#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

World Refugee Day

June 20, 2023

In the yard of the National Museum of History of Moldova, on June 20, 2023, an event commemorating World Refugee Day was held, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova and UNHCR. The theme of this year's edition of World Refugee Day - "Hope far from home: a world where refugees are always included" - is extremely relevant in the context of the strong example of refugee inclusion offered by the Republic of Moldova.

"It is also a day when we must recognize a painful reality: we live in a world where there are 35 million refugees. A world struggling to resolve the conflicts, persecution and violence that forces so many people to flee their homes," said UNHCR representative Francesca Bonelli. She added that "it is still an opportunity to remind ourselves that working together is the only way to transform this painful reality into something that ensures a better future for all, regardless of where they come from."

In accordance with the Government's marking of the Year of Ukrainian Culture in the Republic of Moldova, the theme of this year's World Refugee Day commemoration reflects this initiative.

"World Refugee Day is an opportunity to show solidarity with refugees, to recognize their importance and contributions to society, but also to ensure that their rights and dignity are protected," said the Minister of Culture, Sergiu Prodan. He emphasized that "we must recognize that refugees, once given the necessary support and opportunities, have the potential to make significant contributions to their host communities, to enrich the societies in which they seek refuge. As a nation, we have consistently demonstrated our commitment to providing protection and assistance to those in need. Our efforts to provide refuge, resettlement and integration opportunities for displaced people are a testament to our values of compassion, empathy and inclusion."

The event included a performance by the National Youth Orchestra of the Republic of Moldova, with special performances by high-ranking UNHCR supporter Valentina Nafornița and saxophonist Igor Znatokov from Ukraine.

The National Museum of History of Moldova is honored to be the host of such an event and offers support to any initiative to help people in need.