1

COSTUMUL TRADIIONAL N ROMNIA

*
THE TRADITIONAL COSTUME IN ROMANIA

dr. Georgeta Rou

dr. Maria Magiru (Aromnii i colaborare la capitolele Ttarii, Turcii)
(colaborare la capitolul Evreii)
Cuvnt Inainte/Foreward: dr. Ioan Opri
i fototecile
Muzeului rii Criurilor din Oradea, Muzeului Naional al ranului Romn din Bucureti ,
Muzeului Maramureului, Uniunii Croailor din Romnia, Uniunii Cehilor i Slovacilor din
Romnia, Liubomir Stepanov (foto srbi)

Daniel Mihail Constantinescu

Argentina Firu
Hedwig-Maria Formagiu
Cori Simona Ion
Corina Firu, Cori Simona Ion, Daniel Mihail Constantinescu
Corina Firu, Cori Simona Ion
Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naionale a Romniei
Costumul tradiional n Romnia = The traditional costume in
Romania / text: Rou Georgeta, Magiru Maria ; pref.: Opri Ioan ;
foto.: Simionescu Viorel, Ion Cori Simona ; ed.: Firu Corina, Ion
Cori Simona. - Bucureti : Alcor Edimpex, 2010
Bibliogr.
ISBN 978-973-8160-39-2
I. Rou, Georgeta (text)
II. Magiru, Maria (text)
III. Opri, Ioan (pref.)
IV. Ion, Cori Simona (foto.)
V. Simionescu, Viorel (foto.)
VI. Palcu, Ana-Maria (trad.)
VII. Firu, Corina (ed.)
VIII. Ion, Cori Simona (ed.)
39(498)

Harta Romniei: Recepionat ANCPI/25.03.2011

Toate drepturile rezervate / All rights reserved
S.C. ALCOR EDIMPEX S.R.L.
ed_alcor@yahoo.com, www.editura-alcor.ro

COSTUMUL TRADIIONAL N ROMNIA

*
THE TRADITIONAL COSTUME IN ROMANIA

CUVNTUL EDITORULUI

THE EDITORS NOTE

Dup publicarea volumului

editura Alcor Edimpex ofer
cititorilor un nou album, privind costumele tradiionale
de srbtoare ale romnilor i etnicilor care convieuiesc de veacuri pe teritoriul Romniei.
Lucrnd la aceste cri am avut sentimentul unei
miraculoase cltorii de-a lungul istoriei, prin spaiile
locuite de romni i celelalte etnii conlocuitoare, de
apropiere ntre oameni i cunoatere a unor valori
perene, nscute din bucuria creaiei, din prietenie i
solidaritate. Ne-am propus s transmitem aceste valori
i sentimente, care ne definesc n esen viaa, tuturor
celor care doresc s-i cunoasc pe locuitorii Romniei,
indiferent de etnie.
Totodat, considerm c la o analiz atent a
costumelor populare, pe detalii - estur, croi, motive,
cromatic, motive ornamentale -, se pot aduce noi
argumente pentru a evidenia procesul continuu de
care a avut loc n timp, ct i
pentru nelegerea trecutului i prezentului tradiiilor
din ara noastr. O astfel de carte de sintez privind
portul popular pe teritoriul Romniei nu s-a mai scris
n literatura de specialitate.
Cum era i firesc, am apelat pentru nceput la Muzeul
Naional al ranului, din Bucureti, unde doamna dr.
Georgeta Rou, director al Muzeului, a avut bunvoina
de a accepta coordonarea lucrrii i de a prezenta cea
mai mare parte a costumelor.
Trebuie s menionm, de asemenea, c am gsit o
mare disponibilitate la toate conducerile muzeelor din
ar, crora ne-am adresat. Doamna director al
Muzeului de Art Popular Constana, dr. Maria Magiru,
a avut amabilitatea de a ne permite s fotografiem piese
din patrimoniul Muzeului, scriind textul de specialitate
despre costumele aromnilor, turcilor i ttarilor.
Domnul director al Muzeului Maramureului, dr. Mihai
Dncu, a colaborat la elaborarea capitolului despre
evrei, completndu-l cu imagini de arhiv, iar domnul
director dr. Aurel Chiriac, al Muzeului rii Criurilor,
din Oradea, ne-a primit cu ospitalitate, dei muzeul se
afla n renovare, i ne-a pus la dispoziie cteva imagini
din fototeca Muzeului, pentru costumele maghiarilor

After it published the volume The Romanian

Heritage Costume (2008), Alcor Edimpex Publishers
now offers the readers a new album featuring the festive
traditional costumes of Romanians and people
belonging to ethnic groups, who have been living
together on Romanias territory for centuries.
Working at those books, I had the feeling of a
miraculous historical journey across the areas inhabited
by Romanians and people belonging to ethnic groups,
of rapprochement among people and of knowledge of
perennial values, born out of the joy of creation, of
friendship and solidarity. We have aimed to make known
those values and feelings which basically define our life
to those who want to meet the inhabitants of Romania,
irrespective of the ethnic group they belong to.
Moreover, we believe that a thorough analysis of
folk costumes taking into account various details
fabrics, tailoring, motifs, chromatics, decorative designs
can put forth further arguments to back the continued
process of cross
that have occurred
over time, as well as in terms of understanding the past
and present traditions in our country. Such a book of
synthesis about the folk wear on Romanias territory
has not been written in the specialized literature before.
As only natural, in the beginning, we applied to the
National Romanian Peasant Museum in Bucharest,
where dr. Georgeta Rou, director of the Museum,
kindly accepted to coordinate the book and to present
most of the costumes.
We must also point out that all boards of the
museums across the country we had applied to stated
their readiness to assist us. The director of the Folk Art
Museum in Constana, dr. Maria Magiru was kind
enough to allow us to take pictures of pieces in the
Museum patrimony, writing an expert text about
Macedo-Romanians, Turks and Tatars. The director of
the Maramure Museum, dr. Mihai Dncu contributed
to the chapter featuring the Jews, adding archive
pictures and the director of the Museum of the Cri
Land in Oradea, dr. Aurel Chiriac received us with
hospitality, though the Museum was being renovated
and made available to us a few pictures from the

i slovacilor din zon. Doamna dr. Ligia Fulga, director

al Muzeului Etnografic Braov, ne-a vorbit despre
costumul ssesc i ne-a permis fotografierea exponatelor din filiala de la Rupea, iar domnul director
dr. Ionel Cndea, de la Muzeul Etnografic i de Art
Popular Brila, ne-a pus la dispoziie un costum de
arnut albanez, deosebit de valoros, i piese ale unor
costume lipoveneti. Prin amabilitatea autoarelor
primului album menionat mai sus, dr. Doina Ifanoni
i dr. Paula Popoiu, am folosit cteva imagini cu
costume romneti de patrimoniu din Muzeul Naional
al Satului Dimitrie Gusti.
Cu toate acestea, in cazul unor etnii, ne-am aflat n
situaia de a nu avea imagini ale costumelor tradiionale,
fapt ce ar fi fcut textul, i implicit albumul, mult mai
srac. De aceea am apelat la Uniunile etniilor respective
din Romnia, care ne-au sprijinit cu solicitudine. Este
vorba despre Uniunea Armenilor, Uniunea Albanezilor,
Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat din Bucureti, Uniunea
Italienilor, filiala din comuna Greci - Tulcea, Uniunea
Elenilor, filiala din comuna Izvoarele - Tulcea (unde
am gsit piese de mbrcminte vechi de peste un secol)
i Uniunea Elenilor, filiala din Brila. Am solicitat i
am primit imagini de la Uniunea Cehilor i Slovacilor,
din Arad, Uniunea Srbilor, din Timioara i Uniunea
Croailor, din Caraova. De asemenea, am fotografiat
i reproducem n album cteva ansambluri folclorice,
cu permisiunea acestora. Am considerat c, dei
imaginile obinute astfel sunt, cu unele excepii, ale
unor costume contemporane, acestea sunt realizate
dup modelul celor tradiionale i ilustreaz n mod
semnificativ pstrarea tradiiei fiecrei etnii, respectul
pentru stilul de via specific i buna convieuire.
Pentru a prefaa albumul, ne-am adresat domnului
dr. Ioan Opri, care a acceptat cu amabilitate solicitarea
noastr. O versiune de mare acuratee n limba englez
a realizat doamna Ana Maria Palcu, iar domnul Daniel
Mihail Constantinescu a elaborat coperta i ne-a
consiliat n ceea ce privete punerea n pagin a crii.
O meniune special o facem pentru bunvoina
doamnei Hedwig-Maria Formagiu, binecunoscut
specialist n domeniu, de a citi ntreaga carte i de a
face observaii pertinente.
Mulumim cu respect i recunotin tuturor
colaboratorilor numii n aceste rnduri, pentru sprijinul
i deosebita nelegere acordate.

Museum photo archive, for us to illustrate the costumes

of ethnic Hungarians and Slovaks in that area. Dr. Ligia
Fulga, director of the Ethnographic Museum in Braov
told us about the Saxon costume and allowed us to
take pictures of the exhibits in the Rupea branch and
the director of the Ethnographic and Folk Art Museum
in Brila, dr. Ionel Cndea made available to us a
highly valuable costume of an Albanian mercenary and
pieces of Lippovan costumes. The authors of the former
above-mentioned album, dr. Doina Ifnoni and dr.
Paula Popoiu were kind enough to allow us to use
pictures of Romanian heritage costumes of the Dimitrie
Gusti National Village Museum.
Nevertheless, in the case of certain ethnic groups,
we did not have pictures of traditional costumes, which
would have made the text and implicitly the album
much poorer. That is why, we applied to the Unions of
the respective ethnic communities in Romania, which
sympathetically assisted us. I am referring to the Union
of Ethnic Armenians, the Union of Ethnic Albanians,
the State Jewish Theatre in Bucharest, the Union of
Ethnic Italians, the branch from the Greci commune
Tulcea, the Union of Ethnic Greeks, the branch from
the Izvoarele commune Tulcea (where we found over
one century-old garments) and the Union of Ethnic
Greeks, the branch from Brila. We asked for and
received pictures from the Union of Ethnic Czechs and
Slovaks in Arad, the Union of Ethnic Serbs in
Timioara and the Union of Ethnic Croats in Caraova.
Also, we took pictures of a few folk ensembles, which
we have included in the album, with their agreement.
We thought that, although with a few exceptions, there
were pictures of contemporary costumes, they were
made after the model of traditional costumes,
significantly illustrating the conservation of the tradition
of each and every ethnic community, the respect for
its specific life style and the good coexistence.
We asked dr. Ioan Opri to write the Foreword and
he kindly complied with our request. Mrs. Ana Maria
Palcu is the author of an accurate English version of
the book and Mr. Daniel Mihail Constantinescu made
the cover and counselled us as to the page layout of
the book. We would also like to point out that Mrs.
Hedwig-Maria Formagiu, a well-known expert in the
field was kind enough to read the book and make
pertinent observations.
We thank the above-mentioned contributors with
esteem and gratitude for their particular support and
understanding.

