#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

“Hansca – archaeological site and school-site (50 years from the beginning of research)”

April 18 - May 5, 2014

A new exhibition with the generic "Hansca - archaeological site and school-site (50 years from the beginning of research)" was opened to the large public at the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The exhibition reunites about 300 archaeological objects, the most representative from HANSCA collection, which have scientific, documentary, historic and esthetic value.

Exhibition “Hansca – archaeological site and school-site (50 years from the beginning of research)”

The pieces included in the exhibition are authentic with only a very small number of objects being subject to some obvious procedures of restoration and conservation. They reflect economic activities displayed through tools of metal, bone, clay or stone; the esthetic taste shown through clothing and adornment objects; religious representations reflected through miniature pieces, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic and through the „magic kit", all dated with the 4th-3rd centuries BC.

Religious beliefs from the Middle Ages are represented by a cross made from wire and a Byzantine type encolpion. Exchange and commercial relations with the Greek and Roman world, and with the Byzantine and Slavic world later in the Medieval period, are documented by objects of glass, bronze and silver.

The original exhibits are accompanied by panoramic or detailed photographic images which reflect the archaeological investigations conducted by researchers and the active participation of students.

International Day for Monuments and Sites celebrated at the National Museum of History of Moldova

Dedicated to the semicentenary from the first archaeological excavation at the site from Hansca, the exhibition is a tribute to all those who through their dedication and perseverance contributed essentially to the valorification of national archaeological heritage and to an objective reconstruction of historic process.

One of the most important sites with objectives of great scientific interest for the archeology and history of Romanian space east of Carpathians has been discovered and investigated near Hansca village, Ialoveni district. The site from Hansca has been identified in 1959. Already in 1960 were conducted the first surveys and were discovered remains of habitat from Getae-Dacian and early medieval periods.

Systematic archaeological investigations at the site from Hansca began in 1964 and continued during 20 archaeological campaigns. As a result of the excavations a total surface of several thousands of square meters has been uncovered. There were discovered remains dated with the late Bronze Age (Noua culture); early Hallstatt (Tămăoani-Holercani culture); Getae culture; Sântana de Mureș-Cernjahov culture and early and developed medieval period.

Starting with the dimensions of the researched area and the number and diversity of discovered archaeological material, the site from Hansca is rightfully considered to be as one of the most representative ancient and medieval monument from Carpathian-Dniester space.

The site from Hansca played a very special role as archaeological site and school. Here, during the entire period of research, tenth of generations of students from history departments conducted their compulsory archeological internship. At Hansca, the students, many of whom later became renowned archaeologists in the Republic of Moldova, have learned and practiced excavation techniques, methods and methodologies of heritage and artifacts management.