The Banat Village Museum in Timisoara has become a real history book these days, with pages that open at the beginning of the medieval era, crossing the whole of Europe, from the Caucasian steppe to Spain and the Scandinavian countries.
The Medieval Festival “By fire and sword”, organized by the Timis County Council, running until Sunday at 15:00, presents almost everything that is symbolic for those times, from the brave weapon handlers and the work of slaves to the crafts of the era, the preparation of food and the music of that time, above all reigning simplicity and a much deeper connection with nature.
Vlad Bogdan, the leader of the reconstitution group Hrafnabroethr, Varangian navigators and fighters from the 10th century, declared for AGERPRES that he represents the 10th century of the Russian Kievan space, with its various cultures.
“We have archery workshops, jewelry casting, blacksmithing, the presence of slaves in society at that time, experimental cuisine, games and replicas of games from that time. There are replicas of some weapons, Carolingian-type swords, swords from nomadic peoples, spears , hand axes, simple round shields, adapted nomadic or Carolingian style Spangenhelm helmets. In particular, we also train with these weapons, so they are not difficult for us to handle after a while. Our military equipment is made by other specialized craftsmen, because it would take us 10 years of practice. We prefer to show the public how to work with them and not to work on their creation,” Vlad Bogdan said.
The medieval Timisoara citadel was at the confluence of two warring empires, the Hapsburg and the Ottoman, and the men here at that time were preoccupied, including during peacetime, with forging and repairing weapons, as well as with daily training.
In the festival, all of this is played by the Losonczy Istvan Association, which opens the gates of the defenders of the Timisoara Fortress in the face of the Ottoman expansion in the 16th century, and the Eyalet of Timisoara talks about the representatives of the Ottoman world, with whom, starting in 1552, Timisoara enters a new era.
In the distance, the music of Specimen Teatro (Italy) can be heard, presenting wonderful love songs from the medieval peninsula, full of rhythm and passion, in a show “Canti d’amore e tarantelle” – Songs of love and tarantelles, an old traditional music from the south of the Italic Boot.
On the way to them, you can feel the aromas of the camp cook, Vlad Brego, who, very dynamically, is always thinking about the culinary combinations he can use, because he has to cook good food, with very few ingredients, as much as he could find then. Tonight, lamb will be served.