CUVNT NAINTE
Drag cititorule, aceast carte este rezultatul unor
cercetri muzeografice desfurate de autori cu mare
vocaie, pentru cunoaterea tezaurului cultural
tradiional. Experiena dobndit n organizarea
expoziiilor i a depozitelor de art, documentarea
sistematic i cunoaterea direct a satelor i a meterilor
populari au permis aceast sintez. Ea este realizat n
spiritul cercetrilor unor reputai specialiti precum
Tancred Bneanu, Gheorghe Foca, Hedwig
Formagiu, Olga Horia, Milcana Pauncev i Gheorghe
Nistoroaia, Elena Secoan, Paul Petrescu, Georgeta
Stoica, Maria Boce, Maria Btc, Cornel Irimie, Roswith
Capesius, Kos Karoly.
Costumul popular tradiional prezentat n carte este
cel pe care l cunoatem de peste dou secole, purtat
ndeobte la srbtori i ocazii festive i influenat doar
n mic msur de tendinele modernitii.
Din orice perspectiv citim costumul tradiional,

nu poate s ne scape legtura sa cu sursele primare de

via i cu ocupaiile ancestrale: agricultura, creterea
animalelor, schimburile comerciale, precum i cu
diferitele meserii practicate de-a lungul timpului de
locuitorii meleagurilor romneti. n acest sens, exist
mrturii valoroase despre portul popular, unele forme i
reprezentri fiind desluite de unii autori ca datnd nc
din neolitic i epoca bronzului.
Mai trziu, cercettorii au identificat pe Columna lui
Traian i pe metopele monumentului triumfal de la
Adamclisi veminte asemntoare cu cele purtate i azi
n zona carpato-danubin. Puine culturi europene pot
s invoce asemenea origini pentru continuitatea lor!
Deseori costumul tradiional a fcut obiectul
admiraiei strinilor, care au sesizat racordul su la
geografia i clima Romniei, caracterul practic i
valoarea sa artistic. Astfel, primii cltori care au venit
n contact cu locuitorii rilor Romne au descris
costumul localnicilor n documente, imagini grafice i
literatur - surse valoroase de cunoatere a trecutului
istoric. Interesul i preocuparea pentru cunoaterea i
conservarea costumului tradiional s-au intensificat
ncepnd cu mijlocul veacului al XIX-lea numit i
secolul naiunilor. Ca urmare, costumul popular a fost
cercetat i din perspectiva identitar, nu doar artistic i
pitoresc.
Costumul tradiional este diferit la sat i la ora, sub
raport economic i social, dup starea material i poziia
social, evident stratificate. n ciuda acestor diferene,
se poate constata o surprinztoare unitate a costumului
tradiional n cadrul fiecrei categorii sociale.

FOREWORD
Dear reader, this book is the outcome of museographic
research conducted by the authors with a great vocation,
for the knowledge of the traditional cultural treasury.
The experience acquired in staging art exhibitions and
laying out art storerooms, the systematic research and
direct knowledge of villages and crafts people have
allowed for this survey to be made. It is made in the
spirit of the research done by such reputed experts as
Tancred Bneanu, Gheorghe Foca, Hedwig
Formagiu, Olga Horia, Milcana Pauncev and Gheorghe
Nistoroaia, Elena Secoan, Paul Petrescu, Georgeta
Stoica, Maria Boca, Maria Btc, Cornel Irimie, Roswith
Capesius, Kos Karoly.
The traditional costume presented in the book is the
one we have known for over two centuries, being worn
particularly on holidays and festive occasions and being
influenced by modern trends only to a small extent.
Regardless of the perspective from which we look upon
the traditional costume, we cannot miss its link with the
primary sources of life and the ancestral occupations:
farming, cattle breeding, trade exchanges, as well as with
various trades practiced by the inhabitants on Romanian
soil over time. In this respect, there are valuable testimonies
about the folk wear, certain authors finding that some
traditional costumes date even from the Neolithic Age and
the Bronze Age. Later on, researchers found garments
similar to the ones worn in the Carpathian-Danube area on
Trajans Column and on the metopes of the triumphal
monument in Adamclisi. Few European cultures can boast
such origins for their continuity!
The traditional costume has often been admired by
foreigners who have noticed its connection with Romanias
geography and climate, its practical character and artistic
value. So, the first travellers who came into contact with
the inhabitants of the Romanian provinces described the
natives costume in documents, pictures and literature
valuable sources of knowledge of the historical past. The
interest in and preoccupation with the knowledge and
conservation of the traditional costume gained ground
starting with the mid-19th century, also called the nations
century. Consequently, the folk costume has also been
studied from the identity perspective, not just the artistic
and picturesque one.
The traditional costume is different in villages and towns,
from an economic and social viewpoint, according to the
wearers material condition and social status, which are
obviously stratified. Despite those differences, one can note
a surprising unity of the traditional costume within each
social category.

nelegem costumul tradiional ca rezultat al

, iniial fiind confecionat n mod
exclusiv n gospodria rneasc. Lucrtura n cas s-a
bazat pe resursele primare: ln, cnep, in i abia trziu
pe mtase i bumbac. Coloranii folosii tradiional erau
de origine natural. Armonia ntregului, proporia
componentelor i un desvrit echilibru cromatic al
pieselor le fac cu att mai valoroase.
Firete c existau i meteugari specializai croitori,
cojocari, abagii, gitnari dar acetia erau puini la
numr, lucrnd de regul n trguri i orae. De ei au
fost legai trgoveii i orenii, identificai frecvent sub
raport etnic, n anumite zone, ca maghiari, sai, vabi,
evrei etc.
ncepnd cu veacul al XVIII-lea, dinamica noilor
veminte arat o implacabil modernizare a societii
romneti. Aceast schimbare este evident i n
costumaia personajelor din pictura bisericilor de sat
cele ale monenilor din Oltenia (la Vioreti ori la Urani),
din cuprinsul Maramureului.1 Trgoveii, boiernaii,
ranii nstrii au preluat n mod eclectic modelul de a
se mbrca al celor de sus, dar i-au confecionat costume din materiale modeste, asamblate cu gust.
Pe msura ptrunderii capitalismului, modernizarea
societii a ajuns i n comunitile steti i a influenat
vestimentaia, fcnd loc unor detalii de sorginte
occidental n dauna celor orientale.2
Tipologic vorbind, costumul tradiional prezint - prin
form, modele, tehnici i ornamentaie - toate elementele
reprezentative pentru diferitele etnii care triesc n
Romnia. Lucrarea prezint costumul tradiional prin
ansambluri care aparin muzeelor sau unor uniuni etnice,
cele mai multe piese provenind din colecii vechi,
existente la nceputul secolului al XX-lea.
Costumul tradiional difer dup zona geografic i
apartenena la grupul etnic. Menionm c n Romnia
contemporan toate comunitile etnice sunt organizate
n cte o Lig sau Uniune, fiecare dintre acestea fiind
reprezentate n Parlamentul rii. Prin Constituie, toi
etnicii au dreptul de a-i pstra confesiunea religioas,
de a-i organiza nvmnt n limba matern n
localitile n care sunt majoritari, de a avea publicaii n
limba proprie, de a-i pstra tradiiile, obiceiurile i de a
purta costumul propriu la srbtori.
Importana costumului popular a fost intuit de
nvatul Alexandru Odobescu, care, n 1875, a sprijinit
decizia ministerial luat de Titu Maiorescu, de a
1

The traditional costume is a result of the

being initially made exclusively in the peasant
household. The home-made costume was based on
primary resources: wool, hemp, flax and only later, on silk
and cotton. The traditional dyes were natural. The harmony
of the outfit, the proportion of the component parts and an
exquisite chromatic balance of the garments make them
all the more valuable.
Of course, there were also specialized crafts people
tailors, furriers, drapers, braid makers but they were quite
few, working as a rule in small and big towns. Townsfolk
were linked to them, frequently identified from an ethnic
point of view in certain areas as Hungarians, Transylvanian
Saxons, Swabians, Jews, etc.
Starting with the 18th century, the dynamics of the new
clothing indicates the relentless modernization of the
Romanian society. That change is also evident in the
characters costumes in the village church painting those
of freeholders in Oltenia (in Vioreti or Urani), in
Maramure1 . Townsfolk, country squires, well-off peasants
eclectically took over the clothing model of the upper
classes, but they had costumes made of cheap materials,
yet tailored in good taste.
With the penetration of capitalism, the modernization
of society also reached the village communities and
influenced the clothing, making room for Western details
to the detriment of the Oriental ones2 .
Typologically speaking, through its shape, models,
techniques and decorative design, the traditional costume
has all elements representative for various ethnic groups
living in Romania. This work features the traditional
costume through outfits belonging to museums or ethnic
unions, most garments coming from old collections of the
early 20th century.
The traditional costume is different according to the
ethnographic zone and the membership of the ethnic group.
Let us point out that in contemporary Romania all ethnic
communities are organized within a League or Union, each
of them being represented in the countrys Parliament.
According to the Constitution, people belonging to all
ethnic groups have the right to keep their religion, to
organize their tuition in their mother tongue in the localities
where they are the majority, to have periodicals in their
own language, to preserve their traditions and customs
and to wear their own costume on holidays.
The importance of the folk costume was intuited by
scholar Alexandru Odobescu, who in 1875 backed the

Vezi, cu detalii, la Rzvan Theodorescu, Despre prima modernitate a romnilor

Les

anciennes communautes villageoises roumains. Asservissement et pnetration capitaliste

individualiza o secie special a porturilor naionale

n cadrul Muzeului de Antichiti. 3 Ca urmare,
costumului popular tradiional i-a fost confirmat
valoarea i printr-un act juridic. Totodat, el a primit
susinerea unei elite care era la curent cu tendina
european de conservare i expunere a mrturiilor
culturii i civilizaiei rneti.
Dup numeroase participri cu piese etnografice i
de art la expoziiile regionale i la cele europene,
Romnia a fost reprezentat la
, exclusiv prin costume tradiionale.
Cu aceast ocazie patrimoniul etnografic a devenit o
categorie de specializare deosebit de important.
Arheologia costumar, prefigurat odat cu aceast
expoziie, a provocat mediile colecionarilor i ale
muzeografilor din epoc.
Interesul pentru costumul popular, al reginei Elisabeta
(Carmen Sylva), ca i al principesei Maria, dar i al unor
intelectuali sai i maghiari, a condus la recuperarea
portului tradiional concomitent cu sporirea ateniei fa
de creatorii i purttorii si, ndeobte ranii.
Elita feminin a dat aadar un semnal cultural,
doamnele purtnd costumul rnesc i ca un semn al
romnizrii. n Transilvania i Banat, identitatea etnic
a fost marcat astfel i de sai, secui, unguri i vabi,
fapt ce a artat preuirea i preocuparea mediilor artistice
i literare pentru viaa satului i a locuitorilor si.
Coleciile de costume i esturi populare au oferit
cercettorilor posibilitatea de a revizui anumite
prejudeci, atitudini i concepii elitiste, fa de calitile
native ale rnimii. Astfel,
i
imortalizai
4
de penelul grigorescian sau de literatura semntorist
n manier romantic, au putut fi apreciai direct, nu doar
ca lucrtori ai satului, ci i ca talente native i creatori de
art popular.
Asemenea convingeri au fost confirmate odat cu
deschiderea impresionantului muzeu al ASTREI i cu
trnosirea, la 29 aprilie 1905, a catedralei mitropolitane
din Sibiu. Cu acea ocazie, a fost expus public valoroasa
colecie a lui Dimitrie Coma (450 esturi i custuri,
260 de costume populare ntregi), prezentndu-se
totodat i
realizat de acesta spre uluirea
intelectualitii vremii. 5 La 2 august 1905, Ella Em.
Savopol, artist binecunoscut, a propus Ministerului
Cultelor i Instruciunii Publice o galerie retrospectiv
a portului femeiesc din rile romneti ncepnd cu
secolul al XIV-lea i pn n zilele noastre.6

