#Exhibit of the Month

The great ruler Stephen the Great, outstanding army commander and diplomat, was also concerned during his life with the economic prosperity of the country, supporting the development of crafts, trade and fairs. During his reign, groși and half groși minted in the dinar system were issued, a monetary system introduced in Moldova during the last reign of Petru Aron (1455-1457).

The coins were minted from silver of superior title, those that reflect stability in the economic life of the country at that time. Their masterful execution at the Suceava mint is among the beautiful artistic achievements during the reign of Stephen the Great.

During his reign, two types of issues were minted, for the two denominations: groși and half groși.

Type I issues have a split shield on the obverse; in the first quarter appears a rose surmounted by a cross and three fascias, in the second quarter. For the epigraph issues (groși), the image is accompanied by the circular legend with the name of the issuer: + STEFANVS VOIEVODA. On the other side appears the bour's head with a star between the horns accompanied by the heraldic furniture - the rose and the contoured crescent, placed to the right and left of the bour's head; circular legend: MOLDAVIE COIN.

On type II coins in the shield on the obverse appears a patriarchal cross (double) and the legend STEFANVSVOIEVOD or abbreviated STEFANVSVOIE. On the reverse, as in type I, the bour's head with heraldic attributes is preserved: rose right/crescent left and crescent right/rose left. A star or rose appears between the ox's horns. The legend accompanying the face with the bour head is MONETAMOLDAVI or abbreviated MONETAMOLDA.

The dating of Stephen the Great's coins is still under discussion. According to one opinion, type I issues were minted between 1457-1476, and type II between 1480/1481-1505 (Octavian Iliescu), and another 1465/1467-1475/1476 for type I and 1476/1479-1497 for type II (Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu).

The coins in this showcase were discovered during the archaeological excavations at Orheiul Vechi (Trebujeni, Orhei district) in the 6th and 7th decades of the 20th century:

1. Type I money issues, groși, silver
2. Type II money issues, groși, silver
3. Type II coin issue, half groși, silver

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"Dialogue in Space and Time"

Chinese Clothing Culture Exhibition

May 18 – June 21, 2024

We announce with great joy the opening of the exhibition of Chinese clothing culture "Dialogue in space and time", for the first time in the Republic of Moldova, organized in partnership with the Embassy of China in the Republic of Moldova.

Clothing is a necessity in people's lives, having practical functions such as protection against cold and heat, wind and rain, and also being an important cultural vehicle. China is a multi-ethnic country with a long history, known as the "Kingdom of Clothes" for its rich clothing tradition. Over the millennia, the evolution of China's clothing culture reflects the development of the material and spiritual civilization of the various dynasties, while also shaping a continuous picture of the lives of various ethnic groups.

This exhibition of clothing items from Chinese culture is divided into two parts: historical and ethnic. The first part follows the thread of time and briefly presents the evolution of clothing in China from the 14th century, the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) and the modern era. In the second part, traditional clothing items characteristic of the Miao, Tibetan and Uyghur Chinese peoples are exhibited, according to the spatial criterion.

The more than 20 exhibits talk about the daily life and imagination of the peoples of China, like shooting stars from the Milky Way that emit a unique light, sending us back to distant times and legendary spaces.

The exhibition "Dialogue in space and time" can be visited between May 18 - June 21, 2024, and its inauguration will take place on May 18, on International Museum Day, at 3:30 p.m., in Hall no. 1 of the National History Museum of Moldova, Chisinau, str. 31 August 1989, 121A.

General partner: ARIDON Group.