#Exhibit of the Month

Bronze cauldrons of the Scythian time are rare in the Northern Black Sea region, especially on its western borders. Therefore, those few items found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova occupy a worthy place in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM). In particular, in the archaeological exhibition, two bronze cauldrons are displayed, discovered near the village of Nicolscoe in 1988 in burial mounds no. 14 and 15. In addition, in 2020, two bronze cauldrons without any accompanying documents were found in the collection of NMHM; however, they were visually identified as coming from various excavations in the Low Dniester region, such as burial mound no. 45 near Dubăsari and burial mound no. 1 near the Răscăieții Noi village.

The object presented as the exhibit of the month is a little-known find discovered in 1979 in barrow 1 near the village of Răscăieții Noi in the Ștefan Vodă district. In addition to its outstanding size (about 10 m high), this mound is known for discovering a cast bronze finial in the Scythian animal style on its surface in 1953. However, by the beginning of excavations, the locals had damaged part of the mound and a Scythian cast bronze cauldron was found near it. The cauldron was seriously damaged by mechanical impact, as a result of which the rim was deformed, and the walls, with one preserved vertical handle, were bent inwards. Fragments in the upper part of the body and one handle have been lost. The total reconstructed height of the cauldron is 24 cm (excluding the handles), the reconstructed diameter of the hemispherical cauldron is 30 cm, and the weight is 6.5 kg. In 2020, data on the chemical composition of the bronze cauldron alloy were obtained, revealing that it was cast from an alloy of almost 95 per cent copper. Unfortunately, due to the loss of information on the context of the discovery of the cauldron at Răscăieții Noi, it is impossible to link its discovery with one or another Scythian burial of the barrow. Moreover, the grave goods of other Scythian burials of Barrow 1 do not allow them to date below the 4th century BC. However, the cauldron with vertical handles from Răscăieții Noi most likely belongs earlier. This may be indicated by a bronze finial from the first half of the 5th century BC, which was found on this barrow in 1953. In addition, burial 7 from the nearest excavated barrow 2 at Răscăieții Noi, containing a plaque depicting a rolled predator (a copy of which is also on display at the NMHM), belongs to the mid- 5th century BC. Thus, there is a high probability that the cauldron from Barrow 1 at Răscăieții Noi is associated with the late Middle Scythian period or the mid-5th century BC.

Scythian bronze cauldrons in the west area are concentrated in three main regions: Bukovina-Podolia, the Lower Danube, and the Lower Dniester. Some Scythian cauldrons have no reliable archaeological context. Nevertheless, in combination with the same "stray" finds like the Scythian statues, the finds of Scythian cauldrons mark the Scythian presence, most likely not earlier than the late 6th century or even the turn of the 6th-5th centuries BC. The cauldrons first appeared in Bukovina, where they have been known since the middle of the 7th century BC. Bronze cauldrons (with their carriers) entered the steppe region 150-200 years later, and the "military" burials that appeared in the western steppe regions were no earlier than the middle of the 5th century BC. Most burials with cauldrons (and, apparently, the stray finds) are dated back to the second half of the 5th century BC. Then, in the early 4th century BC, their quantity was reduced, and after the first quarter of the 4th century BC, they completely disappeared from the cultural practice of the population of the steppes of the North-Western Black Sea region.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"30 years of the Moldovan leu"

Organizers: National Museum of History of Moldova, National Bank of Moldova

25 – 30 November 2023

November 29, 2023 marks 30 years since the introduction of the national currency of the Republic of Moldova. After the declaration of Sovereignty and Independence, the process of establishing the new state began with a series of important measures related to the creation or reorganization of state institutions, the adoption of the new legislation necessary for the functioning of an independent state, the management and reform of the economy. Among the urgent problems of that period was the introduction of the national currency. Already on July 25, 1990, the decision was received to introduce, starting in 1991, the common national currency with the Soviet money. At the beginning of 1991, the National Bank and the Government in order to protect the consumer market in the S.S.R. Moldova, decided to introduce coupons that would circulate simultaneously with the ex-Soviet ruble. These, called "Consumer's Card", were 247x199 mm sheets of paper, initially black and white (in March) and color (starting in April).

On June 11, 1991, the Law "On the National Bank of Moldova" was approved, in article 10 of which it was mentioned that the monetary signs will be issued in the form of banknotes (banknotes) and coins, without specifying the name of the currency yet national. On January 23, 1992, the Parliament adopted the Decision "Regarding monetary-merchandise circulation". In this document, for the first time, the name of the future national currency was nominated: the (Moldovan) leu.

On June 2, 1992, Decision no. 371 of the Government regarding the introduction of coupons with multiple valorization of the National Bank of Moldova as a means of payment. On that occasion, starting from June 10, 1992, the coupon with the nominal value of 200 was launched, which was to circulate in parallel with the rubles. A month later, the coupon with a nominal value of 50, equivalent to 50 rubles, was introduced.

November 29, 2023 marks 30 years since the introduction of the national currency of the Republic of Moldova into circulation. The exhibition organized by the National History Museum of Moldova in collaboration with the National Bank of Moldova aims to commemorate this event and familiarize the general public with the history of the introduction of the Moldovan leu.

The period passed by the young state Republic of Moldova from the declaration of Sovereignty and Independence until the introduction of the lion was arduous and difficult. The country is facing strong inflation, with a large deficit in the field of food and non-food production. To be part of the problems, the country needed its own monetary system. Until the presidential decree no. 200 "Regarding the introduction of the national currency in the Republic of Moldova" from November 24, 1993, the Republic of Moldova experienced several stages and types of temporary monetary units.

In order to create for the general public a broad picture of the history of the introduction of the leu, the exhibition will present a series of materials preceding the monetary reform, materials that reflect the process of designing and making provisional money, numismatic pieces in circulation, as well as coins commemoratives issued by the National Bank of Moldova. The public has the opportunity to see in the exhibition the black-and-white coupons, as well as the color ones, called "Consumer's Card", put into circulation at the beginning of 1991 by the National Bank and the Government in order to protect the consumer market of SSR Moldova. These are followed by the multiple redemption coupons introduced on June 2, 1992, equivalent to the Soviet ruble 1:1, which had values of 200, 50, 1000 and 5000 (rubles). On September 20, 1993, the 5 lei coupon equivalent to 5000 coupons (rubles) was introduced as a means of payment. The 5 lei banknote, then called a coupon, actually represents one of the first three lei specimens developed by master Gheorghe Vrabie. All these banknotes can be seen in the exhibition windows. These are followed by specimens of the banknotes in circulation today, the metallic coins, including those taken out of circulation, as well as the jubilee and commemorative coins.

The first jubilee coin issued by the National Bank of Moldova was devoted to the fifth anniversary of the proclamation of the independence of the Republic of Moldova, with a nominal value of 100 lei.

In 2000, the first series of such coins was inaugurated: the Moldovan Monasteries. The specimens from this series with the nominal value of 50 lei, made of silver, included the images of 20 monasteries from the Republic of Moldova. The graphic sketches were executed by plastic artists Vitalie Pogolşa and Simion Zamşa. Later, other commemorative and jubilee monetary series were introduced: Historical events; Alley of the classics in the Public Garden "Stefan the Great and Saint" in Chisinau; Sports; Personalities; Holy places; Monuments of Moldova; Holidays, culture, traditions of Moldova; Red Book of the Republic of Moldova, Famous Women, Science and Innovation, Childhood Stories, etc.