ASTRA 1861-1950. 125 de ani de la nfiinare

ministerial decision made by Titu Maiorescu to set up a

special section of folk wear within the Museum of
Antiques3. As a result, the value of the traditional costume
was confirmed by a legal document too. Moreover, it was
backed by an elite that was familiar with the European
tendency of preserving and displaying the testimonies of
peasant culture and civilization.
After having participated with ethnographic and art
items in regional and European exhibitions, Romania was
represented exclusively by traditional costumes at the
(1897). On that occasion,
the ethnographic heritage became a highly important
specialized category. The costume archaeology
foreshadowed by that exhibition challenged the collectors
and museographers of the time.
The interest taken in the folk costume by Queen
Elisabeth (Carmen Sylva), and by princess Marie as well
as by some Saxon and Hungarian intellectuals brought
back to the fore the traditional wear while increasing
attention started to be paid to its creators and wearers,
particularly the peasants.
The female elite thus gave a cultural signal, ladies putting
on and wearing the peasant costume also as a sign of
Romanian identity. In Transylvania and Banat, the ethnic
identity was marked in this way also by Saxons, Szecklers,
Hungarians and Swabians, which showed the appreciation
for and preoccupation of the artistic and literary milieux
with the life of the village and its residents.
The collections of folk costumes and textiles gave the
researchers the possibility of reconsidering certain
prejudices, elitist attitudes and concepts with regard to the
peasants native qualities. So,
and
immortalized by Grigorescus brush or by
literature under the influence of semanatorism4 in a
romantic manner could be appreciated directly not only as
rural workers but also as native talents and folk art creators.
Such beliefs were confirmed with the opening of the
impressive ASTRA Museum and the consecration of the
th
metropolitan cathedral in Sibiu on April 29 1905. On that
occasion, the valuable collection of Dimitrie Coma was
exhibited (450 textiles and pieces of needlework, 260
complete folk costumes),
which the latter
made to the amazement of the intellectualls of the time
being also presented5 . On August 2nd 1905, Ella Em.
Savopol, a well-known artist, proposed to the Ministry of
Religious Denominations and Public Education a
retrospective gallery of the female wear in the Romanian

n 1906, cu ocazia
organizat
n Bucureti, n Parcul Carol I - manifestare
excepional la care au participat romni i strinii venii
n mare numr, att din regat ct i din afara lui -, au fost
apreciate realizrile dobndite de romni sub domnia
de patru decenii prosper i glorioas a regelui Carol
I. 7 Atunci, n Palatul Artelor i la Arenele Romane,
precum i la defilrile de pe strzile capitalei, cu
conducturi etnografice impresionante, costumul
tradiional a fcut senzaie. Participarea masiv la acest
eveniment a colilor, parohiilor, a primriilor, instituiilor
i comunitilor romneti din toate provinciile istorice
a oferit prima ocazie de a fi ntrunite dovezile etnografice
ale unei societi unite.
Expoziia din 1906 a stimulat n mod radical prezervarea costumului autentic, comisarul general Dr. C. Istrati
publicnd dup nchiderea ei un
(1907), cu sugestii i propuneri pentru valorificarea
tezaurului popular. Acesta a fost completat de arhitectul
George Sterian, autor al lucrrii
(Institutul de Arte Grafice Carol Gbl, Bucureti, 1907),
lucrare de lucid analiz asupra strii muzeografiei
romneti.
n urma expoziiei, cu numeroasele obiecte trimise
aici, s-a ntemeiat
(azi Muzeul Naional al
ranului Romn), ocazie cu care Al. Tzigara Samurca
cerea
.8
Dup Primul Rzboi Mondial societatea romneasc
a fost confruntat cu un amplu proces de modernizare,
care a avut ca efect mutaii radicale n raportul sat-ora.
Schimbrile n plan economic s-au datorat ndeosebi
capitalului, care a transformat structural societatea
arhaic, impunnd industrializarea i modernizarea
infrastructurii odat cu civilizaia urban. Dup reforma
agrar (1921), care a determinat schimbri economice
i sociale n statutul, rolul i starea rnimii, aceast nou
i corect atitudine fa de portul popular s-a manifestat
i la nivel instituional.
Societatea etnografic romn, coala istoric i cea
sociologic au dezvoltat strategii i programe ce aveau
ca obiectiv satul, rnimea i evoluia acestora spre
modernitate. Intelectuali grupai n jurul unor savani de
renume ca Nicolae Iorga, Simion Mehedini, George
Vlsan, Dimitrie Gusti, Tache Papahagi, Romulus Vuia,
Grigore Antipa .a. au atras atenia asupra
excepionalelor transformri ce aveau loc n viaa satului,

th

Provinces starting with the 14 century to date6 . In 1906,

on the occasion of
staged in the
st
Carol 1 Park in Bucharest, an exceptional event attended
by a large number of Romanians and foreigners coming
both from the kingdom and outside it, the achievements
obtained by Romanians under the 40 year-long prosperous
st
and glorious reign of King Carol 1 7 were appreciated.
Then, in the Arts Palace and at the Roman Arenas, as well
as at the parades of impressive ethnographic outfits in the
streets of the capital, the traditional costume caused a stir.
The large participation in that event of Romanian schools,
parishes, town halls, institutions and communities from all
historical provinces was the first occasion for the
ethnographic proofs of a united society to be brought
together.
The 1906 exhibition radically stimulated the
preservation of the authentic costume; after the exhibition
was closed, Dr. C. Istrati, who was in charge of the park
lay out, published a
(1907)
including suggestions and proposals to make best use of
the folk treasury. The latter was completed by architect
George Sterian, author of the work
(The
Carol Gbl Institute of Graphic Arts, Bucharest, 1907), a
lucid analysis of Romanian museography.
After the exhibition, the
(the presentday Romanian Peasant Museum) was set up with the
numerous items sent there. On that occasion, Al. Tzigara
Samurca asked that
After World War I, the Romanian society was confronted
with a large-scale modernization process, which triggered
sweeping mutations in the village-town relationship. The
economic changes were due particularly to the capital,
which structurally transformed the archaic society,
imposing industrialization and the upgrading of
infrastructure with the penetration of urban civilization.
After the land reform (1921), which sparked economic
and social changes in the status, role and condition of the
peasantry, that new and correct attitude towards the folk
wear was manifest institutionally too.
The Romanian Ethnographic Society, the historical
school and the sociological one developed strategies and
programmes whose goal were the village, the peasantry
and their evolution towards modernity. Intellectuals rallying
around such renowned scientists as Nicolae Iorga, Simion
Mehedini, George Vlsan, Dimitrie Gusti, Tache Papahagi,
Romulus Vuia, Grigore Antipa and so on drew attention
Un parc centenar. Parcul Carol I

n cultura i creaia popular. Portul tradiional mai era

nc purtat de o covritoare parte a populaiei Romniei,
fenomen care marca n mod definitoriu identitatea
comunitilor steti i a indivizilor.
n expoziiile postbelice, costumul i are locul su
privilegiat: la
(Parcul Carol, 11 septembrie - 2 octombrie 1921),
panoul central cuprindea portretul
a lui
Grigorescu, anturat de o suit de costume populare
purtate de rani n Istria, Macedonia, Banatul srbesc i
chiar n SUA!
La
de la Monza-Italia (mai 1923), George Murnu a
cerut ca din pavilionul romnesc s nu lipseasc scoarele
i costumele istorice.
Prezena costumelor n pictur, sculptur i grafic,
la toate expoziiile universale din perioada interbelic
bineneles i la cea de la New York, din 1939 ca i n
ocaziile oficiale a devenit o regul, cu att mai mult cu
ct Regina Maria i familia regal le purtau cu mndrie.
Coleciile importante le numim pe cele iniiate de
Lucia, Minerva i Hortensia Cosma, Ana Lahovary,
Andrei Orosz, Florica Berindei, Sabina Cantacuzino,
Eliza Brtianu, Aglae Istrati, Maria Ghibu .a.
deveniser repere pentru creatorii de art popular. n
toate liceele din ar, asemenea colecii au constituit
obiective ale procesului educativ, iar la serbrile publice
existau prezentri ale costumului tradiional. ncepnd
cu mandatul lui Octavian Goga (1919) i n cele repetate
ale lui Alexandru Lapedatu, Ministerul Cultelor i Artelor
a acordat sume importante pentru achiziionarea de
colecii i piese de port popular romnesc i ale diferitelor
etnii, pentru muzeele din toate provinciile istorice. n
acest context, elita rural a cutat s salveze i s
tezaurizeze ceea comunitatea steasc avea mai durabil
i semnificativ. Echipe interdisciplinare, coordonate de
profesorul Dimitrie Gusti, au constituit i dezvoltat
valoroase colecii de port popular, n urma cercetrilor
de teren.
Ca urmare a interesului manifestat fa de cultura
popular, au aprut lucrri de referin n domeniu,
semnate de Nicolae Iorga (
),
Olga Greceanu, George Oprescu (
), Elisa Brtianu (
) .a.
Artiti valoroi C. Baba, I. Jalea, I. Iser, D. Ghia,
Tr. Biliu Dncu, Vida Geza, Nagy Imre .a. au ilustrat
n opera lor costumul popular.
Dup cel de al Doilea Rzboi Mondial transformarea
satului a ieit din matca unei evoluii fireti. Odat cu
modelul strin, sovietic, comunismul a instituit un nou
regim al proprietii asupra pmntului, colectivizarea
forat i educaia ateist. Aceste schimbri au avut efecte

10

to the exceptional changes taking place in the village life,

in the folk culture and creation. The traditional wear was
still worn by a large part of Romanias population, a
phenomenon which marked the identity of the village
communities and people in a defining way.
The costume holds a privileged place in the post-war
exhibitions: at the
(The Carol Park, September 11th- October 2nd 1921), the
central panel featured Grigorescus portrait
, surrounded by a string of folk costumes worn by
peasants in Istria, Macedonia, the Serb Banat and even in
the USA!
At the
in Monza Italy (May 1923), George
Murnu demanded that carpets and historical costumes be
also displayed at the Romanian pavilion.
The presence of costumes in painting, sculpture and
graphic art, at all world exhibitions in the inter-war period
of course at the New York exhibition of 1939 too as
well as on formal occasions became a rule, all the more so
as Queen Marie and the royal family were proud to wear
them.
The important collections those initiated by Lucia,
Minerva and Hortensia Cosma, Ana Lahovary, Andrei
Orosz, Florica Berindei, Sabina Cantacuzino, Eliza
Brtianu, Aglae Istrati, Maria Ghibu and so on had
become landmarks for folk art creators. In all high schools
in the country, such collections were the target of the
educational process and at public festivals there were
presentations of the traditional costume. Starting with the
mandate of Octavian Goga (1919) and with the recurrent
ones of Alexandru Lapedatu, the Ministry of Religious
Denominations and the Arts spent large sums of money
on the purchase of folk wear collections and garments of
Romanians and of various ethnic groups for museums in
all historical provinces. In this context, the rural elite tried
to save and amass all lasting and significant artefacts that
the village community had. Interdisciplinary teams
coordinated by professor Dimitrie Gusti put together and
developed valuable folk wear collections in the wake of
field research.
As a result of the interest taken in folk culture, reference
works in the field came out, signed by Nicolae Iorga (
, Olga Greceanu, George
Oprescu (
), Eliza Brtianu
(
), etc.
Outstanding artists C. Baba, I. Jalea, I. Iser, D. Ghia,
Tr. Biliu Dncu, Vida Geza, Nagy Imre and so on
illustrated the folk costume in their works.
After World War II, the transformation of the village
was no longer subject to a natural evolution. After the Soviet
model, communism put in place a new regime of land

dezastruoase pentru viaa tradiional. Ca urmare, a avut

de suferit i costumul popular, care i-a pierdut poziia
i rangul de reprezentare n comunitile rurale. Portul
popular a rmas doar apanajul unor grupuri
conservatoare, mai ales al locuitorilor din aezrile de
deal i munte n Maramure, Bucovina, Oa, Munii
Apuseni, nordul Olteniei i Banatul montan , acolo
unde colectivizarea i industrializarea forat nu au reuit
s ptrund.
Portul popular a continuat s fie meninut i promovat
prin cooperaia meteugreasc i preferat n serbrile
colare, la concursuri i festivaluri, iar din anii 60 prin
televiziune. Fenomenul
i-a adus
uneori servicii, dar i deformri stilistice, interpretri
neprofesioniste i greeli vdite, care i-au alterat
autenticitatea.
Treptat costumul tradiional i-a pierdut poziia ntro competiie inegal a uniformizrii vestimentare,
accentuat de curente, mode i gusturi, care au schimbat
mentalitile oamenilor. Doar muzeele au reuit n
ultimele decenii s salveze o parte important din
tezaurul costumului tradiional, punndu-l la adpost
pentru conservarea memoriei istorice, ca mrturie a unei
arte excepionale.
Lucrarea de fa este remarcabil prin efortul asumat
de autori, de a restitui caracteristicile specifice diferitelor
costume. Fiecare grup etnic are parte de o corect
prezentare n principalele momente de via, cnd se
folosete costumul tradiional. Sigur c n acest demers
pot fi identificate diferene de fond i de detaliu ,
preferinele fiecrui grup pentru anumite forme,
materiale, culoare, croi. De asemenea, se fac remarcate
multe influene i mprumuturi, n ceea ce privete
similitudinile ntre diferite componente ale costumului
popular romnesc i ale altor etnii.
Convieuirea romnilor cu celelalte minoriti, de-a
lungul timpului, a fost nsoit de un proces firesc de
interculturalitate. Creatorii populari au mprumutat unii
de la alii tipuri de croi, cromatic, broderie, motive i
simboluri de ornamentaie a costumelor. n acelai timp,
ei au pstrat caracteristicile tradiionale ale propriului
costum: specificitatea, originalitatea i autenticitatea.
Plecnd de la suita de piese reprezentative cu care
este ilustrat lucrarea, cei interesai pot gsi noi
argumente pentru corecta evaluare a splendidului port
tradiional sau pentru diferite forme de valorificare
cultural.
Drag cititorule, cartea de fa reprezint un dar
preios pe care ni-l fac autorii, privind bogia culturii
populare strvechi, exprimat n portul popular din
Romnia.
Dr. Ioan Opri

ownership, forced collectivization and atheistic education.

Those changes had a disastrous impact on traditional life.
They also had a negative effect on the folk costume, which
lost its position as a landmark in the rural communities
The folk wear remained only the appanage of conservative
groups, mainly of inhabitants in the hilly and mountainous
localities in Maramure, Bukovina, Oa, the Apuseni
Mountains, Northern Oltenia and the mountainous Banat
- , where forced collectivization and industrialization had
not been carried out.
The folk wear continued to be maintained and promoted
through the handicraft cooperative system, being preferred
at school feasts, competitions and festivals and in the
1960s, on TV. Sometimes, the
phenomenon proved beneficial to it, but it also brought
about stylistic distortions, unprofessional interpretations and
obvious mistakes, which altered its authentic character.
The traditional costume gradually lost its position in an
unequal competition of clothing standardization, enhanced
by trends, fashions and tastes, which changed peoples
mentalities. In the last few decades, only museums have
managed to save an important part of the traditional costume
treasury, placing it in safety for the conservation of historical
memory, as a testimony of an exceptional art.
This work is remarkable through the effort assumed by
the authors to restore the characteristics of various costumes.
A correct presentation of each ethnic group is made in the
main moments of life when the traditional costume is used.
Certainly, one can identify differences in this undertaking
fundamental and detail-related ones the preferences of
each group for certain forms, materials, colours, tailoring.
One can also note a lot of influences and borrowing in
terms of similarities between various components of the
folk costume of Romanians and the ethnic groups.
The Romanians coexistence with the minorities over
time has been accompanied by a natural process of
interculturalism. Folk artists have borrowed from one
another types of tailoring, chromatics, embroidery, motifs
and symbols of decorating costumes. Moreover, they have
preserved the traditional characteristics of their own
costume: specificity, originality and authenticity.
Starting from the series of representative garments
illustrating the work, those concerned can find new
arguments for the correct evaluation of the splendid
traditional wear or for various forms of cultural
capitalization.
Dear reader, this book is a precious gift which the
authors give us regarding the wealth of the old folk culture
featured by the folk wear in Romania.
Dr. Ioan Opri

11

Mrturiile arheologice atest c teritoriul actual al

Romniei a fost locuit nentrerupt din paleolitic pn n
prezent. Cu mai bine de dou mii de ani din urm, erau
cunoscui ca locuitori ai acestui pmnt daco-geii, care
au ntemeiat un stat condus de regele Burebista. Ca
urmare a politicii sale dinamice, acesta era considerat de
Strabon c ajunsese s fie temut i de romani.
Istoria consemneaz un alt mare rege, Decebal, care a
consolidat statul dac i a purtat stindardul cu cap de lup al
dacilor n rzboaiele daco-romane din anii 101-102 i 105106, rzboaie ce au marcat antichitatea. Monumentul ridicat
de mpratul Traian la Roma este mrturia cea mai
important a vitejiei locuitorilor din inuturile Romniei de
azi. Pe coloan sunt cioplite nu numai chipuri de daci n
atitudini de lupt i arme, dar este nfiat i portul
populaiei locale. Bluzele femeilor dace sunt la fel cu iile
rncilor romnce, iar cmile i iarii brbailor sunt
asemntoare cu cele purtate i astzi la ar.
Se susine c n anii de sub ocupaia Imperiului
Roman (106-275), n sudul rii a nceput cretinarea
populaiei,
1
primele predici
fiind inute
chiar de ctre
Apostolul
Andrei.
n
izvoarele
scrise
sunt
menionai
muli martiri i
clerici locali
care s-au jertfit
pentru credina
ntru Hristos.
Au urmat
secolele grele
n care aceste
pmnturi au

12

Archaelogical finds testify that the present-day

territory of Romania has been inhabited uninterruptedly
from the Paleolithic Age to date.
More than two thousand years ago, the GetaeDacians were the inhabitants of this land, who founded
a state led by King Burebista. As a result of his dynamic
policy, Strabo wrote that he ended up by being feared
by the Romans too.
History mentions another great king, Decebalus,
who consolidated the Dacian state and carried the
Dacian flag with the wolf head in the Dacian-Roman
wars of 101-102 and 105-106, wars that marked the
ancient times. The monument raised by Emperor
Trajan in Rome is the most important testimony to the
bravery of the inhabitants on the places of todays
Romania. Scenes on the column feature not only
Dacians in combat positions and their weapons, but
also the folk wear of the local population. The Dacian
womens blouses are the same as the ii1 of Romanian
women peasants and the mens shirts and iari2 are
similar to the ones worn in the countryside today too.
They say that the Christianization of the population
started in the South of the country during the
occupation of the Roman Empire (106-275), the first
sermons being preached by Apostle Andrew himself.
Written sources mention many local martyrs and clerics
who sacrificed themselves for their faith in Jesus Christ.
There followed hard years when these lands were
invaded by migratory tribes: the Goths around the year
300, the Huns and the Visigoths in 376, the Slavs in
the 6th century, the Avars in 576, the Bulgarians in the
7th century, the Petchenegs in 890, the Hungarians in
the 9 th-12th centuries, the Cumans in the 11 th century,
the Tatars, starting with 1241. Some of them moved
on, others settled in some of the Dacian territories, but
most of them merged with the locals, disappearing from
history.
The Romanian traditional communities were well-

fost invadate de migratori: goii n jurul anului 300, hunii

i vizigoii prin 376, slavii n secolul VI, avarii n 576,
bulgarii n secolul VII, pecenegii pe la 890, ungurii n
secolele IX-XII, cumanii n secolul XI, ttarii ncepnd
cu 1241. Unii dintre acetia au plecat mai departe, alii s-au
aezat ocupnd pri din teritoriile dace, dar cei mai muli
au disprut din istorie integrndu-se printre localnici.
Comunitile tradiionale romneti au fost structuri
bine nchegate, care funcionau pe baza unor reguli clar
stabilite, ansamblul de norme i obiceiuri reprezentnd
esena identitii lor etnice. Limba romn, unitar n toate
inuturile locuite de romni, dovedete vechimea i
vigoarea unui popor greu ncercat de istorie, care a rezistat
prin timp. Limba, miturile, tradiiile, obiceiurile i portul
arat unitatea de cultur a romnilor.
Conform recensmntului din 2002, numrul romnilor
este este de 19399597 (89,5% din populaia rii).
Obiceiurile de munc practicate n satul romnesc
tradiional sunt prezente nc n satul contemporan,
ndeosebi cele legate de creterea oilor alctuirea turmei,
plecarea n transhuman sau la stn i ntoarcerea n
sat. Sensul iniial al acestor obiceiuri era unul economic
i normativ asocierea cresctorilor de oi asigurndu-le
acestora anumite drepturi. Momentele plecrii i ntoarcerii
oierilor erau marcate de petreceri la care participa ntreaga
comunitate. Se preparau mncruri tradiionale, dintre care
nu lipsea balmoul - mmliga fiart n lapte i unt sau mieii fripi la proap. Srbtoarea, numit i
, i pstreaz i azi funcia social, dar i pe cea
magic, diversitatea bucatelor pregtite invocnd viitoarea
abunden a produselor pastorale (miei, lapte, brnz,
carne, ln).
Rmnnd n continuare n domeniul vieii pastorale
amintim
, forme de petrecere cmpeneasc
popular, pomenite n documente nc din anul 1373
(cnd s-a consemnat muntele Nedeii). La aceste nedei
se adunau locuitorii de pe versanii Carpailor, prilej cu
care se realizau schimburi economice i culturale, iar
tinerii pstori puteau s cunoasc fete pentru a se cstori.
n timpul petrecerii oamenii luau contact cu portul,
obiceiurile i cntecele celor de peste munte, ceea ce a
asigurat pn astzi, cnd satele i in nc srbtorile
lor, conservarea unitii economice, culturale i etnice a
poporului romn.
Legat de ocupaiile pastorale, unul dintre obiceiurile
foarte vechi, care se pstraz i astzi n Carpaii
Meridionali este
, ce cunoate o
diversitate de manifestri de la o zon la alta a rii.
Aprut iniial ca form de organizare a oierilor, cu funcii
precise de iniiere a tinerilor, aprare, disciplinare i de
jude, aceasta a cptat n timp caracteristicile unei

defined
structures
functioning
according to
c l e a r l y
established
rules,
the
package of
norms and
customs
representing
the essence
of
their
e t h n i c
identity.
T h e
Romanian
language,
which was
2
unitary in all
Romanian-inhabited lands, proves the old age and
vigour of a nation hard tried by history, that has resisted
over time. The language, myths, customs and folk wear
point to the Romanians cultural unity.
According to the 2002 census, there are 19,399,597
Romanians (89,5%).
The labour customs practiced in the Romanian
traditional village are still present in the contemporary
village, mainly those related to sheep breeding, flock
formation, the moving of flocks to alpine pastures or
to the sheepfold and their return to the village. The
initial meaning of those customs was an economic and
normative one the association of sheep breeders,
which provided them with certain rights. The
shepherds departure and return were marked by parties
in which the entire community participated. Traditional
dishes were prepared, always including balmoul
polenta boiled in milk and butter- or spitted lamb. The
festival called
keeps its social function
even today, as well as the magical one, the diversity of
the food cooked invoking the future abundance of
pastoral products (lambs, milk, cheese, meat, wool).
Hanging on to pastoral life, let us mention
,
pastoral festivals documented as early as 1373 (when
Nedeia Mount was mentioned). The
would
rally inhabitants from the slopes of the Carpathian
Mountains, an occasion for economic and cultural
exchanges and for young shepherds to meet eligible
girls. During the party, people got to know the folk
wear, customs and songs of the mountain people, which
has ensured the conservation of the Romanian peoples

13

organizaii militare populare.

