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.
The pottery kilns at the Maeothian settlements of the Kuban river and the Don river regions
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
In 2005-09, three pottery kilns were unearthed at the Maeothian settlements of the first centuries AD in the Kuban River region. Together with 20 kilns excavated in the 1970s they formed a typologically compact group of pottery kilns in the region. All kilns are two-storey structures and differ only in size and design of the heating chambers. The diameters of kilns range from 0,9 to 2,6 m, with ca. 2,0 m on average. The roof of the heating chamber was supported by the partitions long-trapezoidal in shape. The openings for fire are mainly facing the east or northeast, for the western and southwest winds in summer did not cool the kilns. It allows us to suggest the seasonal use of these kilns, mainly for the summer.
The kilns dated to the 2nd-1st centuries BC at the Elizavetinsky settlement located in the same region had served as prototypes for the kilns in study. The kilns of the similar design are known neither from the Greek or Roman pottery workshops, nor was it in use by the craftsmen of Central Asia. Some features makes parallel the Maeotian kilns of the Kuban region with kilns found in the Northwest Black Sea and Transcarpathian regions, the areas connected to the Celtic traditions. These traditions could be adopted by the Meothian craftsmen from the Celts lived in Asia Minor.
The potters of the Kuban region, re-settled by the nomads to the Lower Don area in the 1st century AD had reproduced there their customary type of the pottery kilns. It explains the complete identity in the construction of kilns in both regions.
The medieval pottery kilns in the Northeast Caucasian region did not continue the tradition. These were more primitive in design and easier to make.
List of illustrations: Fig. 1. The pottery kiln at the necropolis of the Sporny 1 settlement: plans and cross-sections of different levels. Fig. 2. Pottery kilns of the Kazansky 1 settlement: 1 - the 2005 field season; 2 - the 2009 field season. Fig. 3. Pottery kilns of the Starokorsunsky 2 settlement: 1 - kilns Nrs. 7-9, the plan and cross-section; 2 - kilns Nrs. 1-6, the plan and cross-section. Fig. 4. Pottery kilns of the Starokorsunsky 2 settlement: 1 - the kiln nr. 10, the plan and cross-section; 2 - the kiln Nr. 11, the plan and cross-section; 3 - the kiln nr. 12, the plan and cross-section; 4 - the kiln nr. 14, the plan and cross-section. Fig. 5. Pottery kilns of the Starokorsunsky 2 settlement: 1 - the kiln nr. 13, the plan and cross-section; 2 - the kiln nr. 15, the plan and cross-section; 3 - the kiln nr. 20, the plan and cross-section. Fig. 6. Pottery kilns of the Starokorsunsky 2 settlement: 1 - the kiln nr. 18, the plan and cross-section; 2 - the kiln nr. 16, the plan and cross-section; 3 - the kiln nr. 19, the plan and cross-section; 4 - the kiln nr. 17, the plan and cross-section. Fig. 7. Pottery kilns of the Maeotian settlements in the Lower Don region: 1 - the Kobyakovsky settlement, the kiln unearthed in 1961, the plan and cross-section; 2 - the Kobyakovsky settlement, the kiln unearthed in 1955; 3 - the Podazovsky settlement, the kiln unearthed in 1959. Fig. 8. The kiln unearthed in 2009, pahsa slabs from the Kazansky 1 settlement. Plate 1. The main features of pottery kilns from the Kuban and the Lower Don regions, the first centuries AD.
Борис Раев, Максим Белов, Анна Жадаева
A grave of a Cuman noble woman in the Kislyakovsky 13 kurgan cemetery (Krasnodar kray)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Борис Раев, Юрий Рассамакин
Елене Избицер - 60
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
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.