Marchette
The March ( Roman. ) is a typical gift in Romania and Moldova on March 1st . It consists of a red and white cord, usually with a small pendant, and is often attached to a blouse or other item of clothing. It is worn by women and children for one to two weeks from March 1st. The March symbolizes spring and is given away by relatives or good friends, often together with a snowdrop .
In Romania, it is believed that this tradition dates back to pre-Christian times from the Thracians . The origins of the Marchchen are not exactly known. It is believed that it was celebrated as the first day of the new year (March 1st) during the Roman Empire and was considered the beginning of spring. In the beginning, two threads, red and white, were spun from sheep's wool and given by the women to the men, who tied them around their wrists. The two colors symbolize the snow and the sun. The germinating grains of the crops, which are brought to light by the sun, slumber under the snow. During this time the first field work began.
The custom then developed in a different direction: Today women are given the marchette and lucky charms are attached to the thread, a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe, a chimney sweep, a key or a lock, etc. You wear the marchette until you are If you see a tree in bloom, you throw it into the tree and make a wish. This tradition comes from Romania and Moldova , where the name Mărțișor ( diminutive for martie , German March ) also denotes March 1st as the beginning of spring.
There is a similar tradition on March 1st in Bulgaria and Greece . There she is called Marteniza ( Мартеница ) or Martis ( Μάρτης ).
Jewelry made of gold
gold-plated marchets
Jewelry made of silver
ordinary marchets
literature
- Despina Leonhard: The March: Custom and Legend / Mărțișorul: Obicei și Legendă . Ganderkesee 2016. ISBN 978-3-944665-06-1