Astzi srbtoarea se manifest mai ales ca parad
clare a costumelor populare. Cea mai cunoscut este
cea a
(foto 2), activ n preajma Bunei
Vestiri, a Floriilor i a Patilor. Costumul tradiional era format dintr-o cma alb pn deasupra genunchilor, fr
guler, cu mnecile lungi i largi. Junii purtau cioareci albi
strni pe picior i erau nclai cu opinci sau cisme. La
bru aveau erpare late, ghintuite, n care ineau pistoale.
Pe cap purtau plrii cu borul larg i calota rotund. Pe
timp friguros mbrcau sarici i sumane.
Printre obiceiurile de peste an, de asemenea foarte
vechi,
(foto 1) este semnificativ i
deosebit de spectaculos. Juctorii (n numr de 7, 9 sau
11) se adunau i jucau ntre nlare i Rusalii, dansul lor
avnd funcia magic de a-i nsntoi pe cei bolnavi, a
alunga bolile i a-i proteja pe oameni de forele malefice.
Costumai cu plrii negre cu borurile late, cmi albe i
cioareci pe picior, tivii cu iret negru sau albastru, ei purtau
n talie un bru lat cu ciucuri iar n picioare opinci legate
cu nojie.
Deosebit de variate, dar foarte importante pentru
simbolistica lor sunt obiceiurile legate de ciclul vieii
,
,
(foto 3) i
, momente
n care individul se afl n centrul ateniei ntregii
comuniti, n cadrul unor ritualuri specifice.
n marea lor majoritate cretini-ortodoci, romnii
prznuiesc cu deosebit credin
i
.
Srbtoarea
, 25 decembrie, semnific
naterea lui Iisus, fiind n primul rnd o srbtoare a familiei.
Credincioii in post cu ase sptmni nainte, casa este
curat, se taie porci iar gospodinele pregtesc mncruri
tradiionale: crnai i caltaboi, tob i lebrvurst, colaci i
cozonaci. Cete de colindtori trec din cas n cas, urnd
gospodarilor sntate i belug i rostind un repertoriu
impresionant de cntece nchinate naterii lui Iisus.

14

economic, cultural and ethnic unity up to now, when

the village festivals are held.
Related to pastoral occupations, one of the very old
customs, still preserved in the Southern Carpathians
today is the
including a diverse
range of events from one zone of the country to
another. Initially conceived as a form of the shepherds
organization, with precise functions of initiation of
young men, defense, accustoming to discipline and
judgment, over time, it has acquired the characteristics
of a peoples military organization. Today, the festival
is mainly a parade of young men on horseback dressed
in folk costumes. The best-known is the festival of the
(photo 2), held prior to
Annunciation, Palm Sunday and Easter. The traditional
costume was made up of a white longer than knee
length shirt, without a collar, with long and large
sleeves. They would wear white cioareci 3 tight on
the legs and would put on opinci 4 or high boots.
They were girdled with broad, studded money belts,
in which they kept their pistols. As headdress, they
would wear hats with broad brims and a round calotte.
In winter, they would put on sarici5 and sumane6 .
Of the customs practiced over the year, the
(photo 1), which is also very old, is significant
and quite spectacular. Dancers (7, 9 or 11) would get
together and dance between Ascension and
Whitsuntide, their dance having the magical function
of curing the sick, warding off diseases and protecting
people against evil forces. Wearing black broadbrimmed hats, white shirts and cioareci tight on the
legs, hemstitched with black or blue string, they were
girdled with a broad belt with tassels and they had
opinci with laces tied around their feet.
The customs linked to the cycle of life
(photo 3)
, are quite
varied and very important for their symbols, as
moments when a person is in the centre of the entire
community, as part of specific rituals.
Being predominantly Orthodox Christians, the
Romanians celebrate
and
with a great
faith.
Christmas Day, December 25 th, signifies Jesus
Christs birth, being primarily a family holiday.
Believers fast for six weeks before Christmas, the house
is cleaned, pigs are killed and housewives prepare
traditional dishes: sausages and black pudding, thick
sausages and liver sausages, knot-shaped bread and
pound cakes. Groups of carolers go from house to
house, wishing the masters of the houses good health
and abundance and singing an impressive repertoire

Zilele sfinte de Crciun sunt urmate de srbtorile

cnd grupuri de copii i tineri umbl pe la
gospodari cu
(foto 5) i cu
(foto 4), pentru
a le ura ca anul s fie panic i roditor.
Odat cu venirea primverii, credincioii se pregtesc
pentru Pati, srbtoare cu dat mobil, care cade
ntotdeauna ntr-o zi de duminic n care este lun plin.
Patii reprezint esena credinei ortodoxe: Iisus s-a
jertfit pentru mntuirea oamenilor, iar nvierea Lui ne d
sperana n propria noastr nviere spiritual. Pentru a
sublinia importana i solemnitatea momentului,
credincioii merg la slujba de Inviere i i aprind
lumnrile la miezul nopii, de la preoi. Aceast lumin
din lumin adus de la Mormntul Sfnt este dus acas,
trecut prin toate ncperile, stins apoi de tocul uii, unde
se face semnul crucii. Acest ritual va proteja n momentele
de cumpn pe cei care triesc n cas.
Pentru a cinsti srbtoarea Patilor gospodinele coc
pasc, cozonaci i pregtesc mielul. n unele sate din
Bucovina i Transilvania se coace un miel din aluat, ntr-un
vas n form de miel, care mpreun cu pasca i oule
roii reprezint n imaginarul colectiv pe Domnul Nostru
Iisus Hristos. (n Europa este nc vie aceast tradiie a
mielului pascal din coc n Frana, Germania, Olanda,
Polonia).
n unele locuri, n noaptea nvierii, se fcea un foc mare
n curtea bisericii, pe care oamenii l vegheau cu sperana
c cerul se deschide i le mplinete dorinele.
n prima zi de Pati, femeile pun ntr-un co (dup
obiceiul locului) pscue, sare, ou roii sau ncondeiate,
o bucat de slnin, crnai, o sticl cu vin rou i o lumnare, acoperite cu un tergar, cu care se duc la biseric
pentru a fi sfinite i aezate apoi pe masa de prnz.
Prin tradiie, se spune c Maica Domnului, dup nviere,
a fost prima care a druit un ou rou i o pscu, zicnd:
. Urarea, la care se rspunde:
4

of songs devoted to
Jesus Christs birth.
The holy Christmas
days are followed by
the
New
Year
celebrations, when
groups of children
and youths go to
peoples houses with
(photo 5)
and the
(photo
4) to wish them a
peaceful and fruitful
year.
With the coming of
spring, believers get
ready for Easter, a
5
holiday whose date is
flexible, always celebrated on a full moon Sunday.
Easter is the essence of the Orthodox faith: Jesus
Christ sacrificed himself for peoples salvation and His
Resurrection gives us hope in our own spiritual
resurrection. To highlight the importance and solemnity
of the moment, believers light candles from the priests
at midnight. This light from light brought from the
Holy Tomb is carried back home, taken to all rooms
and then put out on the doorframe, where the sign of
the cross is made. This ritual will protect those living
in the house at hard times.
To honour Easter, housewives bake pasc9 , pound
cakes and cook the lamb. In some villages in Bukovina
and Transylvania, they bake a lamb of dough, in a
lamb-shaped pot, which together with the pasc and
the red-painted eggs stands for our Lord Jesus Christ
in the collective imagination. (In Europe, this tradition
of the Easter lamb of dough is still alive in France,
Germany, Holland, Poland). In some places, on
Resurrection night, they would make a big fire in the
churchyard, and people would watch over it in hopes
that the sky will open and will fulfil their wishes.
On Easter Sunday, (according to the local custom),
women put in a basket little pascas, salt, red-painted
eggs, a piece of lard, sausages, a bottle of red wine and
a candle, covered with a towel, which they carry to
church to be blessed and then put on the table for lunch.
According to tradition, after Resurrection, Virgin
Mary is said to have been the first to give out a redpainted egg and a little pasc, saying :
.
The greeting, to which the answer is:
is uttered for forty days, until Ascension.
Easter coincides with the revival of nature. On those

15

se folosete vreme
de patruzeci de zile, pn
la nlare.

coincide cu renaterea
naturii. In aceste zile
oamenii se nnoiau i se
mndreau cu hainele i
nclrile noi cu care
mergeau n duminica
Patilor la biseric. Fetele
gtite de srbtoare i ateptau pe feciori cu
udatul (s fie stropite cu ap sau colonie, semnificnd
purificare i sntate). Apoi se adunau n mijlocul satului
i jucau la hor (foto 6) sau se nvrteau n scrnciob.
(un fel de Sf. Valentin occidental), numit
i
este srbtorit pe 24 februarie, ca
ocrotitor al ndrgostiilor. Imaginarul colectiv l nfiaz
ca pe un flcu tnr i voinic, fiu al
. n
aceast zi fetele i bieii merg la pdure i culeg primii
ghiocei aprui de sub zpad.
O alt srbtoare de primvar este
, cnd se
druiesc copiilor, fetelor i femeilor, mrioare. n satul
tradiional a existat mai nti doar nurul, fcut din dou
fire de ln, unul alb i unul rou. l purtau femeile i copiii
la gt sau la mn, dar se lega i la coarnele animalelor, la
intrarea n grajd i se aga n pomi. La ora i s-a adugat
un ban de aur sau de argint, sau mici nsemne norocoase:
trifoiul cu patru foi, inimioara, animale miniaturizate etc.
Purtat toat luna martie, mriorul semnific protecia fa
de boli i necazuri.
Ziua de 24 iunie este srbtorit ca ziua
zne bune care zboar noaptea prin vzduh i aduc
oamenilor noroc, sntate i bogie n hambare. Fetele i
femeile i mpletesc coronie din flori de Snziene iar
uneori, florile sunt purtate la cingtoare pentru a ocroti de
dureri de spate.
Asemenea obiceiurilor i ritualurilor laice i religioase,
portul popular este parte integrant a culturii populare,
constituind un adevrat document viu al trecutului.
Portul romnilor, n general, dar mai ales cel de
srbtoare este relativ diferit de la o zon etnografic la
alta, totui unitar n ansamblul su. Materialele folosite,
croiul, cromatica, modul de decorare, broderiile i
accesoriile (catarame, podoabe) sunt create cu fantezie i
buncuviin, remarcabile prin diversitate i, n acelai
timp, prin unitatea lor.
Documente importante despre costumul popular
romnesc sunt fotografiile de epoc i desenele pictorului
Carol Pop de Szathmary, primul fotograf de art i

16

days, people would get new

clothes and footwear and
were proud of them, wearing
them on Easter Sunday
when going to church.
Dressed up to the nines, girls
would wait for the lads to
sprinkle them with water or
eau-de-Cologne, signifying
purification and good health.
Then, they would get
together in the middle of the
village and dance the
hora10 (photo 6) or swing in the swing.
(a sort of Western St. Valentine), also
called
is celebrated on February
24th , as the lovers protector. Collective imagination
features him as a young and stout lad, son of
. On that day, girls and boys go to the woods
and pick the first snowdrops coming out of the snow.
Another spring holiday is
, when March
Amulets are given to children, girls and women. In the
traditional village, in the beginning, there was only the
cord made of two woollen threads, a white one and a
red one. Women and children would wear it around the
neck or on the wrist, but it was also tied to the horns of
the cattle, when they went into the stable and was hung
on trees. In town, a gold or silver coin added up or small
lucky items: a four leaf clover, a little heart, miniature
animals, etc. Worn throughout March, the March amulet
symbolizes protection against diseases and troubles.
June 24th is celebrated as the day of
good
gold-haired fairies flying in the air at night and bringing
people good luck, good health and abundance in barns.
Girls and women make Bedstraw coronets and
sometimes, they wear the flowers at the girdle to protect
them against back pain. Just like lay and religious
customs and rituals, the folk wear is an integral part of
folk culture, being a real living document of the past.
The Romanians folk wear in general, but especially
the festive one is relatively different from one ethnographic
zone to another, yet it is unitary as a whole. The materials
used, the tailoring, the chromatics, the decorative design,
the embroideries and accessories (buckles, jewels) are
full of fantasy and decency, remarkable through their
diversity and at the same time, their unity.
Important documents about the Romanian folk
costume are the period photos and drawings of painter
Carol Pop of Szathmary, the first art photographer and
documentary-maker in the Romanian Kingdom. Later,
the works of painters Gheorghe Tattarescu, Nicolae

documentarist din Regatul Romn. Mai trziu, lucrrile

pictorilor Gheorghe Tattarescu, Nicolae Grigorescu,
George baron Lovendal, constituie mrturii valoroase
despre viaa i portul romnilor.
n acelai sens trebuie evocai i M. Bouquet, Lancelot,
W. Kramner, Prezziosi, care au imortalizat n
capodoperele lor chipuri ale ranilor romni n diferite
costume populare. Chiar i cunoscutul pictor impresionist
francez, Henry Matisse, a fost atras de frumuseea
cromatic a iei romneti, pe care a pictat-o n 1940.
Transmiterea ctre generaiile viitoare a tradiiilor, a
meteugurilor, a costumului popular au fost asumate de
Regii i Reginele Romniei ncepnd cu Carol I,
fondatorul Muzeului de Art Naional. Membrii Familiei
Regale a Romniei (photo 7, 8, 9 - reginele Elisabeta,
Maria, Elena) s-au fotografiat adesea n costume populare
i le-au purtat cu ocazia unor momente importante ale
istoriei noastre, din iubire de ar.

