#Exhibit of the Month

It is a sports trophy obtained at an inter-school oina (a bat-and-ball game) competition in interwar Bessarabia. We don't know which schools participated in this competition, nor the venue, we only know that one of the winners received the second prize and that the event was held on May 13, 1934. In this way we learn about the existence of different sports competitions organized by schools, including the oina game. Oina is a beautiful and complex sports game that promotes the development of body and spirit, courage and the desire for self-improvement. Oina is a treasure of the Romanian people, which must be sacredly kept and passed on to future generations.

The oină or hoina game is considered a Romanian national sports game having a history of at least six centuries. The oina game is practiced continuously, according to the chronicles and deeds of the time at least from the 14th century, being mentioned for the first time in 1364, during the reign of Vlaicu Vodă. The game requires complex sports qualities (good running speed, fast reflexes in self-defense movements against the balls, accuracy in throwing and hitting the ball with a bat or stick). Oina is a sport that identifies us to the same extent as trânta, our national wrestling. The game becomes attractive among young people in the villages, enters the school curriculum through physical education lessons. Through the Education Reform of 1898, as well as through other ministerial decisions, Education Minister Spiru Haret introduces the compulsory oina lessons in all schools, as well as the annual oina competitions.

On May 9, 1899, in Bucharest, the first national oina championship was organized, the teams being made up of high school students. The winner was the team of Nicolae Bălcescu High School from Brăila.

In 1912, the Federation of the Romanian Sports Society (Bucharest) was created, which consisted of 13 sports commissions including the oina commission.

After the Union of 1918, the Federation of the Romanian Sports Society was reorganized in 1923, including the other oina sports commissions of Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia.

In 1932, the Romanian Oina Federation was founded.

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National Museum of History of Moldova

Exhibitions

“Treasures of the Past (artifacts of gold and silver, 5th millennium BC - 18th century AD)”

(permanent)

The exhibition brings together the most representative objects made of gold and silver, which originate from the territory of the Republic of Moldova and are preserved in the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova. Some of them are true masterpieces of Pre- and Proto-historic goldsmiths' work, as well as that of classical antiquity and the Middle Ages. e earliest pieces in the exhibition are temporal rings and bushings for scepters discovered at Giurgiulești (Cahul District), which are the result of the work of craftsmen, who lived 6500 years ago. Also there are presented temple rings of the Bronze Age found in different localities of the country.

Exhibition “Treasures of the Past (artifacts of gold and silver, 5th millennium BC - 18th century AD)”

Greek antiquity is represented by a series of gold artifacts of exceptional importance and flawless execution, which were found in Scythian burial mounds. Among them we should mention gold torques found at Dubăsari, set of objects that belonged to a Scythian priestess found at Nicolscoe (Slobozia District), and other jewelry items and parts of harness, such as those from Hagimus (Căușeni District), Butor (Grigoriopol District), etc. A special place belongs to the Getae artifacts found at Saharna Mare (Rezina District), Hansca (Ialoveni District), and Stolniceni (Hâncești District).

Sarmatian culture is represented in the exhibition by the ornaments of gold and semiprecious stones found at Mocra (Râbnița District), Cuconeștii Vechi (Edineț District), Hrușca (Camenca District), and others. Several exhibition showcases contain objects belonging to the Sântana de Mureș culture, represented by gold and silver ornaments and clothing accessories from Dănceni (Ialoveni District), Petrești (Ungheni District), Budești (Criuleni District), etc.

Presentation of medieval artifacts starts with the Făurești treasury Criuleni District) composed of Byzantine electrum coins of the 10th century and gold temporal rings. Of particular interest are the ornaments and kufic dirhams from Echimăuți (Rezina District) and Alcedar (Şoldănești District) and a Mamluk mace from Balabanu (Taraclia District). The exhibition is complemented by a number of medieval coin hoards and ornaments discovered in different parts of the country.

“Treasures of the Past artifacts of gold and silver, 5th millennium BC - 18th century AD”