#Exhibit of the Month

The Roman bronze situla comes from a collection of archaeological artifacts confiscated at customs and transferred to the holdings of the National Museum of History of Moldova in 2009. Its place of discovery remains unknown.

A situla (Latin for "bucket") is a metal vessel-usually made of bronze-shaped like a pail and equipped with two movable handles at the top, traditionally used for mixing wine with water. The handles are attached to the vessel via two decorated ears that are welded to the rim.

The body of the situla is truncated-conical in shape and features two decorative bands with small circular patterns formed by hammering, located just below the rim.

Its base is double-layered: the inner bottom is hemispherical and hammered, while the outer bottom is flat and lathe-made. The outer base is welded to the inner bottom, serving as the vessel's foot-support.

This object was crafted using a combination of casting, hammering, and partial lathe-finishing. Dimensions: Maximum height - 31.7 cm; Maximum diameter - 22.8 cm; Base diameter - 13.5 cm

Situlae of this type originated in the Roman Empire and were later adopted by various ancient peoples, including those from the northwestern Pontic region.

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Exhibitions

„The Caravan of Gulag Memories”

Itinerant Exhibition at the National Museum of History of Moldova

July 19, 2024

The National Museum of History of Moldova, in collaboration with the Arbor Association for Culture and Arts, organizes the itinerant exhibition "The Caravan of Gulag Memories." This exhibition will present to the general public the testimonies of deportees and victims of the totalitarian-communist regime from the left bank of the Prut during the Soviet period. The aim of the exhibition is to familiarize visitors with the sufferings endured by the population affected by deportations and the repressions of the totalitarian regime. The exhibition includes photographs, artworks, audio, and video testimonies, all designed to provide a detailed and profound image of these tragic events.

The "Caravan of Gulag Memories" exhibition originates from the project "Remembering Childhood: Testimonies of Bessarabian Deportees," opened in 2022 at Arbor.art.room in Bucharest. It is based on extensive documentary research conducted between 1991 and 2021 by the National Museum of History of Moldova, in partnership with the Center of Excellence Pro Memoria Institute, the Institute of History of USM, Alecu Russo State University of Bălți, and B.P. Hasdeu State University of Cahul. The exhibition is curated from an interdisciplinary perspective, presenting a complex installation that illustrates the deportees' journey to exile and the dramas experienced on foreign soil.

The itinerant exhibition "The Caravan of Gulag Memories" will travel between July 9 and 19, 2024, stopping in several locations in Romania and the Republic of Moldova:

July 9 - Bucharest (Faculty of Letters, Edgar Quinet Street No. 5-7, Sector 1)
July 10 - Focșani (Union Square)
July 11 - Iași (CIAC Baia Turcească, Architect G.M. Cantacuzino Street)
July 12 - Nisporeni (National House, Alexandru cel Bun Street No. 5)
July 13 - Plop, Dondușeni (Archangel Michael Street No. 4)
July 14 - Drochia (City Hall, Independence Boulevard No. 15A)
July 15 - Hîncești (Palace of Culture, Mihalcea Hîncu Street No. 140)
July 16 - Căușeni (Alexie Mateevici Street No. 9)
July 17 - Cahul (Independence Square)
July 18 - Avdarma, UTA Gagauzia (Avdarma Village History Museum)
July 19 - Chișinău (National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 Street No. 121A)

A special moment of this journey will be the final stop in Chișinău, in the courtyard of the National Museum of History of Moldova, on July 19. The exhibition will be open from 17:00 to 21:00, offering residents and visitors of the capital the opportunity to connect directly with the painful history of deportations and the sufferings endured by Bessarabians during the Soviet period.

The exhibition includes a variety of materials and works designed to provide a comprehensive perspective on the sufferings and dramas experienced by deportees. Actors Cristina Casian, Florentina Țilea, Florina Gleznea, Ionuț Vișan, Marius Turdeanu, and Richard Bovnoczki will read audio testimonies, adding authenticity and emotion to the exhibition. Notable exhibits include the map of the Bessarabian Gulag created by Ramona Iacob in 2022, the animation "The Nameless Kitten" created by Ghenadie Popescu also in 2022, and the artworks "The Pascal Family" and "Mother's Shawl" created by Vasile Rață in 2024.