Grigorescu, George baron Lovendal are valuable

testimonies to the Romanians life and folk wear.
Worth mentioning in this respect are also M.
Bouquet, Lancelot, W. Kramner, Prezziosi, who in their
masterpieces immortalized figures of Romanian
peasants in various folk costumes. Even the well-known
French impressionist painter Henry Matisse was
attracted by the chromatic beauty of the Romanian ie,
which he painted in 1940.
Handing down traditions, crafts, the folk costume
to the next generations was assumed by the Kings and
Queens of Romania starting with Carol 1st, the founder
of the National Art Museum. The members of the
Royal Family of Romania (photo 7, 8, 9 - the qeens
Elisabeth, Marie, Helen) had their photos taken, dressed
in folk costumes or wore such costumes at important
moments of our history for love of this country.
Today, the folk costume is worn particularly on

Costumul popular este purtat astzi, mai ales n zilele

de srbtoare, de locuitori ai satelor aflate n zone de deal
sau munte din Nordul Olteniei, Bucovina, Oa, Maramure
i Apuseni. Alturi de obiceiurile i tradiiile fiecrei
comuniti, costumele populare se constituie n cea mai
trainic legtur cu trecutul, fiind n acelai timp mrci
de recunoatere a membrilor colectivitii i modaliti
de apreciere a strii sociale i a vrstei.
Au fost alese spre prezentare costume din cteva
zone etnografice ale inuturilor tradiionale romneti:
Muntenia (Muscel), Oltenia (Gorj), Banat (Lugoj),
Transilvania (Trnave, Sibiu), ara Criurilor,
Maramure, Moldova (Bucovina, Neam), Dobrogea
i un capitol a fost dedicat aromnilor.

9
holidays by inhabitants of villages in the hilly or
mountain areas in Northern Oltenia, Bukovina, Oa,
Maramure and the Apuseni Mountains. Along with
the customs and traditions of each and every
community, folk costumes are the most lasting link with
the past, being also signs of recognition of the
community members and ways of estimating their
social status and age.
Costumes from a few ethnographic zones in the
traditional Romanian regions have been selected to
be presented: Muntenia (Muscel), Oltenia (Gorj), Banat
(Lugoj), Transylvania (Trnave, Sibiu), the Cri Rivers
Land, Maramure, Moldova (Bucovina, Neam),
Dobrudja and a special chapter features the MacedoRomanians.

17

Romnii din Muscel

The Romanians in the Muscel area

Costumul din zona Muscel este unul dintre cele mai

spectaculoase, remarcabil prin distincie i rafinament.
Costumul de femeie se nscrie, ca tipologie, n costumul
cu fot i se compune din cma, fot, bru i bete.
Cmaa este lucrat din pnz cu margini, esut
n cas, din bumbac. Are mnecile largi, bufante i este
brodat cu ruri foarte fine, care in din alti pn la
marginea mnecii. Ornamentele sunt grupate n table
(sau stuci) iar broderia se face cu fir metalic, lnic
sau arnici negru, rou i mai nou albastru. Punctul de
broderie n care se lucreaz este buclat punctul gras.
Fota este lucrat din ln sau din bumbac i mtase, cu
alestur de fir metalic. Ornamentele ei sunt tratate n
stil geometric (vrgi la capete i o reea compact de
romburi i romburi cu creste pe tot cmpul). Femeile
se ncing n talie cu bru, peste care i pun betele
nguste, alese n ochiuri.
Marama mpodobete elegant capul femeilor
mritate. Este o pies impresionant ca dimensiune i
ornamentaie, n alestur fiind folosit foarte mult firul
metalic auriu i argintiu. ntreaga pies este acoperit
cu stilizri vegetale - vrejul cu frunze i flori sau buchete
de flori.
Brbaii poart cmaa esut din aceeai pnz din
care se fac i cmile femeieti, iar din punct de vedere
al croiului aceasta poate fi dreapt (btrneasc) sau
cu platc (mai nou). Gulerul, poalele i marginea
mnecilor sunt brodate cu arnici sau mtase alb
(broderie compact, fir pe fir, dispus n benzi) i cu
fir metalic. Peste cma poart o vest din dimie
neagr. Pantalonii cioareci sunt fcui din dimie alb.
n talie se ncing nti cu un bru din ln lucrat n
ochiuri, peste care se pune chimirul lat din piele. i
acoper capul cu plrie neagr sau cciul din blan
de miel.
Iarna, att femeile ct i brbaii poart pieptare din
blan: femeile - mai lungi i despicate, brbaii - mai
scurte i nfundate, brodate cu ornamente geometrice,
cu arnici negru. De asemenea, poart haine din dimie
de culoare neagr, numite zeghe sau zegheo.
nclau ciorapi din ln, albi, peste care puneau
opinci sau nclminte de influen oreneasc:
femeile purtau pantofi iar brbaii bocanci.

The costume in the Muscel area is one of the most

spectacular, remarkable through its distinction and
refinement. The female costume is typologically a
costume with fot1 and is made up of a blouse, fot, a
broad belt and bete2 .
The blouse is made of hemmed fabric, homespun
of cotton. It has large, puffed sleeves and is
embroidered with very fine ruri3 from the alti 4 to
the sleeve edge. The ornaments are grouped in table5
(or stuci) and the embroidery is made with metal
thread, lnic 6 or black, red and more recently blue
arnici 7 . The embroidery stitch used is the curly Qs
stitch. The fota is made of wool or of cotton and silk,
with metal thread alesatur 8 . Its ornaments are
geometrical motifs (stripes at the ends and a compact
network of rhombs and rhombs with a broken V line
all over the area). Women are girdled with a broad belt,
over which they put on narrow bete, warped in loops.
The marama9 elegantly adorns the wives head. It is
an impressive garment in terms of size and
ornamentation, the golden and silvery metal thread being
extensively used in alesatur. The entire headdress is
covered with stylized vegetal motifs the creeping stalk
with leaves and flowers or bunches of flowers.
The male shirt is spun of the same fabric as the female
blouses and in terms of tailoring, it can be straight (the
old one) or with a yoke (the newer one). The collar, its
lower part and the sleeve edges are embroidered with
arnici or white silk (a compact, thread-on-thread
embroidery displayed in bands) and with metal thread.
Over the shirt, they wear a vest of black frieze. The
trousers cioareci10 are made of white frieze. They are
girdled first with a broad woollen belt made in loops,
over which they put on a broad leather belt. They cover
their head with a black hat or a lambskin cap.
In winter, both women and men wear fur pieptare11 :
the female ones are longer and open up front, the male
ones are shorter and nfundate 12 , embroidered with
geometrical ornaments of black arnici. They also wear
coats of black frieze, called zeghe or zegheo.
They would put on white woollen socks tucked into
opinci 13 or footwear with an urban touch: women
would wear shoes and men boots.

18

Muzeul Naional al ranului Romn

Costum romnesc din Muscel
The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant
Romanian costume in the Muscel area

19

Gorjenii

The Gorj people

Portul popular din Gorj se ncadreaz din punct de

vedere decorativ i structural costumului oltenesc de
la munte, compus din piese robuste cu ornamentaie
specific.
n aceast zon, femeile poart dou tipuri de
costum: unul cu dou catrine, purtate una n fa i
alta n spate iar cel de al doilea cu vlnic - influen
venit din sud. Acesta impresioneaz prin amploarea
pliseului i decorul policrom cu vrgi verticale (numit
i zvelc crea) i este purtat mai ales n zilele de
srbtoare.
Costumul de femeie are cmaa ncreit la gt, cu
broderii pe piept i pe mneci n sistemul: alti, ncre
i ruri. n talie femeile se ncing cu un bru rou, iar
cele mritate poart pe cap o vaporoas maram din
borangic, numit n zon crp din borangic.
Repertoriul ornamental al costumului oltenesc este
variat - att cmaa i marama ct i catrina i vlnicul
fiind decorate cu stilizri geometrice i florale.
Brbaii au cmaa fie croit drept, cu mneca larg
slobod, fie cu platc i mneca adunat jos n
pumnai. Pantalonii,
cioareci, sunt lucrai
din dimie alb i
ornamentai n dreptul
buzunarelor cu gitane
negre, brna, constituind piesa de
rezisten a costumului
schileresc. Brul
rou, lat, este fixat de
bete nguste, care
marcheaz mijlocul.
Remarcabil este i
ilicul, lucrat din
aceleai materiale i
ntr-o tehnic asemntoare cu cioarecii.
n anotimpul rece
poart hain alb din
dimie, cu clini, i
cojoace din blan. Pe
cap i pun cciul

The folk wear in Gorj is part of the Oltenian mountain costume from a decorative and structural point of
view, consisting of robust pieces with a specific ornamentation.
In that zone, women wear two types of costume:
one with two catrine 1 , one up front and the other at
the back and the second with vlnic 2 - an influence
from the South. The latter is impressive through its
ample folds and the polychrome decorative design with
vertical stripes (also called pleated zavelc) and is worn
mainly on holidays.
The blouse of the female costume is gathered at the
neck, with embroideries on the chest front and on the
sleeves: alti3 , ncre4 and ruri5 . Women are girdled
with a red broad belt and wives wear a filmy maram6
of raw silk called raw silk crp in the area.
The Oltenian costume boasts a varied ornamental
range both the blouse and the marama as well as the
catrina and the vlnic being decorated with stylized
geometrical and floral motifs.
The male shirt is either straight with a large, loose
sleeve or with a yoke
and the sleeve gathered
in pumnai 7 . The
trousers, cioareci 8
are made of white frieze
and are decorated with
black braids, brna
in the pocket area, being the centerpiece of
the schileresc costume. The red, broad
belt is set with narrow
strips marking the
waist. The ilic 9 is also
remarkable; it is made
of the same materials
and with the same technique as the cioareci.
In winter, men wear
a white frieze coat with
gussets and long fur
coats. They put on a
black lambskin cap or
a thick felt hat.

Muzeul Naional al Satului

Dimitrie Gusti
Costume romneti din Gorj

20

The Dimitrie Gusti National

Village Museum
Romanian costumes on the Gorj

Ca i costumul popular din Gorj, cel din Romanaii se ncadreaz n tipologia zonei
etnografice Oltenia, fiind renumit pentru frumuseea cojoacelor sale.

Just like the traditional costume of Gorj, the one in Romanai is in keeping with the
types of the ethnographic zone of Oltenia, being renowned for its beautiful sheepskin
coats.

