Momârlanului Museum

Str. Slatinioara, Petrosani

Passing through Petrosani, a mining town with tourist ambitions, nothing suggests that in this area still carries his age one of the oldest rural communities in Romania. Because mining started in 1840 and due to the urban development that followed, the majority of  “momârlani” were compelled either to adjust to the new lifestyle, or to withdraw  their households up in the hillsAmong the approximately 10,000 “momârlani” remaining in the Jiu Valley, few of them remember the similarity of “momârlani” with the Dacians about Trajan’s Column remind.

But who are “momârlani” actually? DEX translate the word “momârlan” as “stupid man, rude, unmannerly”. In reply, some sources even refer to Latin language, “momârlan” consisting of the words “momo” (= peasant) and “lan” (= native), while the term was altered during the times. “Momârlani” were also called “Jieni” after the Jiu river (mentioned by Herodotus and Ptolemy as Gilfil or Gilpil) that runs through the area.

Tracks of the “momârlani” are stored in two museums in Petrosani, two authentic houses, over 200 years old. Here,  the traditional tools and patrimonial objects donated by families of “momârlani”  are exposed to arouse the interest of the tourists, but also of the locals, “momârlani” being  an insufficiently addressed and discussed topic even in the area.

Source: www.descopera.ro