#Exhibit of the Month

The 21 beads form part of a bronze hoard found in 2019 within a forested area close to the town of Nisporeni. Alongside the beads, the hoard included numerous bronze ornaments (2 Röschitz-Sanislău-type fibulae, 7 necklaces, 12 rings, 22 tubes, 23 bracelets, and approximately 80 appliqués), one coral bead and a pendant made from a wild animal's tooth. At present, the amber beads are preserved in the collections of the Muzeul Național de Istorie a Moldovei, while the remainder of the hoard is in the possession of a private collector.
The hoard was discovered accidentally in a pit about 50 cm deep. The objects in this hoard are of Western origin, with known parallels in archaeological complexes from Poland, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia, and, to a lesser extent, in Romania. The presence of this bronze hoard on the territory of the Republic of Moldova illustrates the cultural dynamics of the region during the Early Iron Age and a fundamental shift in the vector of cultural influences from east to west.

The amber bead strand comprises 16 whole beads and five fragmentary ones. They have an elongated biconical shape and vary in size. The beads are brown-reddish in color; their lengths range from 1.1 to 3.1 cm, widths from 0.6 to 1.4 cm, thicknesses from 0.6 to 1.1 cm, and the perforation diameter ranges between 0.2 and 0.3 cm.
Amber beads appear in several bronze hoards dated to the Late Bronze Age in the eastern half of Slovakia and in Transdanubian Hungary. Parallels are also known from the Cioclovina Cave in Romania. With the onset of the Iron Age, amber items disappear from the Carpathian Basin for approximately 300 years, reappearing alongside the arrival of Scythian elements.
The bronze hoard discovered at Nisporeni is dated to the HaA2-HaB1-2 interval (1050/1000 - 800/750 B.C.).

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

“The Unbroken – Light Through Darkness”

22 – 26 August 2025,
Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
26 August – 26 September 2025,
National Museum of History of Moldova

The National Museum of History of Moldova, in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Culture, and the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, is honored to invite the public to the inauguration of the photographic exhibition "The Unbroken - Light Through Darkness," signed by Ukrainian photographer Serhii Himyush.

The exhibition is organized on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day, marked annually on 24 August, and will be open to the public at the Parliament until 26 August 2025. It will then be displayed on the exterior railings of the National Museum of History of Moldova until 26 September 2025. The vernissage will take place on Friday, 22 August 2025, at 10:00, in the main entrance hall of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

Originally from Chișinău, Serhii Himyush, aged 33, was severely injured in 2022 during a humanitarian mission in Ukraine. Despite his suffering, he transformed his personal experience into a powerful visual testimony of human resilience. His photographs capture not only the traces of war but also the faces of those who, amid tragedy, preserve their dignity, hope, and courage.

This collection of images documents not only the destruction caused by war but also the inner strength of people who choose to remain united, dignified, and full of hope. Serhii Himyush was gravely wounded during a humanitarian mission in the Kharkiv region, losing both legs. Nevertheless, his camera became once again an extension of his will-a means to bear witness, to heal, and to inspire.

Each photograph tells a story: evacuations, destroyed homes, gazes that speak of loss, but also of light. The exhibition offers a deeply human perspective on war, seen from within by someone who lived alongside those he photographed.

"The Unbroken - Light Through Darkness" is a tribute to Ukrainian resilience and a call for international solidarity. Moldova, the place of Serhii's childhood, thus becomes the host of a visual testimony that transcends borders and speaks of the courage to move forward.