#Exhibit of the Month

This clay vessel was discovered in 1982 by archaeologist V. Sorochin during excavations of a burial mound (no. 1) located in the village of Speia, Dubăsari District. It originates from grave no. 5 and is dated to the 4th millennium BC, belonging to the Usatovo culture.
The vessel was found in a child's grave. The burial pit had an oval shape, and the deceased was laid in a crouched position (similar to the fetal posture), on the left side. A total of five vessels were uncovered in this grave: three near the back, one at the feet, and one in the pelvic area.
The cultural attribution of this funerary complex was determined based on the burial rite and grave goods. This culture is characterized by the specific construction of the burial pit, as well as the positioning and orientation of the deceased toward the east and northeast.

The vessel is shaped from clay mixed with finely crushed shell. Its walls curve gradually toward the top, with the widest diameter at the shoulder area. It has a short neck, a slightly flared rim, and a flat base. The surface is carefully polished, in some areas to a lustrous finish. The interior is reddish-brown, while the exterior is yellowish-brown with gray spots. The rim features groups of perforations, three of which are preserved in their original state. The diameter of the holes is 0.35 cm. The space between the groups of perforations is decorated with cord impressions. The transition from the neck to the shoulder is adorned with three horizontal lines made with cord, from which, in five places, three vertical lines descend, each 5 cm long, executed using the same technique. At the time of discovery, these lines were filled with a white paste. The space between the groups of lines is decorated at the top with short vertical lines (0.5 cm long), and in the center with a meander ornament made of two parallel lines impressed with cord. The base of the vessel retains the imprint of a textile.
Vessel dimensions: Height: 22 cm; Rim diameter: 15.7 cm; Maximum diameter: 22 cm; Base diameter: 10 cm.

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MEMORY PELOTONE 2025

Chisinau, August 30, 2025

In the context of the European Day of Commemoration of the Victims of All Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes, we invite you to join us for the international walking tour MEMORY PELOTONE, which will take place on Saturday, August 30, 2025, starting at 09:00, at the National Museum of History of Moldova (31 August 1989 Street, No. 121A).

The commemorative action was initiated by the Sybir Memorial Museum in Białystok (Poland) in 2017, and after 2022 it expanded to other European countries marked by the dramatic events that took place after the signing of the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on August 23, 1939, dividing Europe between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. "The goal of the Peloton is to share history with future generations, as well as with people from other continents who may not know this history," says the director of the Sybir Memorial Museum, Prof. Wojciech Śleszyński. "We want the memory of Siberia, Katyn and the deportations to be transmitted beyond the borders of Poland and Europe."

In Chisinau, the route will include places of memory marked by the atrocities of the totalitarian regime. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to stories and learn testimonies about the victims, but also about those who showed resistance. Evoking their memory and deeds, the action takes the form of a "living history lesson", where memory is intertwined with collective experience.

On August 29, the day before the Chisinau edition of the Peloton, the traveling exhibition "Sybir - the prison of nations" will be presented to the larger public at the National Museum of History of Moldova. It was developed by the Sybir Memorial Museum, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Chisinau and the National History Museum of Moldova.

The 2025 edition of the Memorial Peloton takes place in four cities in Central and Eastern Europe: Riga (Estonia) - August 21; Vilnius (Lithuania) - August 22; Białystok (Poland) - August 24; Chisinau (RM) - August 30. Guests from Poland and Lithuania will be present at the walking tour in Chisinau, who will walk the route with us.

In the Republic of Moldova, the Memory Peloton took place for the first time in 2024, at the Open Air Museum in Mereni, being the final event of last year's international action. This year's edition, together with the accompanying exhibition, remains an open invitation to reflect together on the history of the 20th century and the tragic events in Central and Eastern Europe.

We look forward to seeing you!

Organizers and partners:

- National Museum of History of Moldova
- Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Moldova
- Hanns Seidel Foundation - Republic of Moldova
- Sybir Memorial Museum in Białystok (Poland)
- The Genocide and Resistance Research Centre (Lithuania)
- Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (Latvia)
- Institute of History of the Moldova State University
- Public Association Institute Pro Memoria
- Association of Former Deportees and Political Prisoners of Moldova

#Exhibit of the Month

Clay Vessel discovered in Speia Village, Dubăsari District

MEMORY PELOTONE 2025

Chisinau, August 30, 2025

#Exhibit of the Month