This clay vessel was discovered in 1982 by archaeologist V. Sorochin during excavations of a burial mound (no. 1) located in the village of Speia, Dubăsari District. It originates from grave no. 5 and is dated to the 4th millennium BC, belonging to the Usatovo culture. The vessel was found in a child's grave. The burial pit had an oval shape, and the deceased was laid in a crouched position (similar to the fetal posture), on the left side. A total of five vessels were uncovered in this grave: three near the back, one at the feet, and one in the pelvic area. The cultural attribution of this funerary complex was determined based on the burial rite and grave goods. This culture is characterized by the specific construction of the burial pit, as well as the positioning and orientation of the deceased toward the east and northeast. The vessel is shaped from clay mixed with finely crushed shell. Its walls curve gradually toward the top, with the widest diameter at the shoulder area. It has a short neck, a slightly flared rim, and a flat base. The surface is carefully polished, in some areas to a lustrous finish. The interior is reddish-brown, while the exterior is yellowish-brown with gray spots. The rim features groups of perforations, three of which are preserved in their original state. The diameter of the holes is 0.35 cm. The space between the groups of perforations is decorated with cord impressions. The transition from the neck to the shoulder is adorned with three horizontal lines made with cord, from which, in five places, three vertical lines descend, each 5 cm long, executed using the same technique. At the time of discovery, these lines were filled with a white paste. The space between the groups of lines is decorated at the top with short vertical lines (0.5 cm long), and in the center with a meander ornament made of two parallel lines impressed with cord. The base of the vessel retains the imprint of a textile. Vessel dimensions: Height: 22 cm; Rim diameter: 15.7 cm; Maximum diameter: 22 cm; Base diameter: 10 cm.
Toward the definition of the Edinets archaeological group
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. II [XVII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
The Prut-Dniester area was a contact zone of various genetically unrelated archaeological cultures of Eastern, Central and South Eastern Europe in the early Bronze Age. One of these was the Edinets group which was first identified in 1972, and which has been considered a separate archaeological entity since 1974. Notwithstanding several decades of research the history of this group remains at best obscure.
The group is safely localised in a compact area on the left bank of the Middle Prut on a forest-steppe plateau, and is primarily represented by funerary monuments – burial grounds and a kurgan - which are few in number. The burials are characterised by a complex funerary rite: both inhumation and cremation are attested, and the usage of a large amount of stones for construction of burial pits is worthy of note. The inventory found in the funerary complexes varies; the most representative is a collection of two-handle bowls.
The study of the artefacts revealed by several years of excavations at Izvorul lui Luca, on a multi-layer settlement near the village of Trinca, allowed to segment a collection of ceramics and equipment, which, as the results of its morphological and technological analysis shows, belongs to the Edinets group. This observation points to a possibility of locating here a settlement of the Edinets group as well. It is worth noting the unique find of a two-handle bowl analogous to that of the Edinets culture at the edge of a kurgan near the village of Burlănești.
The emergence of the Edinets archaeological monuments is due to a migration of a small group of people from the West, i.e. the Carpatian/Danubian area. Both in the funerary rite and in various categories of equipment it shows close affinities with certain archaeological groups of the Carpatian basin. The stratigraphy suggests a dating back to the end of the III – first quarter of the II millennium BC.
Татьяна И. Демченко
Monuments of the Corjeuți type within the context of the Early Bronze Age History of Eastern and Central Europe
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Татьяна И. Демченко
Kurgans on the left bank of the Middle Prut (excavations of 1982 and 1984)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
This clay vessel was discovered in 1982 by archaeologist V. Sorochin during excavations of a burial mound (no. 1) located in the village of Speia, Dubăsari District. It originates from grave no. 5 and is dated to the 4th millennium BC, belonging to the Usatovo culture...
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
