#Exhibit of the Month

The grapevine plant, now widespread across the globe, traces its origins back to the Upper Cretaceous geological period, when species of Vitis Linn appeared on Earth (Mesozoic era), followed later by Vitis vinifera L., the latter already classified among cultivated agricultural plants. Most researchers link the origin of the cultivated grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) to the wild forest species Vitis sylvestris Gmel. Thickets of Vitis sylvestris Gmel. can still sporadically be found in the groves along the Prut and Dniester floodplains.

During the Precucuteni III - Trypillia A period (ca. 4750-4600 BC), the presence of cultivated grape seeds was clearly documented on pottery from the settlement of Ruseştii Noi I, layer I, kiln A, consisting of a seed impression on a ceramic fragment, with the elongated beak characteristic of the domesticated species Vitis vinifera L. Another seed impression of Vitis vinifera L. was recorded at the settlement of Vărvăreuca VIII, identified on the wall of a painted vessel from the Cucuteni B - Trypillia CI stage (3800-3500/3300 BC).
In October, on the occasion of the National Wine Day, the National Museum of History of Moldova presents to your attention a unique relic in Southeastern Europe. The exhibit originates from the settlement Brînzeni VIII "Sâiece," belonging to the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture and dated to the Cucuteni AB2 - Trypillia B2 phase (ca. 4050-3800 BC), located in Brînzeni village, Edineț district. The site lies 2 km southwest of the locality, in a triangle formed by the confluence of the Racovăț and Drobiște streams and the local road L36 Bădragii Vechi-Brînzeni. Positioned on land 25-30 meters above the valley, it was discovered in 1966 by archaeologist Nicolaie Chetraru and investigated through excavations between 1978-1980 by Vsevolod Marchevici.
The October exhibit is a grapevine leaf impression discovered in 1980. It comes from pit no. 5, partially investigated, with a maximum depth of 155 cm. From the same archaeological complex near dwelling no. 1, several grape seeds were also recovered, as noted in the excavation report. The grapevine leaf impression appears on a coarse clay lump, fired and vitrified due to secondary burning, reddish in color, with an irregular rectangular, flattened shape. The outer surface is uneven and rough. The impression surface is smoothed, with the leaf veins clearly highlighted. Measuring 99 mm in length, 110 mm in width, and 28-31 mm in thickness, the exhibit presents in full splendor an authentic grapevine leaf impression. Some researchers attribute it to the domesticated grapevine Vitis vinifera L., while others, more skeptical, consider it a wild species. Nevertheless, being discovered in a well-documented archaeological context, together with grape seeds near a dwelling, it provides evidence that grapevine was part of Cucuteni community life 6,000 years ago. These findings allow us to affirm that the process of domestication and the creation of table grapes was already underway. The diversity of Cucuteni ceramic forms, as well as the painting on some vessels, undoubtedly suggests their use as containers for various liquids. Accordingly, the emergence of wine among Cucuteni communities can be taken into consideration.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia"

The National Museum of History of Moldova

April 7-30, 2026

During the period April 7-30, 2026, the National Museum of History of Moldova hosts the photo-documentary exhibition "The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia", dedicated to one of the most tragic pages in the history of the totalitarian-communist regime. The opening will take place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in the upstairs lobby of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The exhibition reveals the premises, causes and dramatic consequences of the famine of 1946-1947 in the south of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, contributing to a better understanding of this scourge in Gagauz communities.

The famine of 1946-1947 in the Moldavian SSR was caused by natural and political factors. The severe drought of 1945-1946 compromised the harvests and drastically reduced grain production. However, the decisive role was played by the repressive economic policies of the Soviet state, which imposed mandatory deliveries of agricultural products to the state on peasant households. The consequences were dramatic: about 200,000 people lost their lives, representing about 10% of the population.

Starting with the autumn and winter of 1946, deaths due to dystrophy and physical exhaustion were recorded daily in rural and urban localities in the south of the Moldavian SSR. The situation in the region reached alarming proportions. For example, in just 15 days in December 1946, 70 people died in the Vulcănești district. In the Ceadâr-Lunga district, 15 deaths were recorded in the village of Tomai, 25 in Chiriet-Lunga, 13 in Beșghioz and 21 in Gaidai. In January 1947, the number of victims increased dramatically: 893 in Vulcănești, 825 in Congaz, 567 in Taraclia and 770 in Ceadâr-Lunga. On February 11, 1947, an official report on the situation in the Cahul region noted that, in the villages with Gagauz population, in January and February, up to 30% of the population had perished, and urgent measures were requested to prevent further loss of human life. The exhibition brings to the public attention the testimonies, photographs and documents, many of them presented for the first time, coming from the patrimony of the National Museum of History of Moldova, the Museum of History of the village of Avdarma and the funds of the National Archives Agency.

"The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia" represents an attempt to recover collective memory and an act of symbolic justice dedicated to the victims of the Great Famine in the Moldavian SSR. Their memory is evoked in the localities of Gagauzia ATU starting with 2019, on October 19. Since 2022, the entire society of the Republic of Moldova marks this tragedy on the third Saturday of April.

The exhibition was elaborated within the project "The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia", initiated by the History Museum of the village of Avdarma in collaboration with the National History Museum of Moldova, within the National Program "Access to Culture 2025" of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova.

The exhibition "The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia" will be open to the public between April 7-30, 2026, in the upstairs hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova (Chisinau, 31 August 1989 Street, 121A).

#Exhibit of the Month

Grapevine Leaf Impression

"The Famine of 1946-1947. History and Memory in Gagauzia"

The National Museum of History of Moldova

April 7-30, 2026

#Exhibit of the Month