The artifact is a battle axe made from magmatic rock (diabase) of gray-brown color. It was accidentally discovered in 1966 within the territory of Aluniș village, Rîșcani district. Based on its morphological characteristics, the artifact can be attributed to the Catacomb culture (29th-22nd centuries BCE).
The axe features a massive, elongated naviform body with slightly pronounced shoulders, a short and narrow edge that is flat and circular in cross-section. The blade is slightly curved. The hole was drilled in the maximum width of the object. It is circular in shape with a diameter of 2.2 cm. The surface of the artifact is meticulously polished, worked with great care, and shows no signs of damage or chipping.
Dimensions: Length: 20.0 cm; Maximum width: 8.4 cm; Edge diameter: 5.0 cm; Blade width: 7.0 cm; Weight: 2.3 kg.
Stone battle axes are characteristic of the Catacomb culture communities and are most often found as grave goods, deposited in tombs. Their presence in funerary complexes suggests a multifaceted functionality: weapons, social symbols, and ritual objects. Initially used as weapons, the axes became social symbols for their owners, later acquiring votive significance when deposited in tombs to serve the deceased in the afterlife.
The social symbolic function of stone battle axes is indicated by the high-quality rocks used for their manufacture and the exceptionally meticulous craftsmanship. The large dimensions of the axe from Aluniș support this hypothesis and distinguish it from other examples.
The discovery of stone battle axes outside a funerary complex may indicate their votive deposition. It is difficult to imagine that these exceptionally well-crafted pieces, made from high-quality rocks transported over great distances, could have been abandoned or lost accidentally. It is far more likely that they were deposited for magical-religious purposes, a possibility that may also apply to the stone axe discovered at Aluniș.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
In the 70-ies of the 20th century two medieval monetary and ware hoards were accidentally unearthed. The first treasure was found near Sîngerei town, Sîngerei district and contained four pieces of jewellery and twenty nine coins. The other hoard was discovered at Hîjdieni village, Glodeni district and contained four objects and three coins.
The hoard from Sângerei includes 26 Lithuanian coins: 2 half groshes of Alexander’s I emission of 1495-1501, 6 half groshes of Sigismund II; 16 half groshes and 1 grosh of Sigismund II; a three grosh coin of Sigismund III Wasa. Prussia is represented by a grosh of the time of Albrecht I. Mariengrosh (1553) and a thaler of the time of Rudolf II emitted in 1597 represent Göttingen and Lübeck which were parts of the German Holy Roman Empire. Therefore, the half grosh of Alexander I coined in 1495-1501 is the earliest coin of the Sîngerei treasure. Thaler of the time of Rudolf II emitted in 1597 is the latest of the coins. Judging by that the objects of this hoard may be presumably dated to the end of the 15th -16th c., and the hoard could be dated to the end of the 16th century.
Coins from Hîjdieni village include two leeuwendaalders minted in Utrecht (United Provinces) in 1647 and 1648, and 28 Stubers of Emden town (German Holy Roman Empire) minted during the rule of Friedrich III (1637-1668). The fourth coin is a Lithuanian shilling of the time of Ian Kazimir Wasa (1648-1668) emitted in 1652.
In this period foreign and internal policy of Moldova substantially depended on relations with Turkey and Poland. The war of 1593-1606 in which Moldova was involved lead to destructive devastations which caused anti-Turkish protests. A military conflict of 1648-1654 between Poland and the revolted Cossacks of Bogdan Hmelnitskiy substantially affected the territory of Moldova and lead to its devastation and famine of 1650. These events could possibly be the reason for placing of the two hoards.
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
Ana Niculiță
Regarding two medieval coin hoards from Florești district, Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The artifact is a battle axe made from magmatic rock (diabase) of gray-brown color. It was accidentally discovered in 1966 within the territory of Aluniș village, Rîșcani district. Based on its morphological characteristics, the artifact can be attributed to the Catacomb culture (29th-22nd centuries BCE)...
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
