation to identity, alterity, and cultural transfer. The research combines comparative analysis, discourse analysis, and cross-source verification to reconstruct long-term patterns of perception and highlights the structural transformations of the boyar elite under Ottoman and Phanariot rule, as well as the growing influence of Western educational and cultural models. Travel narratives reveal a dual image of the elite: on one hand, marked by political instability, intrigue, and moral criticism; on the other, characterized by hospitality, cultural adaptability, and increasing openness to European languages and institutions. The study emphasizes the role of travel writing as a key source for understanding cultural contact zones between Eastern and Western Europe.
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Felicia Aneta Oarcea
LUNGUL DRUM AL NOBILITĂȚII ROMÂNILOR ÎN PĂRȚILE ARADULUI (VEACURILE XVIII-XIX)
THE LONG ROAD OF ROMANIAN NOBILITY IN THE ARAD REGION (18th–19th CENTURIES)
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the small and middling Romanian armalist nobility (nobility bearing a coat of arms) was compelled by the authorities to prove their privileged status, acquired in the time of the Transylvanian princes George Rákóczi II and Mihály Apafi, or granted by the Habsburg emperor Charles VI. The long road of proving one’s nobility stretched across several generations of the same family. They had to demonstrate this before the county authorities of Arad, either because they had left the Transylvanian regions and needed to be entered into the register of nobles, or because their privileges were contested by the great nobility, which sought to reduce them to servitude. These lengthy trials did not diminish the esteem in which they were held by the communities they came from, since they remained firmly anchored in Romanian spiritual and cultural values.
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Sorin Șipoș
BETWEEN EAST AND WEST. THE IMAGE OF THE ROMANIAN PRINCIPALITIES IN THE ACCOUNTS OF FOREIGN TRAVELLERS (1710–1810). GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
This study examines the image of the Romanian Principalities in the accounts of foreign travellers between 1710 and 1810, outlining the main directions that emerge from an ongoing investigation of these sources. Particular attention is given to how travellers perceived and described the Romanian Principalities as a frontier space between East and West. But their accounts are approached not merely as descriptions of places and events, but as testimonies shaped by the travellers’ origins, education, professional background, political interests and reasons for travelling. The analysis follows their journeys from the moment they came near and crossed the frontier to their arrival in the principal political centres of Transylvania, Moldavia and Wallachia. Particular attention is paid to the elements through which the frontier became visible to travellers, including military presence, customs controls, quarantine measures and passports, as well as to the emotions and expectations associated with entering a different political and cultural space. The sources also reveal mental and civilisational boundaries that influenced the interpretation of the realities encountered. Transylvania was generally perceived as closer to Central and Western Europe, whereas Moldavia and Wallachia were more frequently associated with the Ottoman East. Beyond the frontier, they recorded roads, means of transport, accommodation, court ceremonial, dress, political practices and the living conditions of the population. Their accounts contain interesting observations on the Romanian language, the Roman origins of the Romanians, religious life, customs and popular traditions. They also repeatedly noted the considerable resources of the Romanian lands, often contrasting this potential with poor administration, political instability, corruption and the difficult situation of the peasantry. The Phanariot rulers, the Ottoman Porte, the native boyars and, in Transylvania, the nobility and Habsburg authorities occupy an important place in these assessments. At the same time, the foreigners’ descriptions were inevitably influenced by their own political loyalties, cultural expectations and perceptions. The Romanian Principalities thus emerge from these accounts as a frontier space in which Eastern and Western political, cultural and civilisational influences met and interacted throughout the eighteenth century.
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Radu Romînașu
EUROPA DUPĂ NAPOLEON: DEMOGRAFIE ȘI RECONFIGURARE POLITICĂ ȘI SOCIALĂ ÎN „LUNGUL SECOL AL XIX-LEA”
EUROPE AFTER NAPOLEON: DEMOGRAPHY AND POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RECONFIGURATION DURING “THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY”
This study begins with a theoretical presentation of the „Long Century” (1789–1918) and the concept of „longue durée” from the perspective of the Annales School. The main text proposes an analysis of the continental impact of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, along with an examination of human losses, migration, urbanization, and the demographic transition, within an interconnection between demography, politics, and economy, emphasizing the role of population as a factor of power. The influence of the Industrial Revolution, medical advances, and the reduction of wars/epidemics was also taken into account-elements that shaped the European balance, state power, and social structures, offering lessons for subsequent European policies. Furthermore, the study highlights the reciprocal relationship between demographic transformations and statebuilding processes, demonstrating how shifts in population dynamics influenced governance, military capacity, and economic development across Europe. It also situates these changes within a broader historiographical framework, arguing that the longue durée perspective allows for a more nuanced understanding of structural continuities and ruptures that defined the transition to modernity.
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Adrian Gheorghe Iscru
GRĂNIȚUIREA TERITORIULUI PRINCIPATELOR UNITE CU IMPERIILE VECINE, ELEMENT ESENȚIAL ÎN DEFINIREA UNITĂȚII, SUVERANITĂȚII ȘI EXERCITAREA AUTORITĂȚII NOULUI STAT
THE TERRITORY OF THE UNITED PRINCIPALITIES WITH THE NEIGHBORING EMPIRES, AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THE DEFINITION OF UNITY, SOVEREIGNTY AND THE EXERCISE OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE NEW STATE
Throughout the ages, all countries have built their existence and the state’s future within natural boundaries of formation. Without going into details, we consider the borders of Dacia Burebista in the most faithful description of a Romanian historian, Ion Horatiu Crișan. Later, in Letopiseţul Cantacuzinesc, we find the first such records that relate to the borders of the country of Negru (Radu) Vodă, a country that bore the name, in documents, of Ungrovlahia. The voivodal titles of the following voivodes up to Mircea the Elder will refer to this name, indicating the country over which they ruled and its borders. The voivodal title of Mircea cel Bătrân is the one that best and most widely defines the boundaries of the first Romanian medieval state. In January 1600, Michael the Brave asked Rudolf II of Austria to return to Transylvania and to him implicitly, “Oradei, with the lands of Bihor and Hust with Maramures and the land of Crasna and Solnoch and Sarand and Nagbaia with Baia de Sus and all the lands of Lora …” It is a very important thing to be able to do this. After the National Unit of January 1859, the Romanian diplomacy, headed by Cuza Voda, had to solve one of the essential elements of the state authority, which was grandizing or decision-making. The islands that delimited the border with the Ottoman Empire on the Danube were also delimited themselves on the Danube talvege, as well as the border on the Prut with the Habsburg Empire. Also with the Habsburgs, according to the Treaty of Carlovitz, “the limit of a country is established to be its own mountains, without distinction one understands the summit of mountains”. The awareness of territoriality over a certain territory, delimited by certain boundaries, had translated, in modern times, from the voivode and a small group of its own, over the Romanian diplomacy that addressed the regulation of the country’s borders in the period according to the pre-existing treaties: “…who could facilitate the discovery of the true frontrunners of the land…”. Cuza was one of the promoters, pioneers at the diplomatic level, both internally and externally, in the modern era, of these ideas of political unity and demarcation of the borders of the Romanian nation, giving a major interest to the decisions/state border. The entire country, including the clergy, participated in shaping the borders of modern Romania, together with Romanian diplomacy.
