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.
The museum institution in the process of globalization
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The beginning of the millennium marked the dissolution of communication borders generated by the transition from a tightly governed political system to the democratization process, from planned economy to the market one, from the rapid development of technologies to the globalization phenomenon. The postindustrial economy had stimulated the mobilization of the intellectual capital and its use in production and service spheres.
It is in the period of impetuous transformations that appears the nostalgia of stability, originality and individuality. The identity of the person, of the community of origin, ethnicity and nationality had always been one of the essential points of each cultural dialog at local, national or universal scale.
In the context of changing social-political and cultural processes, the issue of keeping and affirming identity becomes an essential one; a fortiori it represents the only efficient way of combating the negative and obscured effects of globalization.
The globalization process had imposed the contemporary society with a cultural globalization by redefining the purpose of the museum institution which’s activity is determined by new factors: - the market holds the arbiter role, appreciating and determining the essence of values - the entertainment industry holds a considerable niche in the cultural sphere - reduction of the state role and the emergence of untraditional political formations - disappearance of intellectual borders - appearance and development of multicultural communities - as a result of developing new technologies appear new visions about notions of place, time, space etc.
Another aspect of the cultural globalization is the decentralization of big museums and the rapid museification of society. We are today the witnesses of a big museum revolution; we will be able to appreciate in time whether it is a positive or a negative factor. One of the immediate changes is building new systems of museums, or of a new system of museums. In other words, building a territorial network not only diversified spatially and territorially, but also on profiles, levels and functions in which the different unities complete and correlate among themselves, keeping the same educational and heritage preservation objectives.
Lucia Marinescu-Tonu
Techniques for interpreting cultural heritage in the provinces of Trento and Ferrara
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIV [XXIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lucia Marinescu
In memoriam Mihai Onilă
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lucia Marinescu-Tonu
Creations of the House of Fabergé – between utility and refinement
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVIII [XXXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lucia Marinescu-Tonu
Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences in Rio de Janeiro - between science and public
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lucia Marinescu-Tonu
Pedagogy of Cultural Heritage: between illusion and reality
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
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 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.