#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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Scientific conference with international participation “75 years since the Operation «South»”

Chișinău, 2-3 July 2024

During July 2-3, 2024, the works of the scientific conference with international participation "75 years since the Operation «South»" took place, an event organized by the National Museum of History of Moldova, in cooperation with the Institute of History of the Moldova State University.

The first day of the conference brought together researchers from Chisinau, Bucharest and Vilnius, who presented scientific communications regarding the elucidation of the deportations of the summer of 1949 from the perspective of history and memory of the tragedy in current research, and the speakers presented aspects such as the phenomenon of deportations in the Soviet repression system (dr. Virgiliu Bîrlădeanu), the deportations from the Moldavian SSR during the compact collectivization of agriculture (dr. Valentin Burlacu), the hate speech and the ideological preparation of the deportation operation from July 5-6, 1949 (dr. hab. Elena Negru), the evolution of the concept "kulak" in the Moldavian SSR, 1940-1950 (dr. hab. Ion Şișcanu), the sovietization of the Bessarabian village: the Operation "South", the collectivization of agriculture and social policies in the Stalinist period (dr. Dumitru Lisnic), the realization of the Operation "South" in the district Edineţ, MSSR (dr. Nicolae Fuștei), the deportations of the Bessarabians in Tomsk region (Russian Federation) from the perspective of the Memory Expeditions (dr. Octavian Țîcu), the extermination of the members of the Sfatul Țării. Case study of Constantin Bivol (Natalia Mafteuță).

On the second day of the scientific event, during the plenary session, communications were presented by outstanding specialists from the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Lithuania, and Romania, highlighting the common features of the manifestation of the totalitarian communist regime and the importance of studying the phenomenon of deportations in order not to admit it again in the future.

With a word of greeting in front of the participants of the event came the General Director of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Mr. dr. hab, prof. univ. Eugen Sava who mentioned the systematic effort undertaken by the National Museum of History of Moldova toward the scientific-museographical valorization of history and memory of the former deportees and political prisoners from the Moldavian SSR period. On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Republic of Moldova, the greeting was addressed by the attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Liudas Gintautas Dabkus, who referred to the common historical experience regarding the suffering caused by the Stalinist deportations, but also the resistance opposed to the Soviet regime of occupation, emphasizing the important role that belongs to today's society in the perpetuation of democracy, freedom, respect for human rights and the common effort in building a European culture of memory.

The proceedings of the plenary session were followed by the inauguration of the thematic exhibition of the National Museum of History of Moldova "Memory of the deportations", presented by dr. Ludmila Cojocaru.

The scientific-practical session "Narrative heritage of the Stalinist deportations: scientific-museographical valorization initiatives and exchange of good practices" convened representatives of the museographic community from the Republic of Moldova and Romania, concerned with valorizing the history and memory of totalitarian-communist deportations and repressions, who presented communications on projects, initiatives and good practices carried out by their institutions.