"Martisor" an ancient Romanian tradition

Romania provides the tourists all over the world memorable vacations through its wonderful and rich culture, its wild decors and the various entertainment and outdoor activities. Free of the communism rigors, the glow of the Romanian tourism has finally reached the Occident and has turned this country into a unique destination.

If you want to discover the real Romania, you will first have to learn its culture. Its ancient roots go way back in the time, when the Roman civilization first merged with the native one, and there are plenty of monuments and ancient ruins that prove the complexity of the Romanian culture. At the Black Sea shore you will have the chance to visit the Tomis, Callatis and Histria fortresses, that were build in the 7th century by the Romans, or the Trophaeum Traiani monument from Adamclisi.

But the thing that really separates Romania from other European traveling destination is its amazing folklore heritage. For many years this was a hidden treasure, compelling ancient traditions and local customs as well as numerous artisan objects that express entirely the Romanian spirituality.

One of these ancient traditions in the "Martisor".

“Martisor” calendar is represented symbolically by a bicolor cord, split in two seasons, winter and summer ( white = winter ; red = summer ), made a gift to March 1, Dochia’s day, ancient start of the agricultural year. The legend of the Martisor says that Baba Dochia was going through the woods with the sheep and she founded an apple and she made a “ borta” and tied with a thread attached. This action happens in a day of March 1 and then the habit expanded.

The Martisor is offered early morning on the first day of March; it used to be worn for 9-12 days, sometimes until the first tree would bloom when it was hung on a flowering branch to bring good luck to its bearer.

The day’s name is the diminutive of March and thus means something like “little” or “dear March”.

Martisorul significance remained the same over time: it is a symbol of spring, the return to life. It brings optimism and faith. Its form has changed over time.

The Martisor was a present that Romanians sent to each other on the first day of March, traditionally a gold coin suspended on a white-and-red braided thread with a silk tassel. The recipient used to wear it around his neck until he would see a blooming rose and the present was then placed on its branch; in this way Spring was poetically welcomed. .

In the villages of Transilvania, the red-and-white wool yarn Martisor was pinned on gates, windows, sheepfolds, tied around the horns of cattle, around the handle of buckets to protect from the evil eye and malefic spirits; it was believed that the red "color of life" could be an inducer of vitality and regeneration.

Later appear as small river stones painted white and red strung on a thread. Now beautifully colored beads, pottery and embroidered flowers have taken place..

Bulgarians also have a similar but not identical holiday on March 1, called "Martenitsa”. If and how these two holidays are related is still a matter of debate between ethnologists.