From ‘Dragobete’ to ‘Mărțișor’

An exhibition of ‘mărțișoare’ from the collection of Ingeborg Marta Bogdan.

The Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography, a cultural institution overseen by the Cluj County Council, invites you to a special exhibition occasioned by the symbolic spring celebrations.

With the first signs of spring, when nature resumes its cycles and regains its vitality, a whole universe of gestures, beliefs and symbols associated with regeneration, fertility and good fortune is reawakened. In traditional Romanian culture, these practices have formed a continuous symbolic tradition, culminating in the emblematic ‘Mărțișor’.

What we call ‘Dragobete’ today is one of the regional manifestations of this ancient spring tradition. Associated with the awakening of nature, the ‘wedding’ of birds and the start of emotional and community cycles, ‘Dragobete’is not a distinct celebration. Instead, it is a local variation of the same imagery of renewal that also originated the ‘Mărțișor’ tradition.

In its earliest forms, ‘mărțișor’ was a twisted string, initially black and white, then white and red. It was worn on the hand or neck and was believed to have an apotropaic role, protecting the wearer against evil and disease. Later, a gold or silver coin was added to the string to symbolise the sun, light and prosperity. Thus, ‘mărțișor’ came to symbolise the cyclical renewal of life, fertility, and family well-being. Over time, its form and meaning have changed significantly, reflecting the social, cultural and aesthetic changes of the communities that produced and used it. Initially a ritual object with a protective function, it has gradually transformed into a small decorative object capable of conveying emotional, symbolic and identity messages while integrating themes and images of the contemporary world without losing their essential meaning.

The exhibition presents a selection of items from the Ingeborg Marta Bogdan Collection, the largest collection of ‘mărțișoare’ in Romania and part of the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography’s patrimony. Built up over more than six decades, the collection comprises several thousand items, many of which are unique. They are organised thematically by the collector herself.

They are presented in a carefully designed exhibition system. The pieces are sewn onto cardboard and mounted in wooden frames. This visual format allows their typological and symbolic diversity to be clearly and coherently read.

The selection on display includes popular motifs from the communist era, such as flowers, insects, chimney sweeps, hearts, anchors, horseshoes and four-leaf clovers. There are also atypical or more recent pieces, including cartoon characters, household objects, sports accessories, astrological symbols, tarot cards, icons and miniature books.

Together, they illustrate the mărțișor’s ability to reflect the social imaginary of different eras and to function as an indicator of shared sentiments.

“Of all the elements that Romania has included on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, ‘mărțișor’ is undoubtedly the most vital and prevalent in contemporary culture. It incorporates various ancient springtime customs, including the pre-Christian tradition of Dragobete, which is part of the broader European tradition of celebrating renewal, fertility, and the beginning of a new life cycle. ‘Mărțișor’ is the only element that has completely transcended the boundary between rural and urban environments, functioning naturally in very different contexts, from traditional communities to globalized urban spaces.

Its ability to reinvent itself constantly without losing its fundamental meaning demonstrates that traditions survive not through rigid conservation, but through circulation, adaptation and active cultural engagement (Dr Tudor Sălăgean, manager of the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania”. (Dr Tudor Sălăgean, manager of the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography)

This exhibition by the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography offers a visual and cultural interpretation of an object that, although seemingly minor, is essential to the symbolic memory of communities in this part of Europe. Recognised in 2017 as part of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, ‘mărțișor’ is presented here not as a relic of the past, but as a living tradition that is constantly adapting and being reinterpreted.

The exhibition can be visited at the Transylvanian Museum of Ethnography between February 20 and March 15, 2026, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.