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Florin Ardelean
ANGAJAMENT, ECHILIBRU ȘI RAȚIUNE: UN TIPAR CULTURAL ȘI MILITANT
COMMITMENT, BALANCE AND REASON: A CULTURAL AND MILITANT PATTERN
In a book published in France (‘The Treason of the Intellectuals’, 1927), essayist Julien Benda denounced a betrayal: scholars had abdicated their mission of serving the spirit of good without involving themselves in the evils of the world. This shift occurred with the consecration of the notion of the intellectual, coined at the end of the 19th century, during the scandal surrounding the “Alfred Dreyfus Affair”. Intellectuals were those who served power, developing ideologies and accepting the role of propagandists. In the present study, I have analyzed the two „identities” of Iosif Vulcan: that of the scholar, as editor of the ‘Familia’ magazine, and that of the intellectual, as a representative of the cultural, educational, social, and political interests of the Romanians within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thus, three fundamental attributes emerge in sharp relief: commitment, balance, and reason. These qualities shaped Iosif Vulcan’s remarkable destiny as a journalist and editor.
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Dumitru Noane
FEMEI BIHORENE IMPLICATE ÎN MIȘCAREA NAȚIONALĂ A ROMÂNILOR. (A DOUA JUMĂTATE A SECOLULUI XIX – PRIMA JUMĂTATE A SECOLULUI XX)
WOMEN FROM BIHOR INVOLVED IN THE ROMANIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT (SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY – FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY)
The post-revolutionary period – and especially the one that began in 1867 with the establishment of the dualist system – as a result of which Transylvania also came under the political and administrative authority of the government in Budapest – caused the differences that had previously been noticeable to disappear, and the Romanians of Bihor to take their place in the forefront of the movement for national emancipation and the formation of a national party. However, while men occupied the forefront of the political scene during that period, we must not forget or overlook the role played by the wives of these political leaders – or even other family members – who, in solidarity with the head of the household, endured all the hardships and humiliations to which they were subjected by the authorities and others. The wives demonstrated courage and strength alongside their husbands, serving as a reliable support for them, while their sons and daughters – who looked up to their fathers as role models – proved, when the situation demanded it, that they could live up to their role models and that the new generation of national activists was assured. In the complex and complicated context of strict surveillance of Romanians accused of holding Dacian-Roman ideals and of an increasingly prominent orientation toward governmental and cultural-political structures south of the Carpathians, the leaders of the national movement were forced to disguise their true intentions and actions under the guise of cultural and educational activities. In this context, a favorable environment emerged for the involvement of Romanian women, who would play an increasingly active role in efforts to raise the educational level of the younger generations, as well as in cultural-artistic and cultural-educational activities designed to contribute to the creation and consolidation of the national spirit. The early 20th century brought changes to political life and, by extension, to cultural life – as the primary means of expressing the national emancipation movement of the Romanians in Crișana – and, at the same time, regarding the role and degree of women’s involvement in public affairs. Thus, in addition to their active and substantialinvolvement in cultural, artistic, and educational activities—as means of fostering Romanian national consciousness – there were increasingly more instances in which women also became effectively and significantly involved in political life, especially after the adoption in 1905 of the new national political orientation, namely activism. The effective involve-meant of women in political life also took place against the backdrop of the intensification of the feminist movement in the second half of the 19th century, which, in Romania, grew and diversified, giving rise to a complex set of issues (economic, social, political, philanthropic, and cultural), strongly influenced by the spread of nationalist ideas and the development of Romanian self-awareness. This new turn brought the women’s movement to the point of being virtually indistinguishable from the movement for freedom and national unity, transforming it into one of the most active and influential components of nationalist activism, and convincingly illustrating the specific ways in which the social or political phenomenon was transformed and sublimated by the national cause. The work and personality of Viora Ciordaș of Beiuș stand out distinctly; she was an active participant in both cultural and political activities carried out with the aim of strengthening the national consciousness of Romanians in the Crișana region as well as in Transylvania. Taking into account the realities inherited from the old empire and the ethnic structure of the towns in Bihor – shaped by the strict pre-1918 rules that were preserved as best as possible even after 1919 – the work of Romanian women in Bihor – alongside that of the leaders of the Romanian community who were active here politically andculturally – we can say that it did not differ significantly from what had come before, maintaining the same spirit of cultural and national activism.
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Tőtős Áron
PROSTITUTION AND CRIMINALITY IN BUDAPEST
DURING THE DUALIST ERA
The study examines the relationship between prostitution and crime in Budapest during the Dualist era, basedon prisoner registers, police reports, and contemporary statistics. The analysis shows that prostitutes were convicted primarily of property-related offences, especially theft, receiving stolen goods, and embezzlement, while violent crimes accounted for a relatively small proportion of cases. At the same time, numerous proceedings concerned administrative violations, such as clandestine prostitution, indecent behavior, or failure to comply with medical examinations. The study highlights the fact that the practices of the Morals Police – including raids, special registers, expulsions, and continuous surveillance – contributed to the criminalization and stigmatization of prostitutes. Social marginalization, economic vulnerability, and police corruption kept this group caught in a cycle of exclusion, recidivism, and dependence on the sex industry.
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Diana Iancu
VLADIMIR GHIKA: UN DESTIN UNIVERSAL
VLADIMIR GHIKA: A UNIVERSAL DESTINY
In this paper, we focus on the multifaceted activity of Vladimir Ghika, examining how his princely heritage and diplomatic influence intersected with his profound commitment to humanitarian work and Catholic conversion. A descendant of a prestigious Romanian noble family, Ghika transitioned from high-level diplomacy to a vocation as a pioneer of charity and a martyr of the faith. After entering the Catholic Church in 1902, he dedicated his life to the marginalized, founding Romania’s first free hospital and ambulance service, and even serving as a volunteer nurse during the cholera epidemic. Beyond his humanitarian work, he played an important role at the Holy See, representing Romanian interests during the achievement of the Great Union of 1918.
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Viorel Câmpean
NOI INFORMAȚII DESPRE STUDENȚII TEOLOGI GRECO-CATOLICI ELIMINAȚI ÎN ANUL 1912 DE LA SEMINARUL LATIN DIN ORADEA
NEW INFORMATION REGARDING THE GREEK-CATHOLIC THEOLOGY STUDENTS EXPELLED IN 1912 FROM THE LATIN SEMINARY OF ORADEA
The article brings back to mind the Romanian heroes of the events that took place at the beginning of 1912 in the Roman Catholic Seminary in Oradea. Two of the Romanian Greek Catholic theologians were punished for daring to speak in their native language. Their other 14 colleagues set a beautiful example of solidarity, that gesture attracting the elimination of Romanian students from that seminary. We sought to follow in the footsteps of the lives of these 16 brave young Romanians. As can be seen from the article, some managed to continue their theological studies, managing to become priests. Others turned to other fields of activity. The good part of the events of that time was that in the immediately following period the Romanian Greek Catholic Seminary in Oradea was established.
