National Museum of Archaeology and History – from utopia to reality
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
According to two decrees issued by the Government of the Republic of Moldova (№ 1326 of 14.12.2005 and № 168 of 14.02.2006) “Measures for optimization of infrastructure in the fields of science and innovation”, the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova was created on the basis of two museums, the National Museum of History of Moldova and Archeological Museum.
It’s worth noting that the generally accepted classification of museums arranges them by sciences, technology, arts.
At the same time modern museology is characterized by strict specialization. The Museum of Archaeology and History belongs to the type of museums popular in the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, and this means a step backward in the development of the museum system of Moldova.
In spite of its name and the fact that it is under two structures: Science Academy and Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this museum holds collections of national importance and significantly contributes to the preservation and development of culture. The museum embodies national memory and is of great importance to the society “as otherwise it would have to start every time all from the beginning”.
Analyzing today’s state of the museum it’s significant that certain problems exist and some of them can be solved shortly. First of all the research work should be properly organized, perspective planning should be implemented, a new permanent exhibition should be arranged. It is necessary to find a comprehensive systematic approach to the whole organization of the museum, including a pronounced development strategy and a scholarly approach to all areas of the museum’s activity. This will improve and change the museum so that it will meet demands of the society.
The item is the lower part of a leg of a festive table made of white and gray marble. In the upper part, it has a protrusion, similar to a Doric capital, on the horizontal platform of which a square recess is engraved, designed to fix the second part of the leg (upper). The lower part of the leg is made in an anthropomorphic style, and, in our opinion, there are two variants of identifying the depicted character...
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 item is the lower part of a leg of a festive table made of white and gray marble. In the upper part, it has a protrusion, similar to a Doric capital, on the horizontal platform of which a square recess is engraved, designed to fix the second part of the leg (upper). The lower part of the leg is made in an anthropomorphic style, and, in our opinion, there are two variants of identifying the depicted character. The first involves the image of the head of the young Heracles (Heracles - Ἡρακλῆς) (beardless), the most favorite hero of antiquity, wearing on his head the skin of the Nemean lion - Λέων της Νεμέας, a vicious monster from Greek mythology who lived in Nemea and was eventually killed by Heracles. The first labor of Heracles, of the twelve set by King Eurystheus (his cousin), was to kill the Nemean lion and bring his skin to the king. It is also known from Greek mythology that the lion of Nemea took the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce the inhabitants of neighboring villages, who wanted to save the girl from danger. Upon entering the cave, a man saw the woman, who usually pretended to be wounded, and rushed to help her. When he approached her, the woman turned into a lion and killed him. Then the lion devoured the man, giving his bones to Hades - ᾍδης, the god of Hell, who lived in the kingdom of shadows. The second version of the anthropomorphic image interpretation suggests Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia in the second half of the 4th century BC, one of the most famous heroes of the Greek world, who sometimes is depicted as Hercules - wearing a lion's skin. Some researchers consider the custom of wearing the skin of a slain lion a sign of royal power. The word βασιλεύς itself, translated from ancient Greek, means "walking the path of the lion", that is, the king. This title was held by the Greek kings from the Homeric period, and later, starting from the 7th century AD - by the Byzantine emperors.
