#Exhibit of the Month

Kyathos (Ancient Greek: κύαθος - ladle, cup) is an ancient Greek vessel (ladle), used to pour wine from various larger vessels (kraters, hydriai, pelicai, and so on) into drinking cups. During the existence of these vessels, they were made of different materials: from silver and bronze to burnt clay, the latter ones being often painted with red and black figures, and sometimes covered only with black slip.

In the myths about Hercules, a young cupbearer named Kyathos is mentioned, who during a feast, scooping up wine from a vessel with a ceramic ladle to pour it into Hercules' bowl, accidentally broke the high handle of the vessel (which often happens) and spilled wine on the legendary hero. Hercules, not calculating his strength, gave the inattentive young man a flick on the forehead. Although it was a simple flick, it was fatal to the young cupbearer. In memory of this sad event in the homeland of Kyathos, in Aetolia, a grove was planted, called the Grove of the Cupbearer, where a sculpture was placed depicting Kyathos serving the cup to Hercules. Also, in memory of the cupbearer, the ladle vessels were named after him.

Kyathoi made of silver or bronze, most often with a very small bowl diameter (4 to 6 cm), were used to extract wine from amphorae (their necks ranged from 8 to 10-12 cm in diameter). The metal ladles were usually equipped with a long thin looping handles ending in a stylized swan's head.

These vessels were common in various cultures of the Greek period of the 6th-4th centuries BC.

The bronze Kyathos kept at the National Museum of History of Moldova, like most metal objects of this type, has a loop-shaped handle ending in a swan's head and the following characteristics: weight - 116.40 g; maximum length - 31.5 cm; handle width 0.9 -2 cm; diameter of the bowl at the opening - 4.4x5 cm; bowl bottom diameter - 4 cm; bowl height - 2.7 cm.

National Museum of History of Moldova

Publications

Journal „Tyragetia"

vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 1

Tumuli (kurgans) from Brînzenii Noi and Rogojeni (Rescue Archaeological Research 2013)

ISSN 1857-0240
E-ISSN 2537-6330

Serghei Agulnicov, Eugen Mistreanu, Sergiu Popovici

Tumuli (kurgans) from Brînzenii Noi and Rogojeni (Rescue Archaeological Research 2013)

Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică

This article puts in the scientifi c use results of rescue research of the mound (tumulus) no.1 from the village of Brânzenii Noi (Telenești District) and the mound (tumulus) no.1 from the village of Rogojeni (Şoldănești District). The vast majority of burials in the mounds studied belong to the Yamna culture, Early Bronze Age. One burial from the mound 1 in Brînzenii Noi refers to antiquities of the Noua culture, Late Bronze Age. In conclusion, the authors consider the issues of coexistence of the Late Yamna culture tribes with the bearers of the Catacomb culture in such a peculiar ecological niche as the fl oodplain of the Middle Răut.

List of illustrations:

Fig. 1. Geographical location of the researched tumuli (kurgans): 1 - Brânzenii Noi village, Telenești District; 2 - Rogojeni village, Șoldănești District.
Fig. 2. The terrain map with the location of the tumuli (kurgans) and necropolises studied in the lower riches of the Middle Răut: I - the kurgan from Orhei; II - tumular necropolis from Braviceni; III - tumular necropolis from Ciocîlteni; IV - burial mounds from Codrul Nou.
Fig. 3. Brânzenii Noi. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1. Plan and sections.
Fig. 4. Brânzenii Noi. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1. Tomb no. 1, stone fi lling.
Fig. 5. Brânzenii Noi. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1: 1 - tomb no. 1; 2 - tomb no. 3; 3 - temple ring from the tomb no. 2; 4 - vessel from the tomb no. 1; 5 - tomb no. 2.
Fig. 6. Brânzenii Noi. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1. Tomb no. 4.
Fig. 7. Rogojeni. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1. Plan and sections.
Fig. 8. Rogojeni. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1: 1 - tomb no. 1; 2 - vessel from the tomb no. 1; 3 - tomb no. 2; 4 - vessel from the tomb no. 2.
Fig. 9. Rogojeni. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1: 1 - anthropomorphic stele; 2, 3 - fl int fl ake.
Fig. 10. Brânzenii Noi. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1: 1 - vessel from tomb no. 1; 2 - vessel from tomb no. 1 (photo in situ). Rogojeni. Tumulus (kurgan) no. 1: 3 - vessel from tomb no. 1; 4 - vessel from tomb no. 1 (photo in situ); 5 - vessel from tomb no. 2, 6 - vessel from tomb no. 1 (photo in situ).