#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.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

„Memory Captured in Postcards”

April 6 - May 20, 2013

In the upstairs hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova there was open a temporary exhibition Memory Captured in Postcards dedicated to the International Day for Monuments and Sites that is celebrating annually on 18 April.

The exhibition was organized by the Modern History Department and aims to acquaint visitors with the diversity of national heritage and to awaken their interest to the monuments and respect for history. The exhibition warns of the danger in which there are some monuments and calls for their protection and conservation.

The core of the exhibition is illustrated postcards from the collections of the museum; it consists of 275 images covering the period from the late 19^th century to 2011.

The exhibition structure is divided into two compartments:

The first includes postcards illustrating the historical monuments of Bessarabia, including those of Chisinau, in the period from the late 19^th century to 1940s. By means of the postcards visitors will "travel" through time, admiring the central avenue of the city and architecture of buildings and recreational facilities.

The second compartment includes postcards with the images of monuments today. There are presented pictures that reflect the history of the Republic of Moldova from 1980s to the present. Along with images of old monuments preserved to this day, there are given images of buildings, which are the symbols of the Republic of Moldova: the Presidency, Parliament, Government House, City Hall, etc. A special place there is occupied by picture postcards with the buildings of institutions of culture and art, monuments and statues, churches and monasteries, museums of natural history in the area between the Prut and Dniester.

The postcards are accompanied by a mini-collection of wall and floor clocks that symbolize the time that erases..., but also retains.

#Exhibit of the Month

Clay Vessel discovered in Speia Village, Dubăsari District

„Memory Captured in Postcards”

April 6 - May 20, 2013

#Exhibit of the Month