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Marin Pop, Daniel-Victor Săbăceag
ROMÂNII SĂLĂJENI ÎN MARELE RĂZBOI
ROMANIANS FROM SĂLAJ IN THE GREAT WAR
The participation of Romanians from Sălaj County in World War I is a topic that has received little attention from historians. This is why we have set out in this study to highlight several aspects regarding the participation of Romanians from Sălaj in the Great War, as the First World War is often referred to in the specialized literature, during the period 1914–1918. Our study is based on the lists of war participants compiled in 1922, a project proposed by the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Culture (ASTRA), which had been headquartered in Sibiu since 1915. Statistical tables compiled by local authorities in 1922 and centralized by ASTRA representative Teodor Păcățian contain previously unpublished information regarding the demographics of localities in Sălaj County, mobilization to the front, casualties, disabled veterans, war widows, and orphans, the occupations of those who served, and the decorations and medals awarded to soldiers who participated in the war. I also used as documentary sources information discovered in the archives of Zalău and Cluj-Napoca, as well as the published bibliography. Regarding the participation of the Salaj elite in the Great War, we have focused on information concerning Victor Deleu, Iuliu Maniu, Gavril Câmpeanu, and Nicolae Munthiu.
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Răzvan Mihai Neagu
DATE ŞI INFORMAŢII NOI PRIVIND IMPLICAREAPROFESORULUI PETRU SUCIU ÎN DOBÂNDIREA UNUI SEDIU AL DESPĂRŢĂMÂNTULUI TURDA AL ASOCIAŢIUNII ASTRA ÎN PERIOADA INTERBELICĂ
NEW DATA AND INFORMATION REGARDING THE INVOLVEMENT OF TEACHER PETRU SUCIU IN THE ACQUISITION OF A HEADQUARTERS FOR THE TURDA BRANCH OF THE ASTRA ASSOCIATION DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD
The interwar period was an era of great transformations for Transylvania in general and for Turda in particular. The entire social life was resettled on Romanian bases. This was a complex process, and the Romanian political elite played an important role. After the First World War, in which the activity of the ASTRA association suffered a drastic reduction in intensity, the interwar period marked an era of resilience. The person who led the Turda Department of the ASTRA association throughout the interwar period was Petru Suciu, a distinguished high school teacher. He was the first Romanian director of the „King Ferdinand” High School in Turda. Petru Suciu was actively involved in community life, and as head of the ASTRA department, he managed to obtain a headquarters from the city hall, the former princely mansion, where the Turda History Museum operates today. He was the one who also took care of the repair and renovation of this building.
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Mihai Stan
CASA ROMÂNĂ DE LA VENEȚIA (1930-1940) – AȘEZĂMÂNTUL CULTURAL ROMÂNESC FONDAT DE NICOLAE IORGA
THE ROMANIAN HOUSE IN VENICE (1930-1940) – THE ROMANIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTION FOUNDED BY NICOLAE IORGA –
To mark, in 2025, the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Romanian House in Venice – now the Romanian Institute of Culture and Humanistic Research – this article presents a part of the subsection titled „Nicolae Iorga and the Founding of the Romanian House in Venice.” This text is an excerpt from the author’s doctoral thesis The Romanian House in Venice from Nicolae Iorga to the Present (1930–2018), a work scheduled for publication in an expanded and complete form. Throughout documents from various Italian archives and contemporary press articles, this article offers an historical overview of the Romanian House in Venice, tracing its journey from its establishment, in 1930, through the tumultuous years of the communist regime until its reopening, in 1992, as the Romanian Institute of Culture and Humanistic Research in Venice.
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Sanda Dumitrița Buboi (Capotă)
REALIZĂRILE ADMINISTRAȚIEI LIBERALE ÎN PERIOADA PREFECTULUI IOAN PICU BĂNCILĂ (1933-1937)
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LIBERAL ADMINISTRATION DURING THE TERM OF PREFECT IOAN PICU BĂNCILĂ (1933-1937)
This article aims to present some details about the political activity of Prefect Ioan Picu Băncilă and then to analyze some aspects of the activity of the National Liberal Party organization under the leadership of Bihor County, under the administration of Ioan Picu Băncilă.
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Florin Müller
IPOSTAZE ALE FILOSOFIEI ÎN COMUNISMUL ROMÂNESC; DOUĂ ANALIZE DE CAZ: LUCIAN BLAGA ȘI CONSTANTIN NOICA
FACETS OF PHILOSOPHY IN ROMANIAN COMMUNISM; TWO CASE STUDIES: LUCIAN BLAGA AND CONSTANTIN NOICA
The present study aims to reconstruct not so much an outline of official Marxism in Romania, but rather to analyze how the communist regime positioned itself towards the work of two important philosophers from the interwar period (Lucian Blaga and Constantin Noica), what types of ideological-partisan criticism were formulated towards them (especially towards Lucian Blaga), what were the survival strategies of the two in relation to the official line, the ways of reinsertion into the cultural space, the groups of intellectuals drawn into these cultural wars of Stalinism and neo-Stalinism.
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Mihaela Goman
CLUJUL UNIVERSITAR ȘI DIALOGUL ȘTIINȚIFIC INTERNAȚIONAL IN CORESPONDENȚA LUI CONSTANTIN DAICOVICIU (1961–1968)
ACADEMIC CLUJ AND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC DIALOGUE IN THE CORRESPONDENCE OF CONSTANTIN DAICOVICIU (1961-1968)
Constantin Daicoviciu’s foreign correspondence from years 1961–1968 reveals itself not merely as an archive of institutional documents, but as a veritable map of the cultural and academic relationships maintained across borders by a prominent figure in Romanian historiography. From close dialogue with the North American academic community—represented by Keith Hitchins, Stephen Fischer-Galați, and Marija Gimbutas—to traditional exchanges with Western Europe involving Franco Sartori and Marcel Renard, and even a surprising opening toward the African and Mediterranean worlds through his connection with Mohammed El Fasi, these letters sketch the portrait of a scholar attuned to the universal pulse of scholarship.
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Marta Cordea
O PRIETENIE EXEMPLARĂ: GH. EMINESCU ŞI GH. BULGĂR. FRÂNTURI DE CORESPONDENŢĂ
AN EXEMPLARY FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GH. EMINESCU AND GH. BULGĂR. FRAGMENTS OF CORRESPONDENCE
Our article briefly presents the work of the Eminescuologist and linguist Gh. Bulgăr and that of the historian, Colonel Gheorghe Eminescu, nephew of the “unmatched poet”, emphasizing the friendship between the two. We also present some of the letters sent by Gheorghe Eminescu to Gh. Bulgăr. We attach the facsimiles of the letters to the annexes, in extenso, in order to better reflect the ties between the two, who were united by passion. Gh. Bulgăr manifested an unwavering passion for the personality of Mihai Eminescu, and Gheorghe Eminescu was passionate about the personality of Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Revolution.
