#Exhibit of the Month

The exhibit of the month for November is a rare glass goblet from the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov cemetery, discovered in Tigheci. Dated to the second half of the 4th century AD, this remarkable artifact demonstrates the craftsmanship of the time, made from translucent greenish glass with a truncated cone shape and intricate geometric decoration. The goblet features three rows of hexagonal facets, framed by incised lines, and a row of elongated ovals under the rim, characteristics which classify it within Series VII A, according to E. Straume's classification. These ornamental traits hint at artistic influences from various regions and indicate the spread of technologies and ideas within the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture.

Archaeological Context of the Discovery

The Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov cemetery at Tigheci is located in a historically complex area, positioned on the northwest slope of the Tigheci River, at the "La Lutărie" point. First identified in the 1980s following unauthorized clay extraction, the cemetery has suffered considerable damage, leading to the loss of valuable artifacts and the destruction of graves. Among the objects recovered by Mr. Ion Pușcașu, founder of the Museum of History and Ethnography in Tigheci, are wheel-thrown ceramic items reflecting the traditions and techniques of communities during the Migration Period.

The site was first archaeologically investigated in 1990, when a complete inhumation grave was found, though lacking any inventory. Subsequent surveys in 2013 and 2015 by the National Archaeological Agency revealed ongoing erosion damaging the cemetery, necessitating a rescue excavation in 2017. This campaign documented and investigated five graves from the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture, including the skeletal remains of a male individual estimated to have been 40 to 45 years old at the time of death, offering additional insights into the demographic structure of this community.

Cultural Significance and Comparisons

The hexagonally faceted glass goblet is among the most valuable artifacts from the Tigheci cemetery. Similar goblets are characteristic of the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture and have been found in notable sites such as Târgșor and Bârlad-Valea Seacă (Romania) and Gavrilovka, Ranjevoe (Ukraine), reflecting the cultural and trade connections of this community with other centers of influence in Late Antiquity. Ancient texts and cultural parallels suggest a complex interaction zone with Hellenistic and Roman influences, reflected in luxury goods production such as this glass goblet.

Virtual Tour

Publications

Journal „Tyragetia"

vol. VII [XXII], nr. 1

Stone objects found in the settlements of Noua-Sabatinovka cultures in the Prut-Dniester area

ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Mariana Sîrbu

Stone objects found in the settlements of Noua-Sabatinovka cultures in the Prut-Dniester area

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică

As a result of archaeological research, which are carried out from 1950s to the present in the Prut-Dniester area, in the settlements, as well as through random findings, it was found about 412 artifacts of stone (scrapers, fragments of mills, discs, polishers, casting moulds, axes, etc.) and 129 ones of flint (hammerstones, knives, arrowheads, blades) relating to the Noua-Sabatinovka type. The article presents the categories of lithic objects and attempts to clarify their attribution.

List of illustrations:

Fig. 1. Stone scrapers: 1, 2, 7, 8 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Sava, Kaiser 2004, fig. 16/7, 63/2; Sava 2008, fig. 16/7, 24/5); 3, 4 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986, рис. 8/1, 3); 5 - Petrușeni (after Sava 1992, fig. 6/1); 6 - Cobâlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 28/1).

Fig. 2. Grinders: 1, 2, 4 - Cobâlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 20/4, 23/3, 28/2); Petrușeni (after Sava 1992, рис. 6/4).

Fig. 3. Stone polishers: 1, 3, 6, 7 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 88/5, 6, 9, 13); 2 - Hansca (after Postică, Cavruc 1991, fig. 7/8); 4 - Čortovec' (after Крушельницька 2006, рис. 17/9). Grindstone: 5 - Petrușeni (After Sava 1992, fig. 6/5).

Fig. 4. Stone disks: 1-4 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 5, 6 - Cuconești; 7 - Fetești (after Ларина 1976, рис. 6/3); 8 - Odaia- Miciurin (after Sava 2008, fig. 36/9).

Fig. 5. Polishers: 1-5, 7, 10, 11 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 87/3-6, 9, 13); 6 - Nisporeni; 8 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986, рис. 8/2); 9 - Cobâlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 18/6); 12 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1958, табл. XXVI/8). Hammerstones: 10, 14 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 87/14, 15); 13 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1957, табл. XIX/5); 15 - Novoselicja (after Тощев, Черняков 1986, рис. 6/11).

Fig. 6. Hoe: 1 - Slobozia-Şireuți (after Дергачев 1969, табл. III/26). Stone axes: 2 - Petrușeni (after Sava 1992, fig. 9/3); 3 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1957, табл. XIX/4); 4 - Mahala (after Смирнова 1972, рис. 6/11); 5 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 88/1); 6 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 7 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986, рис. 7/1). Stone maces: 8, 10, 11 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 9 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1957, табл. XIX/3).

