Bronze cauldrons of the Scythian time are rare in the Northern Black Sea region, especially on its western borders. Therefore, those few items found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova occupy a worthy place in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM). In particular, in the archaeological exhibition, two bronze cauldrons are displayed, discovered near the village of Nicolscoe in 1988 in burial mounds no. 14 and 15. In addition, in 2020, two bronze cauldrons without any accompanying documents were found in the collection of NMHM; however, they were visually identified as coming from various excavations in the Low Dniester region, such as burial mound no. 45 near Dubăsari and burial mound no. 1 near the Răscăieții Noi village.
The object presented as the exhibit of the month is a little-known find discovered in 1979 in barrow 1 near the village of Răscăieții Noi in the Ștefan Vodă district. In addition to its outstanding size (about 10 m high), this mound is known for discovering a cast bronze finial in the Scythian animal style on its surface in 1953. However, by the beginning of excavations, the locals had damaged part of the mound and a Scythian cast bronze cauldron was found near it. The cauldron was seriously damaged by mechanical impact, as a result of which the rim was deformed, and the walls, with one preserved vertical handle, were bent inwards. Fragments in the upper part of the body and one handle have been lost. The total reconstructed height of the cauldron is 24 cm (excluding the handles), the reconstructed diameter of the hemispherical cauldron is 30 cm, and the weight is 6.5 kg. In 2020, data on the chemical composition of the bronze cauldron alloy were obtained, revealing that it was cast from an alloy of almost 95 per cent copper. Unfortunately, due to the loss of information on the context of the discovery of the cauldron at Răscăieții Noi, it is impossible to link its discovery with one or another Scythian burial of the barrow. Moreover, the grave goods of other Scythian burials of Barrow 1 do not allow them to date below the 4th century BC. However, the cauldron with vertical handles from Răscăieții Noi most likely belongs earlier. This may be indicated by a bronze finial from the first half of the 5th century BC, which was found on this barrow in 1953. In addition, burial 7 from the nearest excavated barrow 2 at Răscăieții Noi, containing a plaque depicting a rolled predator (a copy of which is also on display at the NMHM), belongs to the mid- 5th century BC. Thus, there is a high probability that the cauldron from Barrow 1 at Răscăieții Noi is associated with the late Middle Scythian period or the mid-5th century BC.
Scythian bronze cauldrons in the west area are concentrated in three main regions: Bukovina-Podolia, the Lower Danube, and the Lower Dniester. Some Scythian cauldrons have no reliable archaeological context. Nevertheless, in combination with the same "stray" finds like the Scythian statues, the finds of Scythian cauldrons mark the Scythian presence, most likely not earlier than the late 6th century or even the turn of the 6th-5th centuries BC. The cauldrons first appeared in Bukovina, where they have been known since the middle of the 7th century BC. Bronze cauldrons (with their carriers) entered the steppe region 150-200 years later, and the "military" burials that appeared in the western steppe regions were no earlier than the middle of the 5th century BC. Most burials with cauldrons (and, apparently, the stray finds) are dated back to the second half of the 5th century BC. Then, in the early 4th century BC, their quantity was reduced, and after the first quarter of the 4th century BC, they completely disappeared from the cultural practice of the population of the steppes of the North-Western Black Sea region.
On some ornaments and clothing accessories of the populations from the Carpathian-Danubian space in the 14th-17th centuries
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
The present study analyses some types of ornaments specific to the costume of the population from the Carpathian-Danubian space in the 14th-17th centuries. In the category of head ornaments needles are included, intended for fixing the head covers and to decorate the hair. The earliest examples are represented by needles with bird-shaped end discovered at Pohrebeni (Republic of Moldova) and Suceava (Romania). The needles and clips with roundish ends, often decorated with rosettes made of metal wire and precious stones, are more widely known. Such pieces are found in the inventory of archaeological monuments from the 15th-17th centuries (treasures from Musaid, Re- public of Moldova; Sihleanu, Zăvoia, Covei, Păun from Romania).
A specific tradition for the populations’ ornaments in the given region are clothing pieces with applications made using the filigree and granulation technique. Such objects are grouped according to two different traditions. Applications are known, made in the 15th century most probably by Tatar-Mongols craftsmen (Costești, Republic of Moldova), Suceava (Romania). It is possible that the type of clothing applications specific to the 15th-17th centuries from Putna, Păun (Romania), Sîngerei, Musaid (Republic of Moldova) were formed under the influence of these pieces. A series of applications and brooches made according to the western-European tradition (Curtea de Argeș, Buda, Sibiu), different from the first two types, are known as well.
In the 17th century the set of ornaments is supplemented with specific necklaces known at Hîjdieni, Saharna (Re- public of Moldova). The appearance of these objects in the group of ornaments from Moldova can be explained by influences of Bulgarian traditions. The articles made by the Ciprovici school from Bulgaria were in great demand in the 16th-17th centuries. It is known that the craftsmen of this school manufactured toreutic articles and various ornaments, mostly for the neck, made of thin wire, at custom order of princes from the Romanian countries. In conclusion we show that ornaments of the population from the Carpathian-Danubian space in the 15th-17th centuries represents an integral complex of pieces based on various traditions and cultural influences.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Ornaments with figures of birds: 1 - Pohrebeni (Republic of Moldova); 2-4 - Bulgaria on Volga; 5 - Suceava (Romania); 6 - Novo Brdo (Serbia); 7-9 - Mamay-Surka (Ukraine); 10-11 -Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts (Bucharest, Romania). Fig. 2. Ornaments with figures of birds: 1, 2 - Bulgaria on Volga; 3 - Syria. Fig. 3. Jewelry from hoards Păun and Şendereni (Romania): 1-9 - Păun; 10-23 - Şendereni. Fig. 4. Jewelry from the Musaid treasure (Republic of Moldova). Fig. 5. Ornaments with filigree decor: 1 - Costesți (Republic of Moldova); 2 - Tushkov Town (Russia); 3 - detail of decoration of “Monomakh’s Cap”(Russia); 4-25 - Suceava (Romania). Fig. 6. Details of fashions decorations: 1-9 - Curtea de Adgeș; 10-14 - Putna; 15-17 - Buda; 18-21 -Sibiu (Romania). Fig. 7. Neck ornaments: 1 - Saharna; 2 - Hîjdieni (Republic of Moldova); 3 - Golovantsy (Bulgaria); 4, 5 - Bulgaria.
Екатерина Абызова, Светлана Рябцева
Medieval belt and bag fitting finds from Echimauti site of ancient settlement
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Екатерина Абызова, Светлана Рябцева
Buckles from the collection of the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
Светлана Рябцева
The findings of belts in the complexes of XIII-XVI centuries in the Carpathian-Balkan region
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Bronze cauldrons of the Scythian time are rare in the Northern Black Sea region, especially on its western borders. Therefore, those few items found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova occupy a worthy place in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova (NMHM)...
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