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Veronica Turcuș
DRAMA ISTORICĂ NAȚIONALĂ PE SCENELE DIN TRANSILVANIA ȘI BANAT ÎN ANII REGIMULUI IDEOCRATIC DE STÂNGA
NATIONAL HISTORICAL DRAMA ON THE STAGES OF TRANSYLVANIA AND BANAT DURING THE YEARS OF THE FAR-LEFT IDEOCRATIC REGIME
In the first post-war years, national historical plays were not performed on the stages of Transylvania and Banat because highlighting patriotic feelings did not suit the Soviet occupier. The relative respite of 1956 also marked their return to the theatrical repertoire, so that during the period of controlled opening, the request of the officialswas precisely to increase the number of works with historical themes in national dramaturgy. The emergence of national communism also meant the requirement to draft, for propaganda purposes, a vast artistic chronicle dedicated to the past of the Romanian people, the stages of Transylvanian and Banat theaters proposing historical cycles, made up of various plays. Both classical authors and the creation of contemporary ones are represented, the latter often written to coincide with anniversaries or commemorations celebrated by the regime (see especially the centenary of the Independence of Romania, the death of Avram Iancu or the bicentenary of Horea’s Uprising). A particularity of the Transylvanian and Banat stages remains the prevalent representation of historical dramas written by Transylvanian authors, or that had direct contact with the regional space, the staging of plays with a Transylvanian subject, and the highlighting of local heroes.
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Gabriel Moisa, Andreea Maria Pop
ABOUT THE BIHOR COUNTY PARTY NIMENKLATURA IN 1989
The study aims to capture, as in a photograph, the Bihor communist nomenclature of 1989. It was a very wellstructured, all-encompassing one, and one that was preparing to lead Bihor “to the highest peaks of culture and civilization”. The events of December 1989 seemed to sweep these structures from the forefront of social, political, economic, cultural, educational life, etc. It has been proven over time that this did not happen, but they very well occupied the new national landscape after 1989. Therefore, we believe we are not far off the mark when we state that the Bihor County/local leadership consisted of members of the R.C.P. (in Romanian P.C.R.) County Political Bureau and the R.C.P. County Committee, as well as party activists from Oradea or smaller towns, from communes, or from basic organizations within various institutions. It also included members of other county-level bodies, such as the Inter-County Party School. All of them were deeply committed to the political party to which they belonged, as their privileges depended on the party’s continued existence. Furthermore, they were paid for their political work, and their positions entailed responsibilities of varying degrees of complexity. They represented, in fact, “the ideological elite of communist systems, the body tasked with developing and propagating socialist values”. Practically, these were the regime’s „loyalists” in Bihor, being – as previously mentioned – remunerated to ensure the perpetuation of the system.
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NUMISMATICĂ / NUMISMATICS
Corina Toma
TEZAURUL DE MONEDE MEDIEVALE GĂSIT LA LEȘ (JUD. BIHOR). STRUCTURA TEZAURULUI ȘI CONCLUZII FINALE
A HOARD OF MEDIEVAL COINS FOUND AT LEȘ (BIHOR COUNTY) – THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOARD AND FINAL CONCLUSIONS
In July 2023, in a forest near the village of Leș (Nojorid, Bihor County), a hoard consisting of 5,043 silver coins deposited in a clay jug was found using the metal detecting method. After archaeological research, another 24 coins were recovered. Three of the 5.067 coins are thalers from the first half of the 16th century issued in the mints of the Holy Roman Empire: Principality of Saxony, County of Öttingen and the city of Kaufbeuren. Except for the soldo minted in Aguilea under the patriarch Lodovico II di Teck (1412-1420) and a copper coin extremely corroded which cannot be identified, the rest of the coins within the hoard (4 grosz, 5053 denarii and 5 obols) were issued during the reings of Vladislav I (1440-1445), Matthias Corvinus (1458- 1490), Vladislav II Jagello (1490-1516), Louis II Jagello (1516-1526), John Zápolya (1526-1540) and Ferdinand I of Habsburg (1526-1564). The latest coin within the hoard, a denar struck in the first part of Ferdinand’s reign, and the presence of the thalers enable us to date quiteaccurately when the hoard was buried. The article presents the catalog of all the 5.067 coins and final observations regarding the burial time and the scientific importance of this monetary find.
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Radu Ardevan, Alin Pralea
MONETE ROMANE ÎNTR-O PODOABĂ DE CAP MODERN
ROMAN COINS IN A MODERN HEADDRESS
The Romanian scholar Ioan Mihályi de Apșa also had a numismatic collection, now lost. The Maramureș Museum preserves a silver headdress that belonged to his family. It includes 17 imperial Roman denarii from the 2nd century AD. We proceeded to classify them and to arrange them chronologically (see Appendix I).The pieces in question could even come from the Teceu monetary hoard, discovered in 1874 and later dispersed, without having been studied. It is known that I. Mihályi had kept 320 coins from it, but they were lost after the installation of communist power in Romania. A forensic analysis, with the technical means of contemporary physics, of the small lots preserved from the hoard could possibly confirm this origin of these 17 denarii.
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MUZEOGRAFIE – MUZEOLOGIE / MUSEOGRAPHY – MUSEOLOGY
Amalia Daniela Nicoară
VASILE ALECSANDRI ÎN COLECŢIA DE CARTE A MUZEULUI JUDEŢEAN DE ISTORIE ŞI ARHEOLOGIE PRAHOVA
WORKS BY VASILE ALECSANDRI IN THE BOOK COLLECTION OF THE PRAHOVA COUNTY MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY
Vasile Alecsandri, a prominent figure of Romanian culture, distinguished himself as a poet, playwright, diplomat, and politician. Considered one of the founders of modern Romanian literature, Alecsandri had a profound influence on the evolution of the Romanian language and on the affirmation of national identity. An analysis of his personality reveals a complex individual characterized by deep artistic sensitivity, fervent patriotism, and a pragmatic spirit oriented toward modernization. Alecsandri demonstrated remarkable artistic sensitivity, reflected in the diversity of literary genres he approached: poetry, theater, prose, and folklore. The work of Vasile Alecsandri is a faithful reflection of his complex personality. His romantic poetry expresses sensitivity and love for nature, while his patriotic writings reveal his commitment to the national cause. His theatre, on the other hand, demonstrates a refined spirit of observation alongside a clear commitment to the affirmation and promotion of Romanian traditional culture. In the book collection of the Prahova Museum, there are several of his works in first editions as well as later editions, which are equally valuable.
