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).
On the question of archaeological sites in Chișinău (Catalogue of archaeological sites)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Oral tradition and written sources indicate that the historic core of Chișinău is located in the lower part of the modern city adjacent to the river of Bic. Thus, in medieval documents the name of Chișinău was firstly mentioned on July 17, 1436 in the document of Moldavian rulers Ilie and Stefan, in connection with the determination of borders of land granted to the Logofat Oancea for faithful service: “…near Bic, on the other side, in the valley opposite to Cheseneul of Acbas, by the wellspring, where there is a Tatar settlement, opposite the woods”. The locality emerged at the source, that had been providing the inhabitants with drinking water until 1930s, had existed, apparently, already in the second half of the 14th century, before the ousting the Golden Horde from the south-eastern part of the Carpathian-Dniester area in the 30-80s of this century.
Archaeological exploration in the recent years has revealed that within the actual boundaries of Chișinău there are 55 archaeological sites (fig. 1). Of these, 21 are classified as single- and multilayer ones and 31 are burial mounds. The abovementioned 8 multi-layer and 13 single-layer sites include 6 prehistoric sites, 23 settlements of different times, one fortification, and 5 necropolises.
The earliest Chișinău archaeological sites are the Upper Paleolithic sites (ca 50.000-10.000 BC). They are discovered (and partially investigated) in the valley of Valea Morilor, Valea Trandafirilor, Malina Mica, at the Telecenter, and, possibly, in the historic center of the city, at the crossroads of the Stephen the Great Boulevard and Sergey Lazo Street. The Mesolithic Age (ca 20/15.000-12/10.000 BC) is represented by the site located near the St. Constantine and Helena Church, not far from the building of circus. Several flint tools representing the pre-ceramic Neolithic (the 9th-7th millennia BC) were found at Malina Mica. The real surprise for Chișinău was a discovery in 2009 of a site related to Aeneolithic time. Archaeological excavations in the Valea Morilor Aeneolithic settlement gave a very interesting material for studying the history and archaeology of the Prut-Dniester region in general and the micro-region under review in particular. At the same valley of Valea Morilor there was discovered and partially investigated a Bronze Age settlement that, together with the settlement found near the St. Constantine and Helena Church, complements a general picture of the development of local prehistoric communities in the region.
A large number of sites represent the period of the Thracian Hallstatt. Within the boundaries of modern Chișinău there were found four settlements of this time. One of them, discovered at Buiucani, was investigated in 1955/1956 by A.I. Meljukova and refers to the archaeological culture of Chișinău-Corlăteni. The settlement dates back to the 12th-10th centuries BC. The Getae culture is represented by a settlement discovered in the area of Colina Puskin.
The Roman era is represented by six archaeological sites. Of these, two burial grounds belong to the Sarmatian tribes (the 2nd century BC - 2nd century AD). They were found in the streets of Muncești and Vaslui. Four sites belong to the Santana de Mureș-Černjahov culture (the 3rd-4th century). There were discovered three settlements and a burial mound in the valley of Valea Morilor, Valea Trandafirilor, in the Rascani district, and in the territory of the former meat-packing plant (121 Muncești St.).
Within the boundaries of modern Chișinău the Middle Ages are represented by the largest number of archaeological sites: 12. Five of them are characteristic for the early medieval period: three settlements relate to the Lozna- Dodești-Hansca (=the Protodridu culture) (the 7th-9th centuries), while the other two belong to Răducăneni culture (the 11th-13th centuries). One settlement discovered on the right bank of Bic near the Muncești Street relates to the Golden Horde period. The 15th-17th centuries are represented especially by settlements and burial grounds discovered in the area of the historic center of Chișinău.
Archaeological investigations carried out in 2009-2010 on the Mazarache plateau and in the Valea Morilor valley have revealed new interesting materials for the study of prehistoric, ancient, and medieval Chisinau. The excavation revealed remains of dwellings, food wells, stone cellars, tools, pottery, various ornaments, i.e. material culture that allows more fully recreate various aspects of social, economic, and cultural life of Chișinău inhabitants as well as their spiritual aspirations.
Within the boundaries of modern Chișinău there were found several hoards of bronze objects as well as more than a dozen coin hoards and single coins (fig. 2). The coin hoards include from several ones to dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of coins. Their composition reflects the intense economic relations of Chisinau as well as political instability in the region during certain periods of its development.
List of illustrations: Map 1. Chișinău. Settlements, ground burials and burial mounds. Map 2. Chișinău. Hoards of coins and other objects.
Ion Tentiuc
Sergiu Musteață, Populația spațiului pruto-nistrean în secolele VIII-IX. Editura Pontos, Chișinău 2005, 189 p., rezumat în limba engleză, indice, 10 tabele, 7 diagrame, 4 hărți, 78 planșe cu figuri, 12 foto, ISBN 9975-926-43-6
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ion Tentiuc
Sergiu Matveev, Procesele etno-culturale din spațiul carpato-nistrean în secolele II-XIV. Istoriografia sovietică. Chișinău: Pontos, 2009, 230 p. text + 5 tabele
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ion Tentiuc
Les carreaux des poêles avec l’images heraldiques de Căușeni
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ion Tentiuc
Profesorul, savantul și omul de cultură Gheorghe Postică la 60 de ani
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Ion Tentiuc
About horse rider pendants from the early Medieval period in the Prut-Dniester area
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
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.