Arhiva Protopopiatului Ortodox Sălişte (1848-1937)
Sălişte Orthodox Parish Archive (1848-1937)

Summary/Abstract: This article explores the importance of one ecclesiastical archive compiled by the Romanian Orthodox Deanery of Sălişte during 1848 and 1937. The main goal is to describe these sources, examine the nature of their contents, and consider how they can be used individually or together to research the history of the so-called region „Mărginimea Sibiului”. The archive preserves detailed records about vital events as birth, marriage and death. They also provide key information about churches, priests, teachers, schools. The registers allow us to learn more about morals and customs, including popular culture, popular costumes, handmade industry products. Scholars interested in the history of family can use the registers to find data on migration patterns and the ways that family structures changed over time, what is the population size, the density of communities and the occupational structure, while those researching Romanian local elites can also reconstitute the life course of priests and teachers with known background, literacy, occupations, eventual marriage(s) and migratory moves. Other ecclesiastical records provide important information on local social and economic structures, as well as the ways in which they could change over time. The existence of Sălişte ecclesiastical sources provides us with a unique opportunity to use archival data along with information collected from other sources in order to better understand local social structures, customs, and the lives of the Romanian‘s men and women.

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