#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.

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Exhibitions

"Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art"

March 23 – April 30, 2023

The exhibition of the project "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" is a cultural endeavor that aims to promote the beauty and richness of Romanian traditions and folk art, starting from the pride and passion with which Queen Maria promoted these cultural values authentic both through his political activity and through his cultural work.

The exhibition speech made by the historian Nicolae Pepene is focused on archival images of the Crown Princess / Queen Maria of Romania in folk costume, photographed in her residences in Bicaz, Bran, Cotroceni or Peleș. Images from the period 1893 - 1936 are presented, accompanied by explanatory texts and quotes from the work of the sovereign. The exhibition also includes a selection of images from the illustration of children's books written by Queen Maria, works that abound in drawings inspired by the image of traditional Romanian costumes and objects adorned with popular motifs.

The exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" was launched in 2018, on the occasion of the celebration of the Centenary of Great Romania, being presented at the Cotroceni National Museum and, in outdoor form, in Piața Unirii in Oradea, in Piața Unirii from Râșnov, Piața Sfatului from Brașov and at the Bran National Museum. Then, the exhibition was presented in Iași, in the pedestrian area of Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Boulevard, and in Timișoara, in Iulius Mall, in 2019, and at the Maramureș County Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art, in 2020.

At the international level, the exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" was presented in Washington DC, at the United States Institute of Peace, within the Alliance Gala Awards 2018; in Brussels, in the main headquarters of the EU Council and the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe (Justus Lipsius building), on the occasion of the "Open Day" event at the European institutions in Brussels, in 2019; in Paris, in the headquarters of the Romanian Embassy in France, as part of the "For the love of beauty" Festival, organized by the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Western and Southern Europe, on October 13, 2019 (the event was attended by HRH Margareta, the Custodian of the Crown of Romania, and the Prince Radu of Romania).

The exhibition also traveled to Ireland, Dublin, Canada, Montreal and Quebec in 2018; in the United States of America, in Philadelphia, Chicago and St. Paul (Minnesota) in 2019 and at the Maryhill Museum of Art in 2020.

The exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" is made by the Brașov County Museum of History, together with the Forums Association, and is traveling in the Republic of Moldova with the support of the National Museum of History of Moldova, the Bessarabian Youth Association and Brasov County Council. The presentation in Chisinau of the exhibition dedicated to the Queen of Great Romania is the occasion of the celebration of 105 years since the Union of Bessarabia with Romania in 1918, being a cultural activity initiated by the Bessarabian Youth Association.

The exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" can be visited between March 23 and April 30, 2023, in the hall on the ground floor of the National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 street, 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

Scythian bronze cauldron from Răscăieții Noi

"Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art"

March 23 – April 30, 2023

#Exhibit of the Month