The great ruler Stephen the Great, outstanding army commander and diplomat, was also concerned during his life with the economic prosperity of the country, supporting the development of crafts, trade and fairs. During his reign, groși and half groși minted in the dinar system were issued, a monetary system introduced in Moldova during the last reign of Petru Aron (1455-1457).
The coins were minted from silver of superior title, those that reflect stability in the economic life of the country at that time. Their masterful execution at the Suceava mint is among the beautiful artistic achievements during the reign of Stephen the Great.
During his reign, two types of issues were minted, for the two denominations: groși and half groși.
Type I issues have a split shield on the obverse; in the first quarter appears a rose surmounted by a cross and three fascias, in the second quarter. For the epigraph issues (groși), the image is accompanied by the circular legend with the name of the issuer: + STEFANVS VOIEVODA. On the other side appears the bour's head with a star between the horns accompanied by the heraldic furniture - the rose and the contoured crescent, placed to the right and left of the bour's head; circular legend: MOLDAVIE COIN.
On type II coins in the shield on the obverse appears a patriarchal cross (double) and the legend STEFANVSVOIEVOD or abbreviated STEFANVSVOIE. On the reverse, as in type I, the bour's head with heraldic attributes is preserved: rose right/crescent left and crescent right/rose left. A star or rose appears between the ox's horns. The legend accompanying the face with the bour head is MONETAMOLDAVI or abbreviated MONETAMOLDA.
The dating of Stephen the Great's coins is still under discussion. According to one opinion, type I issues were minted between 1457-1476, and type II between 1480/1481-1505 (Octavian Iliescu), and another 1465/1467-1475/1476 for type I and 1476/1479-1497 for type II (Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu).
The coins in this showcase were discovered during the archaeological excavations at Orheiul Vechi (Trebujeni, Orhei district) in the 6th and 7th decades of the 20th century:
1. Type I money issues, groși, silver 2. Type II money issues, groși, silver 3. Type II coin issue, half groși, silver
Complex of antique amphorae of the 1st half of the 6th century BC from the pit no. 11 of the “ashpit” no. 13 of the Western Bilsk Fortification
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
This publication presents materials from a closed complex in the "ashpit" no. 13 of the Western Bilsk fortified settlement. In the fi lling of one of the pits there were found 285 fragments of antique amphorae. Among them it was possible to identify fragments of 13 Klazomenian amphorae and one Milesian amphora. We divided all fragments of rims belonging to the Klazomenian amphorae into 3 variants. In our opinion, all the considered fragments of amphorae could fi nd the closest analogies among the vessels of the 1st half of the 6th century BC. List of illustrations:
Fig. 1. Bilsk settlement location: 1 - View of the Northern Black Sea region with the location of the Bilsk settlement; 2 - ancient settlement in Bilsk; 3 - the plan of the western fortification with locations of "ashpits". Fig. 2. Plan and profile of the pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13. Western fortifi cation of the Bilsk settlement. Fig. 3. Fragments of antique amphorae, pieces of clay plastering, walls of pots, and bones of animals in the filling of pit number 11. View from the west. "Ashpit" number 13. Western fortifi cation of the Bilsk settlement: 1 - filling of the top of the pit; 2 - filling of the bottom of the pit. Fig. 4. Accumulations in the pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13, the Western fortifi cation of the Bilsk settlement: 1 - accumulation in the western part of the pit; 2 - accumulation in the eastern part of the pit. Fig. 5. Fragments of rims of the Klazomenian transport amphorae from the accumulation in the pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13, the Western fortifi cation of the Bilsk settlement: 1-6 - fragments from accumulation; 7 - fragment of a rim found on the bottom of the pit. Fig. 6. Fragments of the Klazomenian transport amphorae from the accumulation in pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13, the Western fortifi cation of the Bilsk settlement: 1, 2, 4-15 - fi ndings from the accumulation; 3, 16 - finds from the bottom of the pit. 1-6 - rims of amphorae; 7-8 - feet of amphorae; 9-16 - fragments of handles. Fig. 7. Fragments of amphorae from the accumulation in the pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13, the Western fortification of the Bilsk settlement: 1-5, 7, 8 - Klazomenian amphorae, 6 - Milesian amphorae. 1-5 - fragments of handles; 5 - fragment of a neck; 6 - fragment of a rim. Fig. 8. Klazomenian transport amphora's wall decorated with red stripes from the accumulation in the pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13, the Western fortifi cation of the Bilsk settlement. Fig. 9. Table of rims of the Klazomenian transport amphorae from the pit number 11 of the "ashpit" 13, the Western Bilsk Fortifi cation.
The great ruler Stephen the Great, outstanding army commander and diplomat, was also concerned during his life with the economic prosperity of the country, supporting the development of crafts, trade and fairs. During his reign, groși and half groși minted in the dinar system were issued, a monetary system introduced in Moldova during the last reign of Petru Aron (1455-1457)...
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.