Fig. 7. Stone casting moulds: 1 - Cobâlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 27/1); 2, 6 - Ostrivec' (after Археология 1985, рис. 131/32, 36); 3, 8 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 88/2, 4); 4, 5 - Bălănești (after Sava 2011, Abb. 5/1, 6/1); 7 - Mahala (after Смирнова 1972, 24, рис. 9/1).

Fig. 8. Pestles/scepters: 1, 3, 6 - Chiperceni (after Савва 1987, рис. 2/9, 14, 3/9); 2 - Petreni (after Савва 1987, 64, рис. 2/4); 4 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1958, табл. XXVI/7); 7 - Stecivka (after Крушельницька 2006, рис. 13/6); 8 - Bahu (after Дергачев 2012, илл. II/35); 9, 10 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 87/11, 12). Stone pounder: 5 - Basarabeasca (after Савва 1987, рис. 2/24).

Fig. 9. Flint blades: 1, 6 - Cobâlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 4/7, 16/11); 2 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 3 - Petrușeni (after Левицкий 1985, рис. 16/12); 4 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986, рис. 7/3); 5, 7-10 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 90/2, 4, 7-9). Flint arrowheads: 11, 12 - Cobâlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 4/3, 17/1); 13 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 90/1). Flint knives: 8, 10 - Petrușeni (after Левицкий 1985, рис. 15/21, 22); 9 - Slobozia-Şireuți (after Дергачев 1969, 121, табл. III/28). Flint hammerstones: 17, 19 - Petrușeni (after Sava 1992, fig. 9/4, 7); 18-21 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 22 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 89/1); 23 - Čortovec' (after Крушельницька 2006, 40, рис. 17/6).

Fig. 10. Stone and flint tools found in the area of the Noua-Sabatinovka cultural complex on the territory of Ukraine to the east of the Dniester and in Romania: 1, 2 - knives; 3, 4 - arrowheads; 5 - flint blade; 6, 7 - polishers; 8 - hammerstone; 9 - disk; 10, 15 - hoes; 11-13 - pestles / scepters; 14 - grindstone; 16 - pounder; 17 - casting mould; 18 - mace; 19, 22 - polishers; 20, 21 - axes. 1 - Trușești; 2 - Probota; 3, 4, 19 - Gârbovăț; 5, 14 - Dorobanțu; 6, 7, 13, 18 - Zlatopol; 8-10 - Novokievka; 11 - Voinești; 12, 15 - Sergeevskij Zaliv; 16 - Uškalka; 17 - Nicoleni; 20-22 - Tăvădărăști. 1-5, 11, 14, 17, 19-22 (after Florescu 1991, fig. 113/4; 158/5, 6; 159/6; 162/2, 5; 163/3, 8, 10; 164/2, 8); 6-10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18 (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 9/10, 12; 10/2; 35/4, 9, 10; 45/8, 10).

Fig. 11. Stone and flint tools found in other cultures synchronous or partially synchronous to the Noua-Sabatinovka cultural complex. Cultures: Komarovo (1, 2, 10, 11, 13), Gava-Holigrady (4, 9), Belogrudovka (3, 5, 6, 12, 14), Belozerka (7, 8, 16), Srubna (15, 17). 1-5 - knives; 6 - arrowhead; 7 - pestle / scepter; 8, 9 - grindstones; 10, 11 - polishers; 12 - mace; 13 - spindle whorl; 14-16 - casting moulds; 17 - grinder. 1, 2, 10, 11 - Coteala; 3 - Kirovo; 4, 9, 13 - Miškovič; 5 - Belogrudovskij Les; 6, 14 - Sobkovka; 7 - Uškalka; 8 - Zapovitne; 12 - Andrusovka; 15 - Pilipčatino; 16 - Zavadovka; 17 - Iličovka. 1, 2, 10, 11 (after Sava 1994, fig. 3/19, 20, 30, 33); 3, 5-8, 12, 14-17 (after Археология 1985, рис. 112/40; 127/1, 20; 136/1, 4, 5, 7; 142/19, 44, 52); 4, 9, 13 (after Малеев 1976, рис. 2/7, 10, 11).

Mariana Sîrbu

Pottery of the Noua- Sabatinovka-Coslogeni cultural complex. The typology

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică

Mariana Sîrbu

Manufacture of items of hard materials of animal origin during the Late Bronze Age (the Noua-Sabatinovka cultural complex)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică

Eugen Sava, Mariana Sîrbu

The „ashpit” settlements in the basin of Răut (Catalog)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică

Mariana Sîrbu

Bronze objects found in the settlements of Noua-Sabatinovka type in the Prut-Dniester area

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică