#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.).

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Opening of the "I Love Sushi" exhibition

July 13, 2023

On July 13, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, took place the opening of the "I Love Sushi" exhibition, organized in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Moldova and the Japan Foundation.

The Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Moldova, Yamada Yoichiro, emphasized the close connection between food and a country's culture, expressing its attitude towards life through ingredients, the method of preparation and associated culinary traditions. His Excellency also noted that although sushi may seem like a simple food, fishermen in Japan have developed specific skills over the centuries to clean and preserve the fish immediately after the catch, keeping it fresh and tasty. Like many peoples with distinct culinary traditions, the Japanese are proud of their national cuisine, which reflects aspects of life. In 2013, UNESCO included Washoku, the traditional Japanese food, in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Livia Sîrbu, deputy director at the National Museum of History of Moldova, explained the exhibition concept, which was developed by the Japanese Foundation and is described in a manual on the basis of which the exhibition was organized. The exhibition is divided into three sections: introduction to sushi and discoveries related to this food, sushi in the Edo period, which highlights the cultural differences of this art, and sushi today. The exhibition has already been successfully hosted in Bucharest and is to be inaugurated in Spain as well.

Ana Varzari, general secretary at the Ministry of Culture, mentioned that Japan and the Republic of Moldova celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations in March 2022, emphasizing the importance of this partnership. Both diplomatic missions made significant efforts to strengthen and promote national culture. Japanese gastronomic culture is characterized by naturalness, beauty and tradition, and sushi has become a famous creation of Japanese cuisine, influencing Western customs.

The "I Love Sushi" exhibition will be open to the general public until August 15, in Hall no. 1, ground floor, National Museum of History of Moldova, Chisinau, 31 August 1989 street, 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

Exhibit of the Month Amber beads from a bronze hoard discovered near the town of Nisporeni

Opening of the "I Love Sushi" exhibition

July 13, 2023

#Exhibit of the Month