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#Exhibit of the Month

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The 21 beads form part of a bronze hoard found in 2019 within a forested area close to the town of Nisporeni. Alongside the beads, the hoard included numerous bronze ornaments (2 Röschitz-Sanislău-type fibulae, 7 necklaces, 12 rings, 22 tubes, 23 bracelets, and approximately 80 appliqués), one coral bead and a pendant made from a wild animal's tooth. At present, the amber beads are preserved in the collections of the Muzeul Național de Istorie a Moldovei, while the remainder of the hoard is in the possession of a private collector.
The hoard was discovered accidentally in a pit about 50 cm deep. The objects in this hoard are of Western origin, with known parallels in archaeological complexes from Poland, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia, and, to a lesser extent, in Romania. The presence of this bronze hoard on the territory of the Republic of Moldova illustrates the cultural dynamics of the region during the Early Iron Age and a fundamental shift in the vector of cultural influences from east to west.
The amber bead strand comprises 16 whole beads and five fragmentary ones. They have an elongated biconical shape and vary in size. The beads are brown-reddish in color; their lengths range from 1.1 to 3.1 cm, widths from 0.6 to 1.4 cm, thicknesses from 0.6 to 1.1 cm, and the perforation diameter ranges between 0.2 and 0.3 cm.
Amber beads appear in several bronze hoards dated to the Late Bronze Age in the eastern half of Slovakia and in Transdanubian Hungary. Parallels are also known from the Cioclovina Cave in Romania. With the onset of the Iron Age, amber items disappear from the Carpathian Basin for approximately 300 years, reappearing alongside the arrival of Scythian elements.
The bronze hoard discovered at Nisporeni is dated to the HaA2-HaB1-2 interval (1050/1000 - 800/750 B.C.).

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Publications Journal „Tyragetia"   vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2


Mysteries, myths and realities regarding the testament of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł
ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Mysteries, myths and realities regarding the testament of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015

Abstract

The matter of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł’s will is one of little-known questions. Usually this issue was considered by historians in the context of property of the Radziwill family, or used by writers in literary fiction that gave rise to many myths. In this article the author examines this question in several ways: 1) The property brought by Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł, a daughter of Vasile Lupu, as a dowry; 2) Wiano and wedding gifts; 3) Awards of Polish kings for life ownership of real property; 4) The property of her husband. The amount of the dowry of Maria is not exactly known, but according to documentary evidence, it numbered from 600,000 to 2000,000 zlotys: 450 thousand in money and 150 thousand in jewels (gold and silver). Besides, she received six starostwos (territorial units) for life tenure. After the death of Janusz Radziwiłł (1655), Maria tried to return the money and jewelry from her dowry, which was at the time under the custody of a cousin of her husband - Bogusław Radziwiłł, but he evaded the return of its property. Maria Radziwiłł has repeatedly appealed for help to the king, her relatives and tribunals, but could not get justice. She died in 1660, leaving a will. Her heirs managed to return 471,400 zlotys, which were given to 13 convents, seven churches, Slutsk School, Vilnius Boarding School, and 3 hospitals. 600 zlotys were unsubscribed to the service of forty Prayers. Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius got 200 thousand zlotys. The remaining heirs received from 400,000 to 100 zlotys. The closest relatives of Maria Radziwiłł – Gospodar Stefaniță, her half brother on the father, and her sister Ruxandra, Tymish Khmelnytsky’s widow, also actively fought for her property. The author concludes that the relatives did not appear in her will. Disputes regarding Maria’s property lasted until the beginning of the 19th century that later (and up to the present) gave rise to many legends and myths.

List of annexes and illustrations:
Annex 1. Fragment of the document: Regestr skarbnice albo rzeczy Radziwiłłowny koniuszanki WXL która posyła z Królewca. 1670, Królewic (56 stron), str. 21v-22 (Vilniaus universiteto biblioteka Rankraščių skyrius).
Annex 2. Fragment of the document: Археографический сборник документовЪ относящихся кЪ исторiи Северозападной Руси (Вильнюс 1870), 373-374, док. 91 Vilniaus universiteto biblioteka Rankraščių skyrius, F4-(A231)18003, 18004).
Annex 3. Fragment of the document: Археографический сборник документовъ относящихся къ исторiи Северозападной Руси (Вильнюс 1870), 373-374, док. 91 Vilniaus universiteto biblioteka Rankraščių skyrius, F4-(A231)18003, 18004).
Annex 4. Fragment of the document: Regestr skarbnice albo rzeczy Radziwiłłowny koniuszanki WXL która posyła z Królewca. 1670, Królewic (56 stron), str. 45 (Vilniaus universiteto biblioteka Rankraščių skyrius).
Annex 5. Fragment of the document: Lietuvos Valstybes Istorijos Archyvas, F. 1280 (Radivilos 1416-1939), A. 1, nr.
599, 76 v (Zablódow 1581-1824).
Fig. 1. Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł (copy of the portrait by Matthäus Merian (Jr.) made by unknown artist. Dział Doku- mentacji Wizualnej i Digitalizacji. Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie).
Fig. 2. Janusz Radziwiłł, husband of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł (after Leybowicz 1758). Fig. 3. Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł (after Leybowicz 1758).
Fig. 4. Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł (from colection of M. Berson).
Fig. 5. Orthodox Church from Kedainiai (Keydani) (a-b - after Kedainiai Regional Museum; c-d - photo by the author).
Fig. 6. Bogusław Radziwiłł, husband of Anna Maria Radziwiłł (after Leybowicz 1758). Fig. 7. Anna Maria Radziwiłł (after Leybowicz 1758).
Fig. 8. Portrait of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł (unknown author) (https://www.google.MariaRadziwill). Fig. 9. Ludwika Karolina Radziwiłł (after Leybowicz 1758).

Lilia Zabolotnaia
New documentary explorations in Cantemirology: The will of Matei Cantemir
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVIII [XXXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Some notes about Branković dynasty
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
The destiny of woman in the history of Moldavia. Myths and realities about Catherine the Circassian – the second wife of the hospodar Vasile Lupu
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Helena Krasowska, The Polish Minority in South-Eastern Ukraine. Warsaw: Institute of Slavic Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 2017, 389 p. ISBN: 978-83-64031-65-6
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XII [XXVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Nicolae Fuştei, Mitropolitul Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni 1746-1821: activităţi culturale şi ecleziastice. Chişinău: Biblioteca ştiinţifică (Institut) „Andrei Lupan”, 2021, 464 p. ISBN 978-9975-62-452-7
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVI [XXXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie



 

 

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#Exhibit of the Month

The 21 beads form part of a bronze hoard found in 2019 within a forested area close to the town of Nisporeni. Alongside the beads, the hoard included numerous bronze ornaments (2 Röschitz-Sanislău-type fibulae, 7 necklaces, 12 rings, 22 tubes, 23 bracelets, and approximately 80 appliqués), one coral bead and a pendant made from a wild animal's tooth...

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2026 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2026 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

menu
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2026 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC