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.
Voivode/prince between Ideal and Real. Chroniclers’ representations about Tara Moldova (the middle of 17th - the middle of 18th Centuries
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
The period between the middle of 17th and the middle of 18th Centuries finds Tara Moldova at the moment when the humanist elite begins to show a nation consciousness, which is a reflex of a non medieval conception. One of the problems to be solved by that time was the one of an ideal Voivode for Tara Moldova, who would create a society of wellbeing through an uncommonly perfect system. The problem was already widely discussed throughout Europe, where problems of political tyranny, relations between princes and subjects, high morality of princes were debated upon and were consequently reflected on Tara Moldova.
The image of Voivodes of Tara Moldova was examined from the point of view of contemporary people of that period, chroniclers, personalities of schools and different traditions, of a high culture, which according to their place in the society created the image of an ideal Voivode and of a one in position. The nobility prescribed numerous possibilities to be in contact with releaser factors or stimulators for changes of sensibilities or mentalities. Lecture, relations with intellectuals and foreign diplomats, trips abroad made changes in the way of feeling and thinking of nobility. The seeking of an ideal in human personality is a characteristic of baroque as life style, being an aspect which expresses the appearance of a new sensibility that intervenes in the humanity model/example. Starting with reality, cultivated men drew up an image of an ideal man, in our case of an ideal prince, whose goal was to show how it should or shouldn’t be, since it’s put into circulation this ideal image starts to influence the collective conception.
It needs to be taken into consideration the fact that Tara Moldova in the middle of 17th - the middle of 18th centuries kept on with the byzantine political tradition. According to the given conception, we’ve already noticed in the chronicles of Grigore Ureche the aspect of an ideal prince/voivode from the point of view of relations with subjects and morality as well as the prosperity of the country with some humanist influences. We will refer to the contemporary men of those times, beginning with Miron Costin, Nicolae Costin, Alexandru Amiras, Nicolae Muste which continue the tradition of the characteristic of an ideal prince image. We will not mention the views of each chronicler as a mental impression of nobility but we will try to take out from the available sources some elements of the upper class mental which reported to the conditions of the material living present themselves as significances for mental representations of the Romanian collective.
The final conclusion is: in the period between the middle of 17th - the middle of 18th century although the byzantine political legacy is maintained, the chroniclers and other contemporary men of that time have been seeking a prince who would contribute to the prosperity and the stability of the country. Noticing some tyrannical, active and inactive reigns, they tried in different ways the framing into the lit up spiritual configuration of Europe: – A specific feature of prince image was his sacralisation, not specifically in person but in the position as a bearer of supreme power of the country, the fact that still wasn’t an obstacle for the nobility to plot against princes; – The prince’s power had some limits which the chroniclers as officials of the nobility group attempted to limit by indicating some rules and manners of behaviour, obligations and responsibilities towards the society in general, and towards some social strata in particular.
Alina Felea
Divorces in Bessarabia in the first half of the 19th century
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Alina Felea
From the history of a family in Bessarabia of the early 19th century: the husband's inability to perform the conjugal duty
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. X [XXV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Alina Felea
Some data about the descendants of Manuc Bey (19th century - beginning of 20th century)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Alina Felea
Cantemir’ s wills. Case Study (XVIII - beginning XIX centuries)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. V [XX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Alina Felea
From family history in the Romanian space: Alcoholism and family relations in the 18th century in Moldavia and in the first decades of the 19th century in Bessarabia
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], 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