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Doina-Gabriela Ananie
ALBUME ANIVERSARE DEDICATE PRIMARULUI ORADIEI, SAL FERENCZ
ANNIVERSARY ALBUMS DEDICATED TO THE MAYOR OF ORADEA, SAL FERENCZ
Oradea’s development in the late 19th century owes a lot to Sal Ferencz, the lawyer who spent 22 years leading the city as mayor. His relentless work, devotion, and dedication to changing the city’s face were highly appreciated by all the citizens of Oradea. In 1895, after 20 years as mayor of the town, he was celebrated with great pomp by clerics, officials, and ordinary people. His name will always be linked with the city’s growth and flourishing.
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Tiberiu Alexandru Ciorba
DATE ȘI STATISTICI CU PRIVIRE LA VECHILE COLECȚII ALE SOCIETĂȚII DE ARHEOLOGIE ȘI ISTORIE A COMITATULUI BIHOR. ANUL 1875
DATA AND STATISTICS REGARDING THE OLD COLLECTIONS OF THE SOCIETY OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF BIHOR COUNTY. THE YEAR 1875
The Society of Archaeology and History was the first institution of its kind in Bihor County and through its research, represented the initial step towards organizing a local museum based on a scientifical methodology. Its main goal was to obtain and study artifacts pertaining to the history of the land (especially Oradea and Bihor) and present the findings in various forms such as exhibitions or publications in different specialized journals. Over the years, the collections grew exponentially and nowadays its direct ‘descendant’, the Țării Crișurilor Museum, holds most of them and uses new cutting-edge techniques and equipment to better show-case the artifacts to the public. During the 150 years of constant activity, the means by which the precious relics were kept have naturally changed and evolved along with the trends of the times. Registries and inventory ledgers were remade several times due to new rules and regulations and therefore, the information itself was modified by specialists. Luckly, the History Department still holds in its collections the old lists used by the Society during the first years, documents that paint an interesting picture of how artifacts were stored and analyzed. This article focuses on the year 1875 and aims to present statistical data regarding objects that have entered the collections, their provenance, thematic background and other significant details. By doing so, information relating to the current pieces that are still in storage can be improved and their historical context can be better understood. Moreover, artifacts that have lost their provenance in the new ledgers can be retraced and reorganized in a more rigorous manner.
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Cristian Culiciu
THE ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR MUSEUM ORADEA – MUSEUM COMPLEX, HISTORY SERVICES’ POSTER COLLECTION UNDER ITS QUANTITY AND QUALITY ASPECTS
The following paper analyzes the poster collection of the History Service of the Țării Crișurilor Museum in Oradea from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. By the end of 2025, the collection comprised 6,188 items dating from the early 19th century to the present, reflecting a wide variety of cultural, social, political, and artistic events, particularly from Oradea and Bihor County. Although primarily intended as advertising and informational media, posters also represent valuable historical documents and examples of graphic design, offering insight into everyday life, institutional activity, and forms of public communication across different historical periods. The study highlights the chronological evolution and the dynamics of acquisitions within the collection since 1973, as well as the diversity of its thematic categories, including museum exhibitions, theatre and concert performances, film screenings, sports events, conferences, and political or commercial announcements. Attention is also given to aspects such as language, materials, printing techniques, provenance, and conservation. Overall, the collection provides an important documentary resource for researching the cultural and social history of Oradea and the Bihor region, while illustrating the development and functions of the poster as a medium of public information and visual expression.
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Maria Flavia Pop, Ioana Gherghel
PICTURA NAIVĂ ÎN COLECȚIA SERVICIULUI ETNOGRAFIE A MUZEULUI ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR – COMPLEX MUZEAL
NAIVE PAINTING IN THE COLLECTION OF THE ETHNOGRAPHY SERVICE OF THE ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR MUSEUM ORADEA – MUSEUM COMPLEX
Naive art. This term describes the phenomenon that emerged in the late 19th century and continued into the 20th century, characterized by works created by individuals who did not attend art schools but came to develop, on their own, both their artistic vision and their means of visual expression. Some sources classify these artists as folk painters, primitives, modernists, or as practitioners of instinctive art. In fact, naive art has been practiced since time immemorial, as it is a mistake to equate its emergence with its public recognition.
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Diana Kincses
MUZEUL DIN SATU MARE REFLECTAT ÎN ZIARUL LOCAL CRONICA SĂTMĂREANĂ (1968-1974). O RADIOGRAFIE A IMPLICĂRII CULTURALE ȘI ȘTIINȚIFICE
THE SATU MARE MUSEUM AS REFLECTED IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER CRONICA SĂTMĂREANĂ (1968–1974): AN X-RAY OF CULTURAL AND SCIENTIFIC INVOLVEMENT
This study examines the way in which the activity of the Satu Mare County Museum was reflected in the local newspaper Cronica Sătmăreană between 1968 and 1974, during the communist regime in Romania. As the official newspaper of the Romanian Communist Party at county level, the publication played an important role in promoting cultural institutions while simultaneously serving ideological and propagandistic purposes. The research highlights how the museum became a central actor in the cultural and scientific life of Satu Mare County through exhibitions, archaeological research, educational programs, editorial initiatives, and heritage preservation activities. The analysis focuses on the museum’s exhibition activity, including ethnographic, artistic, archaeological, and historical-documentary exhibitions, many of which reflected the ideological priorities of the communist regime. Particular attention is given to the promotion of national history, socialist patriotism, and local cultural identity within the framework of official political discourse. The study also explores the museum’s scientific and editorial contributions, emphasizing archaeological excavations, ethnographic research, restoration activities, and collaborations with local journalists and cultural institutions. Furthermore, the paper investigates the relationship between culture, press, and political power in socialist Romania, demonstrating how the museum functioned both as a center of scientific research and as an instrument of ideological education. Despite the political constraints of the period, the Satu Mare County Museum succeeded in preserving and promoting regional heritage while maintaining an active role in the cultural development of the community. The articles published in Cronica Sătmăreană provide valuable insight into the institutional image of the museum and the broader mechanisms through which cultural activities were integrated into the official socialist narrative.
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EDUCAȚIE MUZEALĂ / MUSEUM PEDAGOGY
Dalida Teodora Moga, Andreea Maria Pop
„CLUBUL MICILOR ISTORICI”. ACTIVITATE DE EDUCAȚIE MUZEALĂ LA MUZEUL ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR ORADEA – COMPLEX MUZEAL
“THE LITTLE HISTORIANS CLUB”. MUSEUM EDUCATION ACTIVITY AT THE ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR MUSEUM ORADEA – MUSEUM COMPLEX
This paper presents the non-formal educational initiative “The Little Historians’ Club” (Ro: „Clubul micilor istorici”), hosted by the Țării Crișurilor Museum – Museum Complex in Oradea. Designed as an interactive museum education program, the project complements traditional learning through hands-on activities, thematic workshops, guided exhibition visits, and research sessions. By exploring local and national history, participating children develop critical thinking, civic responsibility, and a deeper appreciation for cultural heritage. The article highlights the structure of the program, the activities carried out during the 2024 edition, and the pedagogical impact of museum-based learning in shaping young minds.
