The exposed object, an "askos" type ceramic vessel, comes from the tumulus necropolis near the village of Ciumai, Taraclia district. The vessel was discovered in 2015 in a cenotaph tomb attributed to the Jamnaja culture, dated to the early Bronze Age (ca. 3300-2600 BC).
The vessel, with an obviously asymmetrical configuration, is hand-moulded from quality clay paste, having a smooth brown surface with gray spots. The body of the vessel is provided with a pronounced protrusion and a truncated neck with a wider opening towards the mouth. The vessel has a stem and is ornamented with three pairs of symmetrically placed relief appliqués. The height of the bowl is 15.5 cm, the diameter of the mouth is 11.4 cm, the diameter of the body is 15 cm and the diameter of the base is 7.5 cm. Such vessels in the archaeological literature are known as "askos" vessels, the respective term being of ancient Greek origin, denoting one of the primitive containers of the period - the bellows made of animal skin.
In prehistoric times, among some peoples, the bellows was transposed into ceramics, in these cases the basic features of the archaic leather vessel were preserved, acquiring a prominent convex shape with a stem and a flat bottom. From the original appearance of the bellows, the asymmetric mouth corresponding to the animal's neck has been preserved, and sometimes three or four legs, corresponding to the appendages of the flayed skin from the animal's legs. These vessels have lost their original zoomorphic character, entering as a new form in the inventory of Neo-Eneolithic ceramics. The first vessels of this type are attested in Greece, in the early Neolithic (ca. 5000-4500 BC) having the shape of cups or cups. In the Neo-Eneolithic Carpatho-Balkan cultures, the type of Aegean askos of short or tall form, with or without legs and with a handle, is found. Less often, they are provided with two mouths (one for filling and one for emptying) or they are off-center and provided with strangely shaped mouths. In the space between the Carpathians and the Dnieper, only tall forms of simple askos, without zoomorphic elements, are known. Askos-type vessels are present in various prehistoric cultures, especially in Southeast Europe and Anatolia.
Being often discovered in association with cult inventory, askos vessels could be an important indicator of use in religious ritual practices. Along with the zoomorphic, anthropomorphic and rhyton-type vessels (roughly conical container from which, in some ceremonies, liquids were drunk or poured), the askos were included in the category of vessels intended for worship, being related to libations (ritual act that consisted of tasting and then pouring a cup of wine, milk, etc. as homage to the deity).
Museum Event 2013: International Project When Sweden was ruled from Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Implementation of the project When Sweden was ruled from Moldova is considered highly significant museum event of 2013. It is an international scientific cultural project having several thematic components, geographical landmarks and stages of implementation.
The project is dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the event known as "Kalabalyk at Varnita" and the stay of Swedish King Charles XII at Bender and Varnita in 1709-1713. It aims to preserve the historical memory and promote the historical and cultural heritage that reflects a common segment of the Moldavian-Swedish history and is associated with the name of Swedish King Charles XII, as well as to deepen the collaboration between Swedish, Turkish and Moldavian researchers.
Opening of the activities on the project took place in Chisinau, in the Blue Room of the National Museum of History of Moldova. The first stage of the project was held in Chisinau and Varnita from 1 to 2 February 2013; it consisted of the opening ceremony, presentation of the thematic exhibition, and the international scientific conference. The next stages will take place in Istanbul and Stockholm. The event was organized by the Royal Armory (Stockholm), Embassy of Sweden in the Republic of Moldova, National Museum of History of Moldova, and Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Sweden.
List of illustrations:
Photo 1. Opening of the project When Sweden was ruled from Moldova, the Blue Room of the National Museum of History of Moldova, February 1, 2013.
Photo 2. Opening of the exhibition When Sweden was ruled from Moldova, the upstairs hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova, February 1, 2013.
Elena Ploșnița
Anniversary celebrations at the National Museum of History
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The exposed object, an "askos" type ceramic vessel, comes from the tumulus necropolis near the village of Ciumai, Taraclia district. The vessel was discovered in 2015 in a cenotaph tomb attributed to the Jamnaja culture, dated to the early Bronze Age (ca. 3300-2600 BC)...
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.