O toacă unicat din Maramureș - România. Note despre istoria acestui instrument la români

A unique and previously unrecognized semantron, a rare type of church bell, was discovered in the 17th-century wooden church of Strâmtura, Maramureș, Romania. This instrument features a horizontal axis with six mobile mallets arranged around a round disk, striking a wooden plank—a design reminiscent of solar symbols and distinct from traditional semantrons. The discovery sheds light on the historical significance of this instrument in Romanian Orthodox churches, which dates back to at least the 17th century and is linked to myths, including one involving Noah's Ark. The study also highlights other sophisticated semantrons, such as those from Rouen Cathedral (France) and villages in Transcarpathia (Ukraine), providing a comparative context for understanding this instrument's evolution and cultural importance. The findings underscore the need for conservation efforts to preserve this unique artifact within its original setting.

Ivanciuc, T. (2018). O toacă unicat din Maramureș - România. Note despre istoria acestui instrument la români. Anuarul Muzeului Etnograif Al Transilvaniei, 32, 29–51. https://doi.org/10.47802/amet.2018.32.03