#Exhibit of the Month

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.

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Publications

Journal „Tyragetia"

vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2

The magazine „Kishinyovskie Eparkhial′nye Vedomosti

ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Vera Serjant

The magazine „Kishinyovskie Eparkhial′nye Vedomosti" („Chisinau Diocesan Journal") as a means of advertising (1867-1917)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie

The topic of this article relates to the area of advertising. It reflects the implementation of advertising in the official religious magazines; in this case we are talking about the magazine „Kishinyovskie Eparkhial′nye Vedomosti" („Chisinau Diocesan Journal"). This Bessarabian periodical was published for more than 50 years. Its publication was an important event in the spiritual life of the entire diocese and clergy. Advertisements were placed in the informal part of the publication. Investigation of the collection of magazines from the National Museum of History of Moldova led us to the conclusion that the first advertisements were devoted exclusively to publishing issues.

Commercial advertising appears towards the end of the 19th century. Its development was unstable, which led to its disappearance in recent years of edition. The role of advertising in the diocesan publication was modest and insignificant, as the church authorities have not seen the advertisement as a source of obtaining fi nance. However, the magazine performed advertising functions. There were published advertisements of Chisinau shopkeepers who traded church utensils, of iconographic workshops for painting icons and iconostases, tailoring establishments making church vestments. The list of advertisements includes a number of local companies that offered consumers - Bessarabian priests products and services related to everyday life.

List of illustrations:

1. Information on the cost of advertisements in the magazine „Kishinyovskie Eparkhial′nye Vedomosti" (KEV), published in no. 10, 1908.
2. Page from the index of advertisements for 1905, published in KEV no. 2, 1906.
3. Fragment of advertisement of F. Ivanov's church goods store, published in KEV no. 5-6, 1868.
4. Advertisement of S. Bolgarov's fretwork factory, published in KEV no. 22, 1871.
5. Advertising of E. Prokhorenko's iconostasis workshop, published in KEV no. 20, 1899.
6. Advertising of E. Shliomovich's book and stationery store „Education", published in KEV no. 19, 1900.
7. Advertising of A. Koenigschatz's warehouse of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, published in KEV no. 5, 1900.
8. Ad unit of N. Gozhanskaya's women's clinics with maternity, published in KEV no. 13, 1901.
9. Ad unit of N.O. Shakh's bookstore, published in KEV no. 5, 1904.
10. Advertising of D. Spynulov's church utensils store, published in KEV no. 12, 1904.
11. Advertising of E. Shliomovich's warehouse of agricultural machines and implements, published in KEV no. 5, 1904.
12. Ad unit of D. Kara-Stoyanov's church utensils store, published in KEV no. 4, 1904.
13. Advertising of I.A. Belotserkovsky's fur shop, published in KEV no. 16, 1899.
14. Advertising of the „Batalin and Prokhorenko" icon workshop, published in KEV no. 6, 1903.
15. Tea shop advertisement, published in KEV no. 20 for 1909.
16. Advertising of V.I. Vorobyova's musical instruments shop, published in KEV no. 34, 1907.
17. Ad unit of F.I. Molyavin's iconostasis workshop, published in the newspaper „Drug" („Friend") no. 15, 1914.
18. Advertising of G.V. Lavrov's icons and iconostasis workshop, published in the newspaper „Drug" („Friend") no. 81, 1914.
19. Advertisement of the iconostasis master K.A. Sidenko, published in the newspaper „Drug" („Friend") no.77, 1914.

Vera Serjant

The role of Bessarabian Zemstva in opening the school of viticulture and winemaking from Saharna

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie

Vera Serjant

Advertisements of trading houses and shops in the Bessarabian press (the late 19th - early 20th centuries)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie

Vera Serjant

First “advertisements” in the Bessarabian press (1854-1899)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie

Vera Serjant

Some reflections about the advertisement in Bessarabia (end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie