The ceramic vessel set was discovered accidentally in October 2025 in the southwestern part of the village of Bălceana, Hâncești District, approximately 1.2 km from the Lăpușnița River. The archaeological materials were recovered by the National Archaeological Agency.
The ceramic assemblage consists of a large storage vessel (pithos) with a capacity of 20 litres (h = 39.2 cm; d = 35.0 cm), decorated with a raised band below the rim; a medium-sized bowl with a capacity of 2.5 litres (h = 16.9 cm; d = 23.2 cm); a medium-sized jug with a capacity of 0.6 litres (h = 12.0 cm; d = 13.4 cm); and the base of a jar-shaped vessel.
The coarse handmade pottery was produced using the coil-building technique, by stacking and shaping coils of clay prepared from a paste tempered with crushed fired clay (grog) and sand. The vessel surfaces are uneven and covered with a yellowish-red slip featuring black patches, while the core of the vessel walls is black in colour.
The three vessels preserved intact display well-defined biconical shapes, with their maximum diameter at the middle of the body and straight or slightly oblique rims with rounded edges. Pottery of this type is characteristic of the Early Medieval cultural area of the northern and northwestern Black Sea region, dating from the 5th to the 7th centuries. East of the Dniester River, on the territory of present-day Ukraine, analogous pottery is found in Penkovka-type settlements, while in the Carpathian-Dniester region it is characteristic of settlements belonging to the Costișa-Botoșana-Hansca cultural group.
Within the Prut-Dniester region, coarse biconical pottery is generally represented by fragments and only relatively rarely by complete vessels, such as those discovered at Hansca, Dănceni, Recea, Seliște, Păhărniceni, and other sites. This type of pottery constituted an indispensable component of the local material culture during the 5th-7th centuries. In this context, the discovery at Bălceana of an almost intact set of coarse biconical vessels represents a relatively rare find of considerable scientific importance.
According to certain hypotheses, the tradition of coarse biconical pottery dating to the 5th-7th centuries originated in the North Pontic region. At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that these biconical ceramic vessels were the result of contemporary ethnocultural interactions, developing simultaneously across the vast territory extending from the Carpathian Mountains to the Dnieper River and the Seversky Donets.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Monetary discoveries found on Republic of Moldova’s territory, recorded during year 2009 are presented. The file of roman monetary discoveries is supplemented by eight issues. Two golden coins are recorded among these: one issued by emperor Diocletianus at Antiochia in AD 286 and another of Maximian Hercule (286-305) issued at Cizic, dated AD 288.
Two treasures were found among the Medieval discoveries. The first was found near the localities Novaci and Nișcani, Călărași district, in autumn 2009. It is composed of Ottoman issues from Bayezid the 2nd (58 ex.), a Hungarian denar from Mathias Corvinus (1458-1490) and two Moldavian gros issued by Ştefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great). The treasure from Parcani, Soroca district, although found in 1989, is still original and is stored in the collections of the Museum of History and Ethnography at Soroca. The deposit is composed of 16th century to 1599 European coins. A new lot of coins originating from Costești, Ialoveni district, was again discovered, including 22 dirhems issued by the Golden Horde, 264 Tatar issues of copper, from which 44 of Costești-Gârla type, a gros of Prague and a Bulgarian issue from Ioan Şișman.
The discoveries from the surroundings of Cosăuți village, Soroca district, enrich the numismatic repertoire of the Republic of Moldova with new issues, some of which are attested for the first time.
Ana Boldureanu
Monetary finds chronicle (I)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică Chișinău, 2007
Ana Boldureanu
Олександр Огуй, Монетнi знахiдки на Буковинi. Системно-квантитативне зiставлення. Чернiвцi, ЧНУ, 2008, 252 p. + 4 hărți + 4 pl. ISBN 978-966-423-018-3
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ana Boldureanu
Numismatic chronicle (II)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ana Boldureanu, Vitalie Burlacu
Chronicle of coin finds (XV). New coin finds in Old Orhei (I)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVIII [XXXIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ana Boldureanu
Chronicle of monetary findings (VII)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
The ceramic vessel set was discovered accidentally in October 2025 in the southwestern part of the village of Bălceana, Hâncești District, approximately 1.2 km from the Lăpușnița River. The archaeological materials were recovered by the National Archaeological Agency...
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.