mărţisor

MĂRŢIŞORSymbol of spring

Mărţişor is the traditional celebration of the beginning of spring, celebrated on the 1st of March. The name is the diminutive of the month March (in Romanian Martie), and thus means something like "little" or "dear March".

Mărţior is a trinket, an amulet worn to welcome spring!

It is said that the amulet’s festivity dates back to the Roman Empire, when the New Year was

celebrated on the first day of spring in March, which was the month of Mars, the god of war, but also

of fertility and of vegetation. This duality is remarkable in the colours of the amulet, red meaning war

and white peace. So, the “mărţisor” signifies the war, the fight between winter and spring.

Legend of the “Mărţişor”

It is believed that the beautiful Spring went to a forest and noticed the first snowdrop, as a sign of the

coming spring.

She decided to help the little snowdrop to see the light by removing the snow and tearing the branches which didn’t let it see the world.

Winter saw what was happening and in a furious attack called the wind and the frost to freeze the flower. Spring covered the snowdrop with the hand, but she hurt herself on one finger. A drop of blood ran down on her finger, which, falling on the snowdrop, helped it come to life.

Thus, Spring defeated Winter.

Nowadays, men offer women this symbol called Mărţişor, consisting of a jewel or a small decoration like a flower, an animal or a heart, tied to a red and white string.

Women wear it pinned to the blouse on the 1st March and up to two weeks after.

It was believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be powerful and healthy for the year to come.

The decoration is a symbol of the coming spring, of a the rebirth of nature and ourselves.