#Exhibit of the Month

This clay vessel was discovered in 1982 by archaeologist V. Sorochin during excavations of a burial mound (no. 1) located in the village of Speia, Dubăsari District. It originates from grave no. 5 and is dated to the 4th millennium BC, belonging to the Usatovo culture.
The vessel was found in a child's grave. The burial pit had an oval shape, and the deceased was laid in a crouched position (similar to the fetal posture), on the left side. A total of five vessels were uncovered in this grave: three near the back, one at the feet, and one in the pelvic area.
The cultural attribution of this funerary complex was determined based on the burial rite and grave goods. This culture is characterized by the specific construction of the burial pit, as well as the positioning and orientation of the deceased toward the east and northeast.

The vessel is shaped from clay mixed with finely crushed shell. Its walls curve gradually toward the top, with the widest diameter at the shoulder area. It has a short neck, a slightly flared rim, and a flat base. The surface is carefully polished, in some areas to a lustrous finish. The interior is reddish-brown, while the exterior is yellowish-brown with gray spots. The rim features groups of perforations, three of which are preserved in their original state. The diameter of the holes is 0.35 cm. The space between the groups of perforations is decorated with cord impressions. The transition from the neck to the shoulder is adorned with three horizontal lines made with cord, from which, in five places, three vertical lines descend, each 5 cm long, executed using the same technique. At the time of discovery, these lines were filled with a white paste. The space between the groups of lines is decorated at the top with short vertical lines (0.5 cm long), and in the center with a meander ornament made of two parallel lines impressed with cord. The base of the vessel retains the imprint of a textile.
Vessel dimensions: Height: 22 cm; Rim diameter: 15.7 cm; Maximum diameter: 22 cm; Base diameter: 10 cm.

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Exhibitions

Exhibition of Christmas Trees

November 20th – 10th December 10th, 2015

For three weeks the National Museum of History of Moldova hosted the 5th edition of the Exhibition of Christmas Trees. The exhibition is part of the contest „Ball of Christmas Trees" project - a unique contest of creativity and design targeting young talented students from Republic of Moldova, initiated and supported by Nata Albot and Viorica Nagacevschi, founders of NGO „KLumea".

This year, unlike previous editions, not only art students got engaged in the competition but also consecrated artists. The exhibition organized by „Klumea" team gathered 57 handcrafted art works made using different techniques by students from the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts, the Technical University of Moldova and experienced artists. They competed in originality and craftsmanship, making their trees of different materials, such as glass, wood, metal, textiles, paper, quail eggs and feathers, decorated with spoons, paintings, musical notes, boots, paint tubes, pillows, thread balls and all kind of toys.

In the exhibition were presented also five threes created by Hospice Angelus, Boarding Girls School from Hâncești, Center for children with autism "Puzzle Kids", National Association "Defeat cystic fibrosis" and Foundation "Good Heart". These trees did not participate in the context.

5467 exhibition visitors had the opportunity to vote for the dearest tree based on the entrance ticket and to participate in a silent auction of exhibited artworks. The auction consisted in writing the amount of money to be donated on a list attached to the tree.

At the exhibition closing, a jury of five members, which included organizers, sponsors and journalists, announced the winners of the three prizes. The most beautiful trees in the competition were announced in the evening of December 11th in an auction event.

The 1st Prize was won by Oxana Turtureanu, student at AMTFA for the tree „Dor de dor" (7000 lei, gifts and a trip to Poland offered by the Cultural Institute „Adam Mickiewicz" of Warsaw). The 2nd Prize was won by Andrei Brânza, student at TUM with the tree „Ciclice" (Cyclic) and Valentin Bostan, student at AMTFA, with the tree „Lacrima unui popor" (Teardrop of nation) (5000 lei and gifts). The 3rd Prize was won by Alexandru Terenti, student at TUM for the tree „West wood" (2000 lei and gifts). The prize "Public Sympathy" went to Ecaterina Căpățină and Vadim Antoni for the tree „Nemurire" (Immortality) with most votes form exhibition visitors (3000 lei and gifts).

Half of the money raised in the auction returned to the tree creators and the other half went to project „Arterapia" initiated by KLumea for decoration of children hospitals' interiors from Chișinău.

#Exhibit of the Month

Clay Vessel discovered in Speia Village, Dubăsari District

Exhibition of Christmas Trees

November 20th – 10th December 10th, 2015

#Exhibit of the Month