#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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Events Archive

The closing event of the "Artifact from Your Locality" project

December 20, 2024

On December 20, 2024, at the National History Museum of Moldova, the closing event of the "Artifact from TA locality" project took place, which aimed to disseminate the research of the National Cultural Heritage in the rural communities of the Republic of Moldova, through a series of educational activities and valorization of local historical artifacts.

Eugen Sava, dr. hab., the general director of the museum, Gheorghe Postică, prof. Dr. hab., head of the History, archeology and museology section within MNIM, Valeria Suruceanu, administrator of ICOM Moldova and Livia Ermurachi, project coordinator.

All the speakers highlighted the positive impact of the project on the conservation, promotion and transmission to the general public of cultural and historical values and emphasized the essential role of collaboration between heritage experts, public institutions and local communities in ensuring sustainable cultural education.

During the event, the launch of the project brochure took place, the scientific publication containing the main results obtained from the project. The booklet includes detailed descriptions of the 24 artefacts selected and utilized by the project, as well as documentation of the activities carried out within the communities involved. The material represents both an educational resource and a testimony of the process of conservation and promotion of the National Archaeological Heritage.

In recognition of the efforts made, the organizers awarded diplomas of appreciation to the partner institutions and the people involved in the realization of the project. Among them are specialists in archaeology, teaching staff, volunteers and representatives of the local public administration, whose input was essential for the success of the initiative.

The "Artifact from TA locality" project demonstrated the importance of valorizing the National Cultural Heritage as a central element of the identity of local communities and the education of the young generation, strengthening the connection between history, culture and society.