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Adina-Nicoleta Pop, Gabriela Lobonț, Dorina Golban
CUM SĂ AJUTĂM PĂSĂRILE IARNA – EDUCAȚIE MUZEALĂ ECOLOGICĂ PENTRU COPII
HOW TO HELP BIRDS IN WINTER – ECOLOGICAL MUSEUM PEDAGOGY FOR CHILDREN
The workshop “How to help birds in winter”, held at the Țării Crișurilor Museum in Oradea, offered preschoolers and school children in grades 1–6 an interdisciplinary educational experience focused on ecological empathy and learning through action. The activity integrated visual, sensory, and creative methods, facilitating understanding of the needs of local wildlife during the cold season. By exploring images, sounds, and bird behaviors, making feeders from recyclable materials, and playing association games, students developed their ecological vocabulary, responsibility towards nature, and connections between biology, civic education, and family traditions. The workshop aligns with international best practices in museum education and can be replicated in similar contexts, contributing to the formation of an active ecological consciousness.
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Cristian-Florin Negru
ATELIER DE CREAȚIE ICOANĂ PE STICLĂ ȘI ICOANĂ PE LEMN
CREATIVE WORKSHOP ON WOOD AND GLASS ICON PAINTING
This article presents the historical development, artistic techniques, and cultural significance of Romanian icons on wood and glass, with particular emphasis on the icon-painting traditions of Transylvania. The study examines the Byzantine origins of icon painting, the evolution of regional iconographic schools, and the emergence of glass icons as a distinctive form of Romanian folk religious art during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Special attention is given to traditional materials, painting techniques, iconographic themes, and the most important Transylvanian centers, including Nicula, Șcheii Brașovului, Făgăraș, and Lancrăm. In addition to the theoretical overview, the paper presents a museum education project organized by the Țării Crișurilor Museum in Oradea, consisting of practical workshops on wood and glass icon painting. These activities combined historical and artistic knowledge with hands-on experience, encouraging participants to discover traditional techniques while promoting cultural heritage, creativity, and intergenerational dialogue. The study highlights the educational, artistic, and social value of museum-based cultural programs in preserving and transmitting Romania’s sacred artistic traditions.
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Andrei Scărlătescu, Alexandra Olteanu-Bucur, Constantin Felician Cheosea
DIN SLOVE ȘI LUMINĂ – ATELIER DE TIPĂRIT
FROM CHARACTERS AND LIGHT – PRINTING WORKSHOP
The Museum of Printing and Old Romanian Books, located within the Curtea Domnească Monumental Ensemble in Târgoviște, spearheaded a workshop focused on the early history of printing in Wallachia and its contemporary educational reinterpretation. Particular attention is given to the experimental reconstruction of a manual printing press, ingeniously adapted from a reclaimed church pew. The press was conceived as a functional educational tool, enabling participants to explore the principles of early letterpress printing and relief techniques, including linocut printing. The workshop brought together both children and adults, fostering intergenerational learning through hands-on engagement with historical printing processes. Combining historical research and experimental education, the initiative highlighted the cultural significance of Târgoviște as an early printing center associated with the voivode Radu cel Mare and Macarie, hieromonk and printer, while demonstrating the relevance of traditional printing techniques for contemporary heritage education.
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Monica Cîrstea
CALIGRAFIA, O ARTĂ UITATĂ, REDESCOPERITĂ ÎNTR-UN PROIECT EXPOZIȚIONAL
CALLIGRAPHY, A FORGOTTEN ART, REDISCOVERED IN AN EXHIBITION PROJECT
At the Prahova County Museum of History and Archaeology, an exhibition project dedicated to calligraphy— the art of beautiful handwriting—was organized over several years. This is an art that has lost ground in favor of the digital world. The project entitled “Illustrations from Words – Calligraphy Exhibition” debuted in 2017 and was carried out in collaboration between the museum and the “Ion Luca Caragiale” National College in Ploiești. The exhibition project was organized at the end of each school year, reaching a total of eight editions: June 2017, December 2017, June 2018, June 2019, June 2020, June 2021, June 2022, and June 2023. After a one-year break, the calligraphy project resumed in the 2024–2025 school year, this time organized by the museum together with the “Carmen Sylva” Art College in Ploiești. In June 2025, the first edition of the exhibition project “Calligraphic. Cursive Imprints” was held. At a time when computers, tablets, and mobile phones occupy an increasingly large portion of children’s time, a teacher sought to reconnect young people with handwriting. The aim of organizing this exhibition project was to bring calligraphy back into the public’s attention in the 21st century, when this art has been largely replaced by ever-advancing technologies. Practicing this art offers the opportunity to develop imagination, become more creative, and spend free time in a pleasant and relaxing way. Through this educational project, we aimed to help high school students disconnect from the digital environment, rediscover themselves, and connect deeply with this creative journey by practicing calligraphy.Handwriting is therapy for the soul, a form of relaxation, and at the same time an emotion, as words create connections between people. The participating high school students understood how important handwriting is, even in the age of technology.
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ARTĂ / ART
Agata Iuliana Adel (Chifor)
REPREZENTĂRI ALE SFÂNTULUI IOSIF ÎN LUCRĂRI DIN COLECȚIA DE PICTURĂ UNIVERSALĂ A MUZEULUI ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR ORADEA–COMPLEX MUZEAL (SFÂRȘIT DE SECOL XIV-SECOLUL AL XIX-LEA)
REPRESENTATIONS OF SAINT JOSEPH IN WORKS FROM THE UNIVERSAL PAINTING COLLECTION OF THE ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR MUSEUM ORADEA– MUSEUM COMPLEX, ROMANIA (END OF THE 14TH CENTURY – 19 TH CENTURY)
The representations of Saint Joseph, one of the major landmarks of Christian art, have known numerous iconographic typologies, influenced by the vision of the Christian Church about his role in protecting and saving The Blessed Virgin Mary and of Jesus Child. The author analyzes stylistically, thematically, iconographically and symbolically a series of works from the Universal Painting Collection of the Art Department of „Țării Crișurilor” Museum Oradea–Museum Complex that transpose referential moments in which Saint Joseph was present as devoted husband, loving father, protector and savior of The Blessed Virgin Mary and of Jesus Child: „The Birth of Jesus and the Adoration of the Magi”, creation of the Bohemian School from the end of the 14th century, „The Holy Family”, creation of the School of Raffaellino del Garbo (1466-1524); „The Adoration of the Shepherds”, creation of the School of Adam Elsheimer (1578-1610); „The Holy Family”, made in 1734 by the Italian painter Pietro Marchesini (1692-1757); „Jesus in the Temple”, creation of the Hungarian painter Molnár József (1821-1899); „The Birth of Jesus” – Romanian icon from the 19th century. The present art history research aims to highlight the evolution of the artistic representations of Saint Joseph in correlation with the different stages of his cult, from a contemplative stance to one of total affective involvement in the protecting and the saving of The Blessed Virgin Mary and of Jesus Child.
