The first mentions regarding the presence of 
the Moldavian Roma/Gypsies ancestors in 
the Carpathian-Dniestrian space preserved in local 
legends and recorded in publications Cover Image

Primele mențiuni referitoare la prezența strămoşilor romilor/țiganilor moldoveni în spațiul carpato-nistrean conservate în legendele locale şi consemnate în publicații
The first mentions regarding the presence of the Moldavian Roma/Gypsies ancestors in the Carpathian-Dniestrian space preserved in local legends and recorded in publications

Author(s): Ion Duminica
Subject(s): History, Essay|Book Review |Scientific Life
Published by: Institutul Patrimoniului Cultural al Academiei de Științe a Moldovei
Keywords: local legends; ethnogenesis of Roma/ Gypsy; the first attestations of the Gypsy ancestors in the Carpathian-Dniestrian space; the evolution of the social status of the Roma; traditional crafts

Summary/Abstract: Currently, Roma history is marked by an interdisciplinary variety of „white spots” which must to be gradually removed by fundamental research into social and humanitarian sciences. In this ethnological study, for fragmentary elucidation of aspects related to origin, endonims/ethnonyms, social status, practiced crafts, ancient migration routes and first attestations of the Moldavian Roma/Gypsy ancestors in the Carpatho-Dniestrian space – the author has taken over the preserved narratives in local legends and the information recorded in the publications. For the first time in the local humanitarian scientific field there were exposed ten original mentions referring to the ethnogenesis of the Roma/Gypsy community in the following historical-geographic regions: Southern Asia (India), Central Asia (Bactria, Babylonian Empire), Northern Africa (Egypt, Numidia), Southeastern Europe (Carpathian Area, Ancient Greece, Roman Dacia province, Transylvanian Voivodeship). Concurrently, was highlighted the evolution of the social status of the Moldavian Roma/Gypsies ancestors in the period preceding the first attestations in the Carpathian-Dniestrian space: freelancers, migrant workers, political emigrants, political refugees, war prisoners, war refugees, wanderers, immigrants, private slaves, slaves of the state; as well as traditional crafts practiced by this community during the same period of time: nomadic blacksmiths, armourers, vagrant entertainmenters, horseshoes, goldsmiths.

  • Issue Year: XXII/2017
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 91-106
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Romanian