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 protests and the revindications of the Bessarabian people in the first decades after the annexation of the territories between the Prut and Dniester rivers to Russia (years 1812-1828)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
In spite of the relatively large number of works concerning the peasants issue in Bessarabia after its annexation to the Russian Empire, it has been noticed that some aspects connected to the peasants’ movement(rising) have been treated one-sidedly and tendentiously in the Soviet historiography from the Republic of Moldova. The period after the democratization of the Moldovan society did not draw the attention of historians to that subject and din not manifest their interest in it either.
For carrying out an objective study of this issue, there have been analyzed 1502 claims and letters of complaint addressed by representatives of different social categories to the civil governor of Bessarabia, which have been stocked in stock nr.2 - Chancellery of the civil governor of Bessarabia from the National Archive of the Republic of Moldova. The documents have been classified into claims which reflect the following forms of protest and revindications: abuse on behalf of landlords, district police officers, landholders and concessionaires; exaggerated duties, taxes and charges; abuse on behalf of the Russian soldiers; escapes, removals inside Bessarabia and over the river Dniester; escapes of the peasants into Moldova over the Prut river; abuse from the Regional Administration and the Russian officials; restrictions of the internal and external trade; the haiduk movement or robberies etc. People’s protests and revindications have been conventionally divided into two periods: 1812-1818 and 1819-1828, relying on the administrative-territorial division of Bessarabia during this time, which allows the analysis of these acts in its districts. The analyzed documents made it possible to elaborate a series of tables which reflect, quite exhaustively, the main forms of protest and revendications of the population in these two time periods.
The analysis of these documents allows us to conclude that 1025 (68,4%) claims have been made by the representatives of different social categories between 1812 and 1818, in spite of the privileges conferred by the Russian administration to the Bessarabian people, immediately after the annexation of the territory. 523 (51%) of the complaints have been addressed to the civil governor of Bessarabia by the people of the Orhei district. Among the most important complaints made by the Bessarabian people during the first period, can be highlighted the following: claims and complaints connected to abuse on behalf of landlords, district police officers, landholders and concessionaires – 372 (36,3%); claims and complaints caused by exaggerated duties, taxes and charges – 318 (31%); claims and complaints caused by the abuse on behalf of the Russian soldiers – 133 (13%); claims and complaints caused by escapes, removals inside Bessarabia and over the river Dniester – 93 (9,1%); claims and complaints connected to escapes of the peasants into Moldova over the Prut river – 62 (6%); claims and complaints caused by the abuse from the Regional Administration and the Russian officials – 31 (3%) etc. Consequently, the analysis of the above mentioned sources allows us to question a number of assertions made by the Soviet historiography on this matter.
Valentin Tomuleț
Bessarabian bourgeoisie in modern age (Classification, characteristics, evolution)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Mazili and ruptași (and other social categories) in the statistics of the 1817 census
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XI [XXVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Taxation of the mazili and ruptași social categories in Bessarabia under the Tsarist domination (1812-1847)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț
Peasant unrest in the village of Tabani, Khotyn Uyezd in connection with the agrarian reform of 1868
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Valentin Tomuleț, Angela Baxan
On the question of competence of the Supreme Council of Bessarabian Oblast (August 28, 1816 - February 29, 1828)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
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.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
