#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 National Bank of Romania’s Treasure in Moscow – A Century-Old Claim"

November 16 – December 5, 2024

The National Bank of Romania and the Romanian Cultural Institute "Mihai Eminescu" in Chișinău, in partnership with the National Museum of History of Moldova, invite the public to the opening of the exhibition-event "The National Bank of Romania's Treasure Sent to Moscow and Unrecovered - A Century-Old Claim" on November 16, 2024, at 12:00 PM, in Hall 1 of the museum.

This exhibition delves deeply into the historical and economic implications of a pivotal episode in Romania's history. Through exclusive documents and rare insights, visitors will gain a comprehensive perspective on this unique event in Romania's modern history, when Romania's gold reserve was entrusted to an ally, only to find the guarantees and commitments unmet, despite their alignment with international norms of the time.

The event will also feature presentations of two major scholarly works:

• "The Fate of Romania's Treasure. Arguments from Russian Archives" by Ilie Schipor
• "The National Bank of Romania's Treasure Sent to Moscow and Unrecovered" by Cristian Păunescu

The exhibition was previously showcased at the European Parliament on March 5, 2024. That same month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the return of Romania's national treasure, a notable success for Romanian diplomacy.

Specialists from the National Bank of Romania will present remarkable insights about this singular episode in modern history, wherein a nation's gold reserve was entrusted to an ally under guarantees that went unfulfilled, despite strict adherence to the international standards of the time.

The exhibition will be open to the public from November 16 to December 5, 2024, in Hall 1 of the National Museum of History of Moldova, located at 121A August 31st Street, Chișinău.