#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.).

Virtual Tour

International Collaboration

Visit of researcher Jan Mispelaere from the Royal Swedish Archives to the National Museum of History of Moldova

October 9-10, 2023

During October 9-10, 2023, the National Museum of History of Moldova had the pleasure of hosting the visit of researcher Dr. Jan Mispelaere from Riksarkivet (Royal Swedish Archives). Dr. Mispelaere, concerned with the Moldavian-Swedish history, visited the museum in order to carry out research in connection with the historical site "Camp of the Swedish King Charles XII" in Varnița commune, Republic of Moldova.

This visit represented a significant step in the scientific collaboration efforts between specialists from the Republic of Moldova and Sweden. Together with Dr. Ion Tentiuc, specialist in archeology and ancient history at the National Museum of History of Moldova, Dr. Mispelaere took soil samples from the historical site. These samples will later be subjected to thorough analyzes in laboratories in Sweden, with the aim of determining whether they match the traces identified in the Swedish archival documents, kept at the Riksarkivet.

The close collaboration between researchers from the Republic of Moldova and Sweden, highlighted by this research visit, opens new opportunities for a deeper understanding of Moldovan-Swedish history and for strengthening our knowledge of the common cultural and historical heritage. This research initiative is an eloquent example of how international expertise and resources can contribute to the development of historical knowledge to the benefit of both countries.

The National Museum of History of Moldova expresses its gratitude to Dr. Jan Mispelaere and Dr. Ion Tentiuc for their efforts to promote cultural and historical collaboration, and looks forward to the results of further research. This initiative is a positive example of how joint research can help reveal and promote our shared history and culture.