#Exhibit of the Month

We find ourselves in the month of April, as we prepare to celebrate Easter-a moveable religious holiday rich in festive rituals and ceremonial activities that place this event at the very heart of Christian spiritual life. The spirit of the Resurrection is beautifully complemented by ten Easter-themed postcards from the heritage of the National Museum of History of Moldova, printed a century ago. These pieces were added to the museum's postcard collection over a decade ago following a successful acquisition; as the fund for Easter-themed illustrations is modest, we are in a constant search for new additions.

These postcards are "extraordinary" in terms of their postal, typographical, and chromatic effects-the primary reason for revisiting this genre of greetings. Unlike "classic" postcards, these are smaller in size (6.5 cm x 11 cm), made of cardboard (with the exception of one piece made of photographic paper in black and white), and feature "vivid" colors. Printed in Romania and Germany, they bear the marks of having been sent and circulated through the post.

The name of the holiday originates from the verb persach, meaning "to pass," a term adopted by the Jews from the Egyptians. It entered the Romanian language through the Byzantine-Latin form Paschae, signifying the "passage through death to life, the victory of life, and liberation from the bondage of sin." Easter is a holiday of tolerance and forgiveness, representing a bridge between the present and the past. The significance of this celebration is conveyed through its symbols, which are also featured on these postcards: Hand-painted eggs, the Easter Bunny and the Lamb, traditional sweet breads (cozonac and pască), biblical scenes related to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Easter table also features pască-a ritual food reminiscent of ancient, bloodless "reconciliation" sacrifices. Its preparation is the exclusive task of women, the givers of life, as the leavened dough is considered "alive."

The most significant component of the Easter holiday, however, is the Light. The Ceremony of the Holy Light is associated with the miracle of the light appearing on Easter Sunday at Christ's Tomb in Jerusalem. The candle, often depicted in these images, carries a powerful message; it is with the Resurrection candle that we return home after the midnight religious service. Furthermore, the Easter Bunny represents the rebirth of nature, so eagerly awaited after a harsh winter.

Unlike Christmas, when the announcement and ritual integration of the community into sacred time was the duty of caroling groups, at Easter, "one does not go from house to house." Instead, the ritual meal is organized within each family, symbolizing a direct communion with God.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"Archaeologist Emanuil RIKMAN – 100 years since his birth"

13 April – 24 May 2023

The exhibition is dedicated to the illustrious archaeologist Emanuil Rikman, former scientific researcher at the Academy of Sciences of the Moldovan SSR (1952-1968) and professor of archeology at the State Pedagogical University "Ion Creangă" (1955-1958) and the Moldova State University (1958, 1961-1966).

Emanuil Rikman is one of the fathers of ancient archeology in the Republic of Moldova. He carried out extensive research on the archeology of the Roman era, promoted investigations on the Romanization of the Geto-Dacians, carried out large-scale studies at sites from the ancient period and the Middle Ages, including at the sites of Budești, Bălțata, Sobari, Comrat, Costești, etc.

He promoted studies on traditional Romanian culture in Bessarabia and Northern Bucovina, conducted ethnographic field research in Northern Moldova. He has published more than 110 studies of archeology and ethnography. He contributed to the formation of the archaeological school in the MSSR.

Emanuil Rikman was born on January 10, 1923 in Berdichev, Reg. Zhitomir, Ukraine, died in 1987, being buried in Moscow.

The exhibition "Archaeologist Emanuil RIKMAN - 100 years since his birth" aims to commemorate and pay tribute to the scientist Emanuil Rikman by exposing to the general public some documentary materials related to the fruitful activity of the late researcher and pedagogue.

The exhibition includes 2 types of exhibits: documentary materials related to the personality of Emanuil Rikman and various archaeological pieces discovered by Emanuil Rikman, currently kept in the patrimonial funds of NMHM.

The documentary materials are copies extracted from Emanuil Rikman's personal archive, archaeological reports from the NMHM archive, the scholar's monographs, photographic images from archaeological sites and Emanuil Rikman's ethnographic expeditions on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. Part of the documentary materials for the organization of the exhibition were provided by the Faculty of History of the MSU and the National Archaeological Agency.

The archaeological vestiges on display represent original pieces from Emanuil Rikman's excavations from the sites of Budești, Comrat, Bălțata, Caracușenii Noi, etc. The exhibition presents archaeological pieces made of ceramics, bronze, copper, silver, glass, bone, etc., dated in the II-IV centuries, including pots-jars, cups, jugs, bowls, Roman amphorae, brooches, beads, pendants, objects toilet etc.

The exhibition "Archaeologist Emanuil RIKMAN - 100 years since his birth" can be visited during 13 April - 24 May 2023, in the upstairs hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 str., 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

Easter-Themed Postcards

"Archaeologist Emanuil RIKMAN – 100 years since his birth"

13 April – 24 May 2023

#Exhibit of the Month