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.
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
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
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
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.