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Augustin Țărău
MITOLOGIA COMUNIȘTILOR ROMÂNI ILUSTRATĂ ÎN LUCRĂRILE DE GRAFICĂ. STUDIU DE CAZ: COLECȚIA DE GRAFICĂ A MUZEULUI ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR ORADEA – COMPLEX MUZEAL
THE MYTHOLOGY OF ROMANIAN COMMUNISTS ILLUSTRATED IN GRAPHIC WORKS. CASE STUDY: THE ENGRAVING COLLECTION OF THE ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR MUSEUM ORADEA – MUSEUM COMPLEX
In this study, we attempted to decipher the propaganda mechanism that generated the pantheon of communist heroes in interwar Romania, following the Soviet model, and the way in which this phenomenon was illustrated in post-war art subject to the ideology of the communist regime, established in Bucharest starting with March 6, 1945. In this sense, we selected several graphic works of art from our museum’s collection, which we analysed and put in context with the historical realities of the moments taken from the „class struggle” of the communist minority, which was establishing itself as the leader of the Romanian proletariat, and we critically analysed them in relation to the forgeries publicly delivered by communist literature in the local society to legitimize the position of sole, total and absolute power of the communist party.
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ETNOGRAFIE / ETHNOGRAPHY
Vasile Todinca
REPERE IDENTITARE ALE CULTURII POPULARE
IDENTITY MARKS OF FOLK CULTURE
This work seeks to address the organic legitimacy of popular culture, which is rooted in the human factor— strongly shaped by a relationship with the natural world that ensures a propensity toward the primary elements of the universe. In this universe of folk culture, we find neither ruptures between humanity and the cosmic world nor distances; here we witness a dance of communions in which the cosmic order, society, the animal and plant worlds, the transcendent, and, of course, the individual are united through the containment or dissolution of contradictions, disappointments, and claims. Here, things follow their own order—not a random one, but a causal one governed by necessity. For this reason, traditional art is increasingly sought after by contemporary culture and scholarship as the source of a system of values marked by remarkable originality and authenticity, intended to foster a more comprehensive openness toward humanity and the world. Furthermore, we would say that traditional culture, through its traditions, serves as a permanent source for mainstream culture and other cultural value systems.
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Constantin-Liviu Demeter
VALAHII DIN MORAVIA – INTERFERENȚE VALAHO-SLAVE ÎN RELATAREA UNUI ARTIST FOTOGRAF
THE VLACHS OF MORAVIA – VLACH-SLAVIC CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE LENS OF A PHOTOGRAPHER
In 2023, three photographic artists from Oradea went to photograph villages and folk traditions of the Vallachians from Moravia, Czech Republic, as part of a project financed by the Department for Romanians from Everywhere (within the Government of Romania). In this mountainous and well-forested region, shepherds (bača – in the local dialect) and sheep farmers climb the mountains during the spring, and then in the autumn they descend. They still use a few words from the language of the ancient Wallachians, who made cheese (bryndza – in the local dialect). Traditional wooden houses are found at the Open-Air Museum in Roznov pod Radhostem. The presence of the Wallachians with flocks of sheep in the Czech Carpathians also tells us something about themselves, about the local toponymy – the names of localities, names of mountain peaks, or even family names.
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Gabriel Hălmăgean
O ÎNCERCARE DE TIPOLOGIZARE A MORILOR DE MĂCINAT CEREALE DIN JUDEȚUL ARAD
AN ATTEMPT AT A TYPOLOGY OF GRAIN MILLS IN ARAD COUNTY
The article presents the main types of mills used in Arad County and the ways they can be classified according to energy source, production capacity, and grinding technique. It analyzes windmills, watermills, dry mills powered by animals, and industrial steam- or motor-driven mills. The study highlights the technological evolution from traditional millstones to roller mills and shows that the diversity of mills reflects their adaptation to the geographical and economic conditions of the region, as well as the importance of flour production for rural communities in Arad County.
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Ioan Goman, Ioana Gherghel
MEȘTEȘUGURI PRACTICATE DE LOCUITORII DIN VADU CRIȘULUI (JUD. BIHOR) ÎN MENȚIUNI DOCUMENTARE DIN SECOLUL XX
CRAFTS PRACTICED BY THE INHABITANTS OF VADU CRIȘULUI (BIHOR COUNTY) IN 20TH CENTURY DOCUMENTARY SOURCES
This paper examines a series of data drawn from documents preserved in the archives of the Bihor County Service of the National Archives of Romania, as well as in the Ethnography Department of the Museum of the Criș Region in Oradea, regarding the traditional crafts practiced by the inhabitants of Vadu Crișului during various periods of the twentieth century. The primary sources comprise administrative records—including statistical data, registers, official reports, applications, and certificates—pertaining to local craft activities conducted under the auspices of the Association of Small Artisans in Aleșd. Additionally, the study incorporates documentation related to specialized initiatives organized or conducted by regional cultural institutions, such as the Crișana Regional Museum and the Crișana Regional House of Folk Creation, in collaboration with local artisans. Based on the available evidence—without claiming to exhaust all potential sources that future researchers might consult—the data indicate that the practice of such trades was a relatively prevalent phenomenon within the community throughout the period under review. Although historical realities underwent significant changes from one era to another, the overarching findings demonstrate that at least 193 residents pursued traditional crafts during this temporal frame. Among them, potters constituted the largest group, numbering 80 (one of whom also worked as a tile maker), followed by 17 shoemakers (including two bootsmiths), 16 tailors, 15 blacksmiths, 15 butchers, 12 furriers, 8 carpenters, 5 millers (one operating an oil press as well), 4 masons, 3 barbers, 3 clay traders, 3 lime traders, 3 threshing machine operators, 2 bakers, 2 chimney sweeps, 2 locksmiths, 1 seltzer manufacturer, 1 painter/decorator, alongside 1 brick, tile, and ceramics factory.