Muzeul Naional al ranului Romn

Costum romnesc din Romanai
The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant
Romanian costum on on the Romanai

21

Bnenii

The Banat people

Portul bnenilor se distinge prin folosirea unui material preios - firul metalic auriu i argintiu - att la
confecionarea opregelor, catrinelor, conciurilor ct i a
broderiei speciale sarafola de pe ii.
Costumul de femeie este spectaculos prin bogia i
calitatea materialelor i prin echilibrul cromatic. Cmaa
este lucrat din pnz alb cu vrgi din alestur, cinari
i este ncreit n jurul gtului. Mnecile sunt ample i se
termin la partea de jos cu un volan, fodor. Broderia
este amplasat pe guler i este cusut pe dos, aiu, cu
arnici negru i fir auriu. Pieptul cmii este decorat cu
dou iruri de urzrele - stilizri geometrice dispuse n
iruri verticale, iar mneca are o tblie brodat compact,
urzariu, cu motive dispuse n ir, pe lungime, pene
i o varg brodat de 1-2 cm lime, brar, care
susine volanul. Trebuie subliniat faptul c atunci cnd
cmile sunt brodate cu fir metalic se coase n punctul
specific broderiei turceti, pe un suport din carton.
Poalele, foarte largi, sunt lucrate din pnz alb i sunt
decorate pe old cu custuri pe chici. Peste cma i
poale se pune opregul n spate i catrina, n fa. Opregul
este alctuit din petecul de opreg, esut n rzboi i
cu ciucuri foarte lungi, policromi, prini de el. La alte
oprege, care constituie o categorie special (a
opregelor de bani), monezile sunt prinse compact,
alctuind o adevrat plato. Acestea se armonizeaz
cromatic i ornamental cu pieptarul i cu bogatele
broderii ale conciului i ale mnecilor cmii.
Catrina, orul, esut n cas, este ornamentat
prin alestur n rzboi, ca i opregul, n aceeai tehnic
i cu aceeai compoziie i se poart n fa. Este lucrat
din ln de culoare roie, viinie sau neagr,
ornamentat din alestur cu vrgi dispuse vertical.
Uneori, catrinele erau alese cu fir metalic auriu sau
argintiu. Pieptarul este lucrat din blan de oaie,
ornamentat cu broderii cu fir de mtase, decupaje i
bumbi din piele, pisari i oglinzi.
Femeile mai purtau i haine din pnur de culoare alb
sau vnt. La mijloc se ncingeau cu un bru din ln,
ornamentat cu motive alese, policrome. Peste bru se
punea brcira, esut tot din ln, ornamentat din
alestur cu stilizri geometrice. Purtau prul n conci,
susinut de o panglic peste frunte, srm. Fetele purtau
capul descoperit, cu prul mpletit ntr-o coad lsat pe
spate, n care i prindeau flori i bani de argint.
Brbaii aveau cma alb, din pnz esut n cas,
cu croi drept i mneca prins din umr, ncreit, pentru
a-i da lrgime. Aceasta se termina la margine cu pumnari.

The Banat peoples folk wear stands out through the

use of a valuable material the golden and silvery metal
yarn for making oprege1 , catrine2 , conciuri3 as well
as the special embroidery sarafola on the ii4 .
The female costume is spectacular through the richness
and quality of materials and the chromatic balance. The
blouse is made of white fabric with stripes din alesatur5 ,
cinari and is gathered around the neck. The sleeves are
large ending with a flounce, fodor on their lower part.
The embroidery is displayed on the collar and is sewn on
the back, aiu, with black arnici6 and golden thread. The
chest front of the blouse is decorated with two strings of
urzrele stylized geometrical motifs displayed in vertical
rows, and the sleeve has a compactly embroidered area,
urzariu, with motifs placed in a row, all along it, pene
and a 1-2 cm wide embroidered stripe, brar,
supporting the flounce. Noteworthy is that when the
blouses are embroidered with metal thread, the stitch
specific to Turkish embroidery is used on a cardboard prop.
The poale7 , which are very large, are made of white
fabric and are decorated on the hip with seams on
chici 8 . Over the blouse and the skirt, they put on the
opreg at the back and the catrina up front. The opreg is
made of the opreg shred, woven on the loom, with very
long, polychrome tassels, tied to the shred. With other
oprege, falling into a special category (coin oprege), coins
are tied compactly, making up a real armour. They match
the pieptar9 in terms of colours and decorative design, as
well as the rich embroideries of the conci and of the blouse
sleeves. The catrina, the apron, which is homespun, is
decorated prin alestur on the weaving loom, just like
the opreg, the same technique and the same composition
being used, and is worn up front. It is made of red, cherrycoloured or black wool, decorated din alestur with
vertical stripes. Sometimes, the catrine were warped with
golden or silvery metal yarn. The pieptar is made of
sheepskin, decorated with silk embroideries, leather cutouts and buttons, pisari10 and oglinzi11.
Women would also wear coats of white or violetblue pnur12 . They were girdled with a broad woollen
belt, decorated with polychrome warped motifs. Over
the broad belt, they would put on brcira13 woven of
wool too, decorated din alestur with stylized
geometrical motifs. As headdress, they would wear
conci, supported by a ribbon on their forehead,
srm14. Girls were bare-headed, with their hair braided
into a pigtail hanging down the back, to which they would
tie flowers and silver coins.

22

Ornamentele erau fcute cu acul, din fir de bumbac alb

pe alb, gulerul i pumnarii fiind ornamentai cu bombiu
i cu nemoane. Mneca era ornamentat cu chee i
abace, cioplica, iar la umr i pumnari era ncreit pe
brar. Alt registru cu broderii mpodobea poala
cmii, care era ornamentat cu tetur, fcut tot cu
bumbac alb.
Vara, brbaii purtau izmene din pnz esut n cas,
cu broderii ca ale cmii iar n anotimpul rece, cioareci.
Acetia, ca i vesta, chintuul, erau lucrai din pnur
alb i decorai cu ornamente foarte bogate, fcute cu
inoare mpletite din ln. Brul de ln de 25-30 cm
lime era purtat la mijloc i peste el chimirul din piele
prachia.
Cojoacele lungi erau lucrate din blan de oaie, cu clini
laterali pentru a avea lrgime i erau decorate ca i
pieptarele femeieti, cu decupaje din piele. Brbaii purtau
i haine din pnur, duru, vopsite n verde, cu o croial
dreapt i ornamentate cu noare. Pe cap i puneau
plrie sau cciul, clabui, de form uguiat.

Muzeul Naional al Satului Dimitrie Gusti

Costume romneti din Banat
The Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum
The Romanian costumes from Banat.

Men had a white, straight, homespun fabric shirt, with

the sleeve tied to the shoulder, pleated to make it large. It
ended with pumnari15 at its edge. The needle ornaments
were of white on white cotton yarn, the collar and the
pumnari being decorated with bombiu 16 and
nemoane17. The sleeve was decorated with a chee18
and abace 19 cioplic and on the shoulder and the
pumnari it was pleated on brar20. Another pattern of
embroideries adorned the lower part of the shirt, which
was decorated with tetur21 of white cotton.
In summer, men would wear homespun fabric
underpants, with embroideries similar to those on the shirt
and in winter, cioareci22 . The latter, just like the vest,
chintuul were made of white pnur and decorated
with ornate adornments, made with wool knit inoare23 .
The 25-30 cm wide woolen belt was worn around the
waist and over it they would put on the leather belt,
prachia.
The long sheepskin coats had gussets on the sides
rendering them large and were decorated just like the
female pieptare with leather cut-outs. Men would also
wear green-dyed, straight pnur coats, decorated with
noare24. They covered their head with a hat or with a
tapering fur cap clabui.

23

Romnii de pe Trnave
Portul tradiional al romnilor din aceast zon este
o dovad a interferenelor etnice care s-au produs de-a
lungul timpului. n industria casnic textil au ptruns
multe elemente aparinnd minoritilor cu care romnii
au convieuit n aceste locuri.
Costumul de femeie este compus din cma alb,
lucrat din pnz esut n cas, ncreit la gt. Mneca
ncreit din umr este marcat de broderii discrete i
dantel industrial, aplicat pe mijloc. Mneca se
termin cu o benti brodat la un fir iar spre margini
broderia este fcut pe dos, pentru c se poart ntoars
n volan, fodor. Cmaa are poalele ntr-una. Peste
cma se pune, n spate, catrina esut din ln,
ornamentat cu vrgi din estur i orul, surul, n
fa, care are la poale broderii policrome dispuse n
iruri (cercuri) iar pe margine, ciucuri policromi.
Femeile mbrac pe deasupra un pieptar din blan
de oaie, brodat cu ornamente delicate, stilizate geometric - flori, bucheele de cte trei flori etc. Deosebit
prin elegan i ingeniozitate este gteala capului un
tip de tergar vlitoare pus peste o crp roie i o
toc circular, brobodelnic.
Brbaii poart cmaa croit pe drept, cu clini,
barburi, n fa i n spate, pentru a conferi lrgime
poalelor, cu mneca pus din umr, care se termin cu
manet, pumnari. Broderia policrom, deosebit de
elegant datorit rafinamentului cromatic - rou, negru,
galben, este concentrat pe guler, la rscroieli i pe
barburi. Cmaa se poart pe deasupra cioarecilor din
pnur alb, ornamentai cu un decor discret din bumbac
negru, care se aplic pe custura cracilor i n zona
manetelor (ntoarse atunci cnd sunt nclai n opinci).
Peste cma brbaii poart pieptar nfundat,
ornamentat cu stilizri florale fcute cu mtase
policrom. i ncing mijlocul cu chimir lat de piele,
iar pe cap i pun plrie din psl neagr, mpodobit
pe calot cu berti i strmbule.
Iarna mbrac haine din panur, zeghe, sau suman
i i pun cciul din blan de miel. ncal cizme nalte,
strnse pe picior.

24

The Romanians on the Trnave rivers

The traditional wear of the Romanians in that area is
a proof of the ethnic interaction that has occurred over
time. A lot of elements belonging to the minorities with
which the Romanians have lived together in those places
have penetrated into the domestic textile industry.
The female costume is made up of a white, homespun
fabric blouse gathered at the neck. The sleeve, which is
creased on the shoulder, is marked by discreet
embroideries and industrial lace, applied in the middle.
The sleeve ends with a band embroidered along one
thread and on its edges, the embroidery is made on the
back because it is turned up in a flounce, fodor. The
blouse is skirted in one piece. Over the blouse, women
put on the catrina 1 woven of wool, decorated with
warped stripes at the back and the apron, surul up
front, which has polychrome embroideries in rows
(circles) on its lower part and polychrome tassels on
the fringes.
Over the blouse, women put on a sheepskin
pieptar 2 , embroidered with delicate, stylized
geometrical ornaments flowers, bunches of three
flowers, etc. The headdress is particularly elegant and
ingenious a kind of kerchief, vlitoare put over a
red kerchief and a circular toque, brobodelnic.
Men wear a straight shirt with gussets, barburi up
front and at the back to render its lower part large, with
the sleeve tied to the shoulder, ending with a cuff,
pumnari. The polychrome embroidery, which is quite
elegant due to the chromatic refinement red, black,
yellow is concentrated on the collar, the cut outs and
the barburi. The shirt is worn over the cioareci3 of white
pnur4 , with a discreet black cotton decorative design
applied on the seam of the legs and in the turn up area
(turned up when they are tucked into the opinci5 ).
Over the shirt, men wear a pieptar that is nfundat6
and is decorated with stylized floral motifs made with
polychrome silk. They girdle themselves with a broad
leather belt and put on a black thick felt hat, trimmed
on its top with berti and strmbule7 .
In winter, they wear pnur coats, zeghe, or
sumane8 and a lambskin cap. They put on high boots
tight on the leg.

