The exhibit represents a fragment from a unique amphora discovered in 1988 in a ceramic kiln from the Chirileni III settlement (Sîngerei district), attributed to the Cucuteni-Tripolie archaeological culture stage CII (5th-4th millennia BC).
The ceramic fragment with painted human and geometric representations constitutes about 50% of the upper part of an amphora, made of clay paste without impurities. It is burned in an oxidizing environment, with a reddish color in the section. The inner surface of the vessel is covered with a pink-whitish color layer, and the smoothed and polished exterior is covered with a yellowish-gray engobe start. The body of the amphora is spheroidal with four pyramidal cakes on the shoulder, and the neck is high frustoconical with a short outwardly turned lip. The dimensions of the bowl: lip diameter - 18 cm; maximum body diameter - 43-45 cm; neck height - 13 cm; height of exposed fragment - 43 cm; the estimated total height of the vessel is 55-60 cm. Thickness at the lip - 6-7 mm, at the neck - 9-11 mm, and at the body - 10-13 mm.
The outer surface of the amphora in a proportion of about 4/5, except for the lower part, is bicolorly decorated with black and brown paint, the brush being used as a tool, which can be felt from the specific application of the lines. Two brushes were most likely used. The ornament is divided into three horizontal registers that surround the vessel dividing the interior into metopes. The decoration is composed of lines arranged vertically, horizontally or obliquely forming geometric compositions of the net type.
The special significance of the amphora resides in the representation in the middle register of the painting of the stylized scene of a female ritual dance. The scene painted on the body of the amphora represents the image of a group made up of 9 female characters assisted by two dogs and 3 snakes. The female images are represented schematically, with the emphasis on long legs, mini-trapezoidal skirts, short stretched bodies, folded dancing hands and pointed heads.
Vessels with painted anthropomorphic representations are very rare, being around 140 images of this kind known so far in the entire area of spread of the Cucuteni-Tripoli culture.
Based on the analysis of the shape of the vessel, the specific decoration and the context of the discovery, it can be admitted that the amphora from Chirileni belongs to the cult of the Mother Woman, the Great Goddess worshiped by the Eneolithic populations.
Notes and the ex-libris of Archimandrite Dosoftei Crihană. Case study
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Keywords: Archimandrite Dosoftei Crihană, hieromonk, notes, ex-libris, Sulina, old Romanian book, Northern Dobrudja area.
Abstract: In this paper we emphasize the importance of the notes made on old books in the writing of historical works and biographies. This case study refers to Archimandrite Dosoftei Crihană (born in 1842 or 1843 [1840?], Cudalbi Village, Galați County - died in 1920, Galați), a great servant of the church and well-known confessor in the Northern Dobrudja area. Around 1860 he was the inhabitant of the Celic Dere Monastery (Tulcea County) and was ordained a hieromonk in 1864. He also served near Satu Nou-Delta (today C.A. Rosetti Village), at Sulina and was the last abbot of Taița Monastery in 1877-1878. Later, he was sent as parish priest to the old Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Sulina, where he served until 1910.
Books from the library of Archimandrite were with him in his trials of life and on their pages he personally noted numerous events of autobiographical, historical, and social nature or referring to his own activity. Thus, in the Prayer-book of 1833 published in Sibiu he noted his father's death in 1861, and in the Psalms printed in Iasi in 1835 he wrote about the death of his mother and one of his brothers. Some copies were in circulation in the Northern Dobrudja area and not kept in the collections of Tulcea, while others are in the Tulcea museum collections, at the Cocoș Monastery or in the church of C.A. Rosetti Village. Besides the informative notes, some books have inscriptions with the name of the owner and the ex-libris of the Archimandrite.
List of illustrations: 1. Archimandrite Dosoftei Crihană (reproduction of Postolache 2010, 9). 2-3. The Psalter of the Prophet and King David, Iași, 1835 Title page and page 132 with notes (Gavrilă Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea). 4. The Psalter of the Prophet and King David, Iași, 1835 Notes on 1869 and 1882 (Gavrilă Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea). 5. The Psalter of the Prophet and King David, Iași, 1835 Notes on 1872 and 1880 (Gavrilă Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea). 6-7. The Service of the Small Blessing of Water, Iași, 1823 Notes on 1907 and 1881 (Cocoș Monastery, Tulcea). 8. The ex-libris «Archimandrite Dosoftei Chrihană 1880». 9. Other ex-librises.
Lăcrămioara Manea
On publishing activity of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni (1808-1812, 1813-1821) and the presence of old Romanian books in the collections of Northern Dobrudja
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015
The exhibit represents a fragment from a unique amphora discovered in 1988 in a ceramic kiln from the Chirileni III settlement (Sîngerei district), attributed to the Cucuteni-Tripolie archaeological culture stage CII (5th-4th millennia 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.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