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Sabina Horvath
ALIMENTAȚIA TRADIȚIONALĂ CA FENOMEN INTERDISCIPLINAR ÎNTR-UN STUDIU DE SINTEZĂ AL MEDICULUI IOAN CLAUDIAN (1939)
TRADITIONAL NUTRITION AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PHENOMENON IN A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY BY PHYSICIAN IOAN CLAUDIAN (1939)
Published in 1939, Dr. Ioan Claudian’s seminal study, “The Nutrition of the Romanian People in the Context of Anthropogeography and Economic History,” presents itself as a good interdisciplinary synthesis that introduced a macro level vision to the study of dietary habits. Synchronized with the Western academic avant-garde, Ioan Claudian adopted the innovative methodology of the French School of Annals, shifting the scientific focus from elite political events to the long-term, everyday biological reality of the rural masses. Instead of treating nutrition as a purely medical or isolated phenomenon, the author examined it as a total social fact, shaped by geography, historical evolution, and economic structures. He masterfully integrated clinical data, nutritional science, and agriculture with the vast empirical fieldwork accumulated by Dimitrie Gusti’s Bucharest School of Sociology. Through this holistic perspective, the study highlighted the profound connection between the Romanian landscape and the physical condition of its population, providing a comprehensive anatomical diagnosis of rural society. A central point of his macro-analysis was the historical transition of the Romanian peasantry from a varied diet based on millet to an absolute dependence on the monoculture of maize. Ioan Claudian demonstrated how this agricultural shift, driven by past economic pressures, created a severe structural crisis, characterized by chronic protein deficiencies and the widespread prevalence of pellagra. Ultimately, the work remains a landmark of historical anthropology, transforming the simple act of eating into a vital key to decoding the demographic, economic, and social landscape of an entire nation.
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Ioan Goman
DEMERSURI DE AMELIORARE A CULTURII OREZULUI LA NIVELUL JUDEȚULUI BIHOR ÎN SECOLUL XX (1945-1975)
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE RICE CULTIVATION IN BIHOR COUNTY DURING THE 20TH CENTURY (1945–1975)
This paper highlights a series of archival records, bibliographical sources, and contemporary press reports regarding rice cultivation in Bihor County between 1945 and 1975. Primarily localized in the Crișuri Plain (Câmpia Crișurilor), this crop was introduced to exploit the area’s saline soils through the hydrographic potential of the local river network (including the Crișul Negru, Crișul Alb, Teuz, Collector Canal, Culișer Canal, and Morilor Canal). The earliest documentary record identified regarding rice cultivation in this region dates to July 24, 1945, in an official address submitted to the Prefect of Bihor concerning sowing statistics in the Tinca administrative district (plasă). This report notes a rice cultivation area of 1.5 hectares, with an average yield of 600 kg per hectare. The available data indicates that between 1946 and 1955, the crop expanded extensively through the enlargement of cultivated areas and the establishment of new paddy fields. Following this phase, agricultural strategy shifted toward intensive cultivation over smaller surface areas, prioritizing higher yields per hectare. For instance, while the cultivated area exceeded 4,000 hectares between 1950 and 1955—peaking at 4,814 hectares in 1952—with average yields exceeding 20 quintals per hectare (peaking at 27.4 quintals in 1954) and total yields fluctuating between 9,000 and 11,000 metric tons (peaking at 11,456 tons in 1952), these figures declined significantly toward the end of the period. By 1958, the cultivated area had dropped to 2,927 hectares, the total yield stood at 4,655 tons, and in 1959 the average yield fell to 14.5 quintals per hectare. Despite the initially promising results obtained across various localities in the Criș Plain where rice was cultivated with varying degrees of intensity—including Salonta (which became the primary rice production center of Bihor County), Ateaș, Ant, Tămașda, Avram Iancu, Ghiorac, Mădăras, Mărțihaz, Tulca, Sânnicolau Român, Inand, Cefa, Homorog, Tinca, Sâc, Cărand, Tăgădău, Zerind, Șicula, Șepreuș, Gurba, Cintei, Șilindia, Moroda, Zărand, Satu Nou (Arad County), Sâniob, Marghita, among others—sown areas and yield volumes gradually declined, ultimately resulting in the virtually complete cessation of rice cultivation throughout the region today.
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Sorin Sabău
ȚESĂTOAREA MARIA BUN DIN LOCALITATEA ȘICULA (JUDEȚUL ARAD)
THE WEAVER MARIA BUN FROM THE VILLAGE OF ȘICULA (ARAD COUNTY)
The text presents the life and work of the traditional weaver Maria Bun from the village of Șicula, Arad County, one of the most important keepers of the weaving craft in the Țara Zărandului region. Born in 1944, Maria Bun learned weaving as a child from her mother and aunt, at a time when clothing and household textiles were made entirely at home. The article describes in detail the entire traditional weaving process: the cultivation and processing of hemp, soaking, breaking, combing, spinning, warping, and preparing the loom. It also explains complex technical stages such as making
the heddles, threading the warp through the heddles and reed, and the actual weaving process. The craft is presented not only as a practical activity, but also as an essential part of local cultural identity. Maria Bun is appreciated for her skill and experience, as well as for the innovations she introduced. She began creating ornamental motifs directly on the loom rather than embroidering them afterward, while still preserving the traditional patterns specific to Șicula. She works with both cotton and hemp and creates traditional costumes, towels, tablecloths, and other traditional textiles. Over the years, she has made folk costumes for well-known folk music performers and has participated in numerous traditional craft fairs and exhibitions in Arad, Ineu, Oradea, Deva, and Hațeg. In 2021, the Arad Museum Complex produced a documentary film about her work, which later received an award at the ETHNOLOGICA FEST documentary festival in Baia Mare. The conclusion of the article highlights Maria Bun’s importance as a preserver and promoter of Romanian traditional textile heritage, emphasizing the artistic, cultural, and educational value of the craft she practices.
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CONSERVARE – RESTAURARE / CONSERVATION – RESTORATION
Teofil Mureșan
RESTAURAREA ARTEFACTELOR DE METAL DESCOPERITE LA CETATEA PIATRA ȘOIMULUI – PEȘTIȘ
THE RESTORATION OF METAL ARTIFACTS DISCOVERED AT CETATEA PIATRA ȘOIMULUI – PEȘTIȘ
The article is about archaeological metal artefacts and the chemical properties of iron and copper. The conservation process of the artifacts is presented after their arrival in the conservation laboratory.
articol complet / full article
Szilágyi Maria Ildikó
OBIECTE DIN COLECȚIA DE ARTĂ A MUZEULUI ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR ORADEA – COMPLEX MUZEAL PENTRU ORGANIZAREA EXPOZIȚIEI DE BAZĂ A MUZEULUI ORAȘULUI ORADEA DIN CETATE
OBJECTS FROM THE ȚĂRII CRIȘURILOR MUSEUM ORADEA – MUSEUM COMPLEX’S ART COLLECTION FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ORADEA CITY MUSEUM’S PERMANENT EXHIBITION IN THE FORTRESS
Following the opening of the permanent exhibition of the Art Section of the Țării Crișurilor Museum, a new project was initiated, aimed at organizing the permanent exhibition of the Oradea City Museum. After the completion of the modernization works carried out in the exhibition spaces within the Fortress, the process of designing and implementing the permanent exhibitions was undertaken. Subsequent to the compilation of the object portfolio, the state of conservation of each cultural asset selected for display was systematically assessed. For those items exhibiting ongoing deterioration processes, the necessarydocumentation was prepared in order to carry out conservation and restoration interventions. From the art collection, more than 50 objects were selected, including two paintings, as well as pieces made of metal, ceramics, porcelain, glass, textiles, and furniture.