Muzeul Etnografic Braov, Secia Gh. Cernea din Rupea

Costume romneti de pe Trnave
The Braov Ethnographic Museum, the Gh. Cernea Branch
from Rupea
Romanian costumes on the Trnave rivers

25

Sibienii
Costumul din Mrginimea Sibiului, sobru i elegant,
impresioneaz att prin delicateea broderiilor de pe
cm i pieptar, ct i prin echilibrul cromatic dat de
contrastul dintre albul i negrul materialelor folosite.
Ca tipologie este alctuit din ie, poale, dou catrine,
bru i acoperitoare de cap.
Cmaa are ciupagul i mnecile ample i se
ncadreaz tipului ncreit n jurul gtului, cu umera i
ire pe mneci. Este confecionat din pnz cumprat
de la ora, uneori fiind folosii doi stani sau doi stani i
jumtate lime, pentru ca mneca s fie foarte bogat.
Marginea mnecii este brodat pe dos pentru c se poart
ntoars, cu roat. Stanii de pnz sunt unii prin chei
fcut cu acul, din bumbac mercerizat sau mtase; o
vrgu de broderie, umera sau alti, este amplasat
la umr, alte dou iruri de broderie fiind dispuse pe
lungimea mnecii. Broderia este de mare finee, fcut
la un fir iar efectul estetic este sporit de contrastul alb
al fondului cu negrul firului de ln sau de mtase cu
care sunt realizate ornamentele.
Peste cma femeile poart poale albe, largi
(ncreite sau plisate), peste care este pus catrina, la
spate, i orul negru, n fa - la costumele btrneti.
La costumele noi se poart dou catrine din postav
negru, brodate pe margini cu fir metalic sau dantel.
n talie se ncing cu brul de ln, vrgat din alestur
sau cu brul adus de ciobanii transhumani din zona
Dobrogei, cunoscut ca brul turcesc.
Btrnele i acopereau capul cu o broboad,
vlitoare. Se purta i pahiolul, o maram din
borangic, vrgat la capete, pe care femeia o aeza peste
prul mpletit n dou cozi, legate pe cretetul capului.
n anotimpul rece mbrcau pieptare nfundate,
despicate, care se mai numeau i naionale, brodate
cu arnici i mtase, i cojoace. De asemenea, purtau o
hain din dimie specific zonei, undra, lucrat din
pnur neagr, al crui croi impresiona prin cei 12 clini,
care-i ddeau o form i o elegan aparte (era purtat
numai de fete i nevestele tinere).
Brbaii purtau cma cu clini n fa i n spate,
barburi, care ddeau lrgime poalei i le permiteau
s ndeplineasc diferite munci grele specifice stnii.
Cmile de la costumul btrnesc erau fcute din
pnz esut n cas, cu vrgue roii; la costumele noi
pnza se cumpra de la ora. Cu excepia barburilor,
cmaa este croit pe drept iar mneca este larg,
prins din umr. Broderia este deosebit de fin, la fir,
i const n cruciulie fcute cu acul, cu arnici. Este

26

The Sibiu people

The sober and elegant costume in Mrginimea Sibiului1
is impressive both through the delicate embroideries on
the blouse and the pieptar2 and through the chromatic
balance provided by the contrast between the black and
white materials used. It is typologically made up of ie3 ,
poale4 , two catrine5 , a broad belt and headdresses.
The blouse has an ample ciupag6 and sleeves and
is gathered on the neckline, with umera7 and ire8
on the sleeves. It is made of fabric bought in town,
two wide pieces or two and a half wide pieces being
sometimes used, for the sleeve to be very large. The
sleeve edge is embroidered on the back since it is worn
turned up, cu roat. The fabric pieces are pinned
together through a needle stitch of mercerized cotton
or silk; an embroidered stripe, umera or alti9 is
placed on the shoulder, two other strings of embroidery
being displayed along the sleeve. The embroidery is
very fine being made on a single thread and the
aesthetic effect is enhanced by the contrast between
the white background and the black wool or silk thread
with which the ornaments are made.
Over the blouse, women wear white, large poale
(creased or pleated), over which they put on the catrina
at the back and the black apron up front with old
costumes. Newer costumes have two catrine of black
cloth embroidered with metal thread or lace on the
fringes. They are girdled with a woollen broad belt
that is striped din alestur10 or with the broad belt
brought by shepherds moving the flocks of sheep to
and from the pastures from the Dobrudja region, known
as the Turkish belt. Old women would cover their
head with a kerchief, vlitoare. Women would also
wear pahiolul, a thin red silk kerchief, striped at its
ends, which they would put on their hair braided into
two pigtails tied on top of the head. In winter, they would
put on pieptare that were nfundate11 and open up front,
also called nationals, embroidered with arnici12 and
silk and cojoace 13 . They would also wear a coat of
frieze specific to the area, undr, made of black
pnur14 , whose tailoring was impressive through the
12 gussets, which gave it a special shape and elegance
(it was worn only by girls and young wives).
Men would wear a shirt with gussets up front and at
the back, barburi, which rendered its lower part large
and allowed them to do various hard works specific to
the sheepfold. The shirts of the old costume were
made of homespun fabric with little red stripes; the
fabric for the newer costumes was bought in town.

Muzeul Naional al ranului Romn

Costume romneti din Sibiu
The National Museum of the Romanian Peasant
Romanian costumes in the Sibiu area

amplasat n jurul deschizturii pentru cap, pe conturul

barburilor i la marginea mnecilor. Adesea, deasupra
unuia dintre barburi (n fa) se coseau iniialele
numelui celui care purta cmaa.
Pantalonii, cioareci, erau fcui din dimie alb,
croii pe picior i cu pav la tur pentru a da lejeritate
n micri. Se purtau peste ghete sau n cizmele nalte,
din piele neagr. Custurile erau fcute de mn,
modelul numindu-se mieluei. Peste cma brbaii
se ncingeau cu un chimir lat, din piele, care avea rolul
de a-i proteja la efort. De obicei chimirul era ornamentat
cu uvie din piele i bumbi de metal.
Iarna, brbaii mbrcau cojoace care depeau talia
(avnd aproape lungimea cmii) i bitua, un cojoc
cu mnecile supradimensionate ca lungime, folosit mai
ales de ciobani. Se purta cu blana n afar, pentru ca apa
de ploaie sau zpada s se scurg foarte repede. Ciobanii
o ineau pe umeri, adesea legnd gura mnecilor, n care
i transportau diverse obiecte sau merinde.
Vara purtau plrie din psl cu pereii mari, care
a fost nlocuit apoi de plria cu bor mic, ce acoperea
doar cretetul capului (cu decenii n urm impregnat
prin cufundarea n zer). Iarna purtau cciul din blan
de miel.

Except for the barburi, the shirt is straight with a large

sleeve attached to the shoulder. The embroidery is very
fine, with a single thread and consists of needle little
crosses of arnici. It is displayed around the head
opening, on the outline of the barburi and on the
sleeve edges. The initials of the wearers name were
often sewn over one of the front barburi.
The trousers, cioareci15 were made of white frieze,
cut on the leg and with pav16 on the seat, to allow
for light movement. They were worn over the boots or
tucked into high boots of black leather. The seams were
hand-made, the model being called mieluei17 . Over
the shirt, men would girdle themselves with a broad
leather belt to protect them when making efforts. As a
rule, the broad leather belt was trimmed with little
leather strips and metal buttons.
In winter, men would put on cojoace which were
almost as long as the shirt and bitua, a cojoc with
very long sleeves, used mainly by shepherds. The
sheepskin was on the outer part for the rain or snow to
stream down very quickly. Shepherds would keep it
on their shoulders, often tying the sleeve mouth, in
which they would carry various objects or food.
In summer, they would wear a thick felt hat with
big brims, which was later replaced by the hat with
small brims covering only the top of the head (which
decades ago was impregnated being dipped into whey).
In winter, they would wear a lambskin cap.

27

Romnii de pe valea Criului Negru

The Romanians in the Black Cri

river area

Costumele de femeie i brbat din colecia Muzeului

Criurilor, Oradea sunt creaii mai noi ce in de tipologia
portului popular din zonele aflate la grania vestic a
rii.
Femeia poart cma scurt, poale cree, fixate
n talie i or ncreit iar brbatul cma i izmene
largi, pn deasupra gleznelor. Pnza din care sunt
lucrate aceste piese este esut n cas, n dou ie,
din bumbac alb.
Cmaa de femeie este ncreit la gt, iar deschiztura
pentru cap este conturat de un guler i iruri, ruri,
de dantel i broderie manual fcut cu acul. Pe
mnec, ornamentele sunt dispuse de la umr pn la
pumnar, n tabl sau ir pe mnec. Poalele cmii,
foarte largi, sunt fcute prin unirea a ase limi de material i se fixeaz n talie n pomnat. Att pomnata
ct i bordura poalelor sunt decorate cu aceleai modele
de broderii. La poale se mai aplic ns un rnd de dantel
care pune n eviden broderia. orul are decorul
concentrat n registrul inferior, fiind alctuit dintr-o
broderie masiv, cu aceleai motive ornamentale ca i
la poale i tivit cu dantel cipc croetat manual.
n talie, femeile se ncing cu brul tricolor, iar pe
deasupra poart pieptarul ornamentat cu broderii din
mtase, lnic i decupaje de mein.
Prul este pieptnat n cozi strnse la ceaf, iar capul
este acoperit cu basma, cumprat din comer.
Brbatul poart cma scurt, lsat liber peste
izmene. Cmaa este croit drept, cu mnecile ncreite,
din umr i terminat n manet pumnar. Registrele
de broderie sunt aplicate pe guler, umeree, pe
manete i la tivul de la poale, unde sunt brodai
coliori tadle. Cmaa se ncheie cu nasturi mici
policromi. Izmenele sunt largi, din dou - trei limi de
material pentru fiecare crac, fiind unite prin chei
decorativ, iar ca lungime sunt pn deasupra gleznelor.
Registrele decorative sunt concentrate spre partea de
jos a cracului, n iruri de gurele, abace i aplicaii
de dantel croetat manual, asemntoare cu decorul
cmii.
Pieptarul este scurt, fr clini laterali, ornamentat
pe toat suprafaa cu mtase, lnic policrom i
aplicaii de mein. Ca i pieptarul de femeie i acesta
are marginile decorate cu blni neagr de miel.
Brbaii poart cizme nalte, din piele, iar pe cap
plrie cu borurile ridicate sau cciul din blan de
miel.

The female and male costumes in the collection of

the Cri Rivers Museum in Oradea are more recent
creations characteristic of the folk wear in the areas on
the countrys Western border.
Women wear a short blouse, a pleated skirt tight on
the waist and a pleated apron and men wear a shirt and
large underpants ankles down. The fabric of which
those garments are made is homespun with two yarns
of white cotton.
The female blouse is gathered at the neck and the head
opening is outlined by a collar and ruri1 of lace and
hand-made needle embroidery. On the sleeve, the
ornaments are displayed from the shoulder to the cuff,
pumnar in a tabl2 or in a row on the sleeve. The
skirt, which is very large, is made from six wide pieces of
material joined together and attached to the waist with a
pomnat3 . Both the pomnata and the hem of the skirt
are decorated with the same type of embroideries. Another
row of lace is applied on its lower part to highlight the
embroidery. The decorative design of the apron is
concentrated on its lower part, consisting of massive
embroidery with the same ornamental motifs as on the
skirt and hemstitched with hand-crocheted lace cipc.
Women are girdled with a tricolour broad belt and
over it they wear a pieptar4 decorated with embroideries
of silk, lnic5 and sheepskin cut-outs. Their hair is braided
into pigtails tied on the neck and their head is covered
with a triangular or rectangular kerchief bought in town.
Men wear a short shirt, loose over the underpants.
The shirt is straight with pleated sleeves tied to the
shoulder and ending with cuffs pumnari. The
embroidery patterns are applied on the collar, umeree,
on the cuffs and on the hem on the lower part of the
shirt, where coliori6 tadle are embroidered. The shirt
is buttoned with small polychrome buttons. The
underpants are large, made of two-three wide pieces of
material for each leg, pinned together by a decorative
stitch and are ankle down long. The decorative patterns
are concentrated on the lower part of the leg, in rows of
cut-work embroidery, abace and appliqus of handcrocheted lace, similar to the decorative design of the
shirt. The pieptar is short, without lateral gussets,
decorated all over with silk, polychrome lnic and
sheepskin appliqus. Just like the female pieptar, the
male one has its edges decorated with black lambskin.
Men wear high leather boots, a hat with lifted brims or a
lambskin cap.

28

Muzeul Criurilor, Oradea

Costume romneti de pe valea Criului Negru
The Cri Rivers Museum, Oradea
Romanian costumes in the valley of the Black Cri river

29