#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.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"The National Museum of History of Moldova at 40 years. An Illustrated History"

December 22, 2023 – January 31, 2024

The anniversary exhibition offers the public a chronicle of the most memorable events and activities in the 40-year history of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The deed establishing the museum is dated December 21, 1983, the day on which the order of the Ministry of Culture no. 561 regarding the establishment of the State Museum of History of the SSR. In 1991, by government decision, the name of the National Museum of History of Moldova was assigned to the museum.

Located in a monumental building in the heart of Chisinau, with 12 exhibition rooms and a diorama, with a total area of 5,700 square meters, having at the beginning a staff consisting of a few professional museographers and only a few thousand pieces of heritage, in a in a relatively short time, as a result of multiple conceptual, structural and organizational changes, but also thanks to the decisive contribution of the institution's staff, the National Museum of History of Moldova managed to transform from an institution for the application of official science into a genuine center for studying and promoting national history, keeper and protector of a valuable historical-cultural heritage.

Currently, the National Museum of History of Moldova owns a heritage that counts over 345,000 pieces of real historical, documentary and artistic value. The most significant museum collections were valued in the framework of numerous cultural-scientific events and thematic exhibitions, organized in the country and abroad, scientific symposia and conferences, articles and publicity notes in the periodical press, radio and television shows, organized by the museum workers.

The museographic projects, carried out during the 40 years of existence, aimed, equally, at the activity of completing and diversifying the museum heritage, the exhibition activity, as well as the activity of scientific and editorial research.

In 1987, the first temporary museum exhibition was inaugurated, and from 1991, the first permanent exhibition "Pages of multi-thousand-year history" began to operate, covering the historical period from the earliest times to 1940. Later modernized - both conceptually and from the point of view of the content and the way of presentation -, constantly supplemented with new pieces, equipped with modern audiovisual means, the museum's permanent exhibition today brings together the most valuable pieces of heritage, offering the public an overview of the evolution over time of history and civilization in this space, evoking extraordinary events and personalities that marked our destiny.

Since 1992, the most important results of scientific investigations in the field of history, archeology and museology are published annually in the Tyragetia museum magazine. In parallel with the magazine, catalogs of collections, brochures, monographs, collections of studies and articles are published. In collaboration with other prominent institutions in the country and abroad, the museum has carried out countless cultural-scientific projects, focused on the research and valorization of the cultural-historical heritage. They are brilliant performances that confirm its status as an indisputable authority in the field of scientific research, its status as a true temple of national history and culture.

The anniversary exhibition "The National Museum of History of Moldova at 40 years. An illustrated history" offers the public valuable information on the history of the creation of the museum, scientific and editorial activity, exhibition valorization of the museum heritage, cultural-educational activities, collaborative relations with scientific and cultural institutions in the country and abroad.

A separate compartment of the exhibition includes the publications of the museum and scientific staff, leaflets and posters of thematic exhibitions, promotional materials edited to promote the image of the museum and the activities organized within the institution.

The anniversary moment is one full of satisfaction and fulfillment for the museum team - museographers, researchers, restorers - for all those who have been and always remain in the service of the goddess Clio, who, through professionalism and dedication, make the history of this prestigious institution of culture and science .