#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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Events Archive

The National Carpet Fair "Carpet of Longing", the 10th edition

December 17, 2023

On December 17, 2023, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History (MNEIN) and the National Center for the Conservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage (CNCPPCI) organized the National Carpet Fair "Carpet of Longing", the edition of X.

The event was dedicated to bark - an element of traditional Romanian culture, entered on December 1, 2016, in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following the joint nomination of this tradition by Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

Petru Vicol, director of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, stated that ten years after the first edition, we can see that our traditional bark has found its place of honor in Bessarabian homes.

At the 10th edition of the event, certificates were handed out to the Living Human Treasure Bearers, folk craftsmen: Zaharia Triboi, Silvia Antohi, Dumitru Constandache, Constantin Cojan, Antonina Rusu, Natalia Cangea, Eugenia Moldovanu, Parascovia Pasat, Gheorghe Pantir, Efrosinia Sofronovici, Tudor Ungureanu and trophies to participants and institutions for actions to safeguard and promote the craft: Ludmila Scutaru, village of Mihăileni, r. Râșcani; Ecaterina Popescu, Clişova Noua, Orhei, Rustic Art Crafts Center; Ioana Lăzărescu, Ignăţei village, Rezina district; TVR Moldova; Moldova 1; National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History; National Center for Conservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

During this event, the exhibition "Fabrics from the center of Moldova" was inaugurated. Echoes of tradition in modernity", which includes old carpets from the MNEIN collection and from the collections of other institutions: the National Museum of History of Moldova, the Museum of History and Ethnography in the city of Călărași, the Museum of History and Ethnography of the municipality of Strășeni, the Museum Casa Mare- Vatra Dumeștilor from Vorniceni, or. Străseni, Museum of History and Ethnography village of Ciuciuleni, Hâncești district, Museum of History and Ethnography town. Nisporeni, Regional Museum of History and Ethnography "Anatol Candu" from Văsieni village, Ialoveni district.

#Exhibit of the Month

Clay Vessel discovered in Speia Village, Dubăsari District

The National Carpet Fair "Carpet of Longing", the 10th edition

December 17, 2023

#Exhibit of the Month