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.
Regarding two medieval coin hoards from Florești district, Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Author suggests some clarifications regarding the content of the Mărculești and Băhrinești coin hoards transferred by A.A. Nudelman in 1986 to the holdings of the Archaeology Institute of the Science Academy.
The hoard from Mărculești village, Florești district was acquired by the holdings under the acts № 57 of March 21, 1986 (2465 coins) and № 65 of September 23, 1986 (two more copies), inventory numbers 2064-4530.
Both hoards were described by A. Nudelman in the article “Неизданные монетные клады XVI-XVII вв. из Днестровско-Прутского региона” (Средневековые памятники Днестровско-Прутского междуречья, Кишинёв, 1988, 145-148) in which the author introduces the Mărculești hoard as the Băhrinești hoard and vice versa, thus contradicting the content of the delivery-acceptance acts.
It is also to be pointed out that in the mentioned work the quantity of analyzed coins as well as identification of some issues differs from the coins kept in the holdings of the museum. The author just names the country and the issuer.
The author of the present article researched only the Mărculești hoard coins which had been included in the holdings of the museum and published “Un tezaur monetar gasit in s. Mărculești” (Arheologia Moldovei 18, 1995, 305-309) in order to rule out alternative versions regarding the coins of the mentioned hoards. The work contains a thorough description of the averse and reverse sides of each coin, indicates size and weight, determines mints, and comprises illustrative material.
From our point of view, it is necessary to analyze the Băhrinești hoard coins the same way (at the present time both hoards are kept in the National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova).
According to archaeologist V.I. Markevich, the coin hoard was discovered in 1980 near the railroad in the neighbor- hood of Băhrinești village. As a result of 1986 Florești archaeological expedition, A.A. Nudelman transferred 320 coins to the funds of the Archaeology Institute.
In 1990 A.A. Nudelman in the article “Бэхринештский клад и польско-литовские монеты в молдавских тезаврациях” (Нумизматические издания по истории Юго-Восточной Европы, Кишинёв, 1990, 185-203) includes in the scientific turnover fifty nine coins which were placed at his disposal for publication. This lot isn’t part of the above-mentioned Bagrinesti hoard consisting of 320 coins. The Bagrinesti hoard contains small European coins of the 16th-17th centuries: 305 coins are Lithuanian 1/2 groschen minted in Vilno town. The coins have been put in a chronological sequence: Alexander I Jagiello, 1495-1501 – 1 coin; Sigismund I the Old – 3 coins (1510, 1520, 1521); Sigismund II Augustus – 301 1/2 groschen (1546-1567); Świdnica – 1/2 grosch (1523) during Louis II Jagiello reign (1516-1526).
The lot also contains 9 Hungarian dinars minted in Kremnica between 1546 and 1602 by the Habsburg House rulers: Ferdinand I – 4 coins (1545, 1557, 1558, 1563); Maximilian II – 1 coin, 1568; Rudolf II – 3 coins (1585, 1596, 1602); Matyáš II – dinars, 1610.
The hoard also includes 5 schillings: 1 – Poland, the Krakow mint, Stefan Batory, 1580; 1 – Gdansk, Sigismund III, 1532; 1 schilling, Riga, 1601, Sigismund III; 1 – Lithuania, the Vilno mint, Sigismund III, 1621; 1 schilling, Prussia, 1560, Königsberg mint, Albrecht I von Brandenburg reign (1525-1568).
The earliest coin of the hoard dates back to 1495-1501, and the latest coin dates back to 1621.
Анна Никулицэ
Golden and silver adornment objects discovered at the Aeneolithic and Bronze Age monuments (on the materials from the NMAHM collections
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Анна Никулицэ
Silverware and coins from the two medieval hoards
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
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
