#Exhibit of the Month

Bronze cauldrons of the Scythian time are rare in the Northern Black Sea region, especially on its western borders. Therefore, those few items found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova occupy a worthy place in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM). In particular, in the archaeological exhibition, two bronze cauldrons are displayed, discovered near the village of Nicolscoe in 1988 in burial mounds no. 14 and 15. In addition, in 2020, two bronze cauldrons without any accompanying documents were found in the collection of NMHM; however, they were visually identified as coming from various excavations in the Low Dniester region, such as burial mound no. 45 near Dubăsari and burial mound no. 1 near the Răscăieții Noi village.

The object presented as the exhibit of the month is a little-known find discovered in 1979 in barrow 1 near the village of Răscăieții Noi in the Ștefan Vodă district. In addition to its outstanding size (about 10 m high), this mound is known for discovering a cast bronze finial in the Scythian animal style on its surface in 1953. However, by the beginning of excavations, the locals had damaged part of the mound and a Scythian cast bronze cauldron was found near it. The cauldron was seriously damaged by mechanical impact, as a result of which the rim was deformed, and the walls, with one preserved vertical handle, were bent inwards. Fragments in the upper part of the body and one handle have been lost. The total reconstructed height of the cauldron is 24 cm (excluding the handles), the reconstructed diameter of the hemispherical cauldron is 30 cm, and the weight is 6.5 kg. In 2020, data on the chemical composition of the bronze cauldron alloy were obtained, revealing that it was cast from an alloy of almost 95 per cent copper. Unfortunately, due to the loss of information on the context of the discovery of the cauldron at Răscăieții Noi, it is impossible to link its discovery with one or another Scythian burial of the barrow. Moreover, the grave goods of other Scythian burials of Barrow 1 do not allow them to date below the 4th century BC. However, the cauldron with vertical handles from Răscăieții Noi most likely belongs earlier. This may be indicated by a bronze finial from the first half of the 5th century BC, which was found on this barrow in 1953. In addition, burial 7 from the nearest excavated barrow 2 at Răscăieții Noi, containing a plaque depicting a rolled predator (a copy of which is also on display at the NMHM), belongs to the mid- 5th century BC. Thus, there is a high probability that the cauldron from Barrow 1 at Răscăieții Noi is associated with the late Middle Scythian period or the mid-5th century BC.

Scythian bronze cauldrons in the west area are concentrated in three main regions: Bukovina-Podolia, the Lower Danube, and the Lower Dniester. Some Scythian cauldrons have no reliable archaeological context. Nevertheless, in combination with the same "stray" finds like the Scythian statues, the finds of Scythian cauldrons mark the Scythian presence, most likely not earlier than the late 6th century or even the turn of the 6th-5th centuries BC. The cauldrons first appeared in Bukovina, where they have been known since the middle of the 7th century BC. Bronze cauldrons (with their carriers) entered the steppe region 150-200 years later, and the "military" burials that appeared in the western steppe regions were no earlier than the middle of the 5th century BC. Most burials with cauldrons (and, apparently, the stray finds) are dated back to the second half of the 5th century BC. Then, in the early 4th century BC, their quantity was reduced, and after the first quarter of the 4th century BC, they completely disappeared from the cultural practice of the population of the steppes of the North-Western Black Sea region.

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Research Academic Reports

Summary of the museum's scientific work in 2017

Starting with 2015, the National Museum of History of Moldova carries out the institutional project The Role of Museum Heritage in the Development of Contemporary Society (2015-2018) within the Strategic Direction “National Heritage and Development of Society”.

As a partner, the museum participated in the realization of the project “Historical Site Camp of the King Charles XII of Sweden at Varniţa – valorization and promotion” (2016-2017). The project was funded by the European Union within the framework of the CHOICE / Cultural Heritage: Opportunity for Improving Civic Engagement.

The project “Archaeological and interdisciplinary research within the Sabatinovka culture sites in the southern part of the Republic of Moldova” is carried out by the museum in cooperation with the Institute of Prehistoric Archeology, Free University (Berlin), with financial support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany). Project duration: 2016-2018. The main purpose of the project is to investigate the archaeological sites to establish the paleo-economic system of the late Bronze Age communities (16^th-12^th centuries BC).

The 2017 research campaign included systematic archaeological investigations carried out at the Taraclia-Gaidabul site from the late period of the late Bronze Age, located near the city Taraclia. In total, an area of approximately 500 m² has been excavated through archaeological excavations.

During excavations were discovered the remains of stone constructions, pits, multiple bone, stone, clay and bronze artifacts.

For interdisciplinary analyzes the necessary samples were taken for paleobotanical, paleozoological, pedological and C14 dating analyses.

Relevant obtained results:

Recent research in the archives of Sankt-Petersburg and Moscow resulted in the discovery of 38 letters written by Maria Cantemir to her younger brother Antioh Cantemir, which were previously known but were only partially published. Maria Cantemir's letters are important in historical and literary terms, and occupy a special place in the categories of epistolary sources. The publication of Maria Cantemir’s letters to her younger brother, Antioh, has a special significance in historical and literary terms. The analysis of structure, language, content and style of texts allows us to individualize the character in question, to identify the female subjectivity during the researched period, and at the same time it represents a model of behavior and positioning of women in family, private, spiritual and moral life.

New unique photo-documentary testimonies about the life of Lazo noble family in Bessarabia have been identified, were recovered cultural, material, three-dimensional assets that will allow the finalization of the Lazo family mansion as a museum and tourist objective, as an eloquent testimony of cultural identity. The new scientific data found in the archive files will allow us to present the appropriate material setting and moral environment of the Lazo family from Piatra with all the generations that have passed, with the spirit of that epoch, with the personalities of the manor who have made history and have brought contribution to the development of the Basarabian society over the centuries.

The results of the research have been valorized through various scientific and public forms in the country and abroad:

Publications:

Total – 106 publications: + 1 media article and 2 promotional materials

1 monograph

1 monograph chapter

1 collection of studies and articles

2 articles in national journals, category A

16 articles in national journals, category B

2 in other national journals

9 articles in national collections

32 national abstracts

1 monograph published abroad

8 articles in foreign journals

10 articles in foreign collections

16 abstracts in international publications

6 abstracts in foreign publications

1 electronic publication

In 2017, the museum managed to prepare and publish 2 issues of the museum journal - Tyragetia, re-accredited in 2017 as a scientific journal of category B.

In 2017, the collaboration of the museum with various institutions from abroad was materialized through the organization of scientific events (2 international ones), through the common public valorization of the historical-cultural heritage, by active participation in various studies, including archaeological excavations. Collaboration with scientific institutions in Germany has allowed the continuation of joint archaeological research projects in the Republic of Moldova. For international collaboration we must also mention the organization of the international conference Historical Site Camp of the King Charles XII of Sweden - recovery of memory, organization of the International Numismatic Symposium, 17^th edition attended by 30 participants from several European countries. The museum participated as partner in the realization of the project Historical site Camp of King Charles XII of Sweden at Varniţa - valorization and promotion.

The museum's researchers organized 5 national and 2 international scientific events:

National

1. Round table Deportations, famine, holocaust – crimes of the 20^th century, January 2017, sector Modern and Contemporary History.

2. Scientific conference War on Nistru, 28 February 2017, sector Modern and Contemporary History.

3. 11^th Symposium of Heraldry, organized by sector Medieval History and Numismatics in collaboration with the Society for Genealogy, Heraldry and Archive Studies „Paul Gore” and the National Commission of Heraldry by the President of the Republic of Moldova, 27 April 2017.

4. Scientific conference First church journal from Bessarabia (150 from first publication), organized by the sector Modern and Contemporary History and the Institute of History of the ASM, Chişinău, 8 June 2017.

5. Yearly scientific conference of the museum History. Archaeology. Mseology, 19-20 October 2017.

International

1. International scientific conference „Historic site Camp of King Charles XII of Sweden at Varniţa. Recovery of memory” within the project „Historic site Camp of King Charles XII of Sweden at Varniţa – valorization and promotion”, Chişinău, 21-22 May 2017. Responsible E. Ploşniţa.

2. The 17^th edition of the Symposium of Numismatics. Organized by the museum in partnership with the Numismatic Society from the Republic of Moldova and the Institute of Archaeology „Vasile Pârvan” of the Romanian Academy, 4-6 October 2017. Responsible A. Boldureanu.

There were 37 participations in national scientific events, 20 participations in international scientific events, 2 with international participation and 15 participations in events outside the country, in total - 74 participations in scientific events.

5 temporary exhibitions were organized and opened to the public:

1. Historic site Camp of King Charles XII of Sweden at Varniţa. Photo-documentary evidences, photo and documentary exhibition

2. Temporary exhibition Millennia of civilization at Orheiul Vechi, organized by sector Medieval History and Numismatics in collaboration with sector Archaeology and Old History.

3. Temporary exhibition Ion Hâncu. Man. Personality. Scientist”, April-May 2017.

4. Temporary exhibition The clock over time, opened on 18 May, 2017.

5. Temporary exhibition Sfatul Ţării. 100 years from foundation, November 2017.

Heritage Development: museum researchers have collected and deposited 1210 new cultural goods (patrimony items) in museum collections by transfer, field research, documentation, acquisitions and donations.

Digitization of collections: As part of the process of digitization of museum collections, the researchers produced 2316 analytical records.

Museum researchers have provided specialized assistance to several public and private institutions.

The museum's researchers worked as chairmen and members in university Commissions for the defense of bachelor and master theses; have also worked in editorial boards of scientific journals published in the country and abroad.

The museum was visited for documentary purposes by several specialists – researchers and museographers from Germany, Russia, Romania, Sweden, etc.

At present the museum has three PhD students at Moldova State University.

The results of the research were disseminated through several interviews: 10 interviews on TV and 20 on the radio.