#Exhibit of the Month

The bronze hoard was discovered on the territory of Mîndrești village, Telenești district, in 1968. It was identified accidentally by a group of students from the village school, and the materials later came to the attention of specialists at the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences. According to documentary records, the hoard was composed of ten pieces: four socketed axes (celts), a dagger fragment, a sword fragment, a sickle, a winged axe, an adze-axe, and a chain consisting of four links.
Currently, of the mentioned assemblage, six objects are preserved in the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova: two socketed axes (celts), the winged axe, the adze-axe, the dagger fragment, and the chain made of four links.- Socketed axe (celt) with one loop. Dimensions: Length - 10.2 cm; Weight - 186 g.
- Socketed axe (celt) with one frontal loop. Dimensions: Length - 8.4 cm; Width: 33-46 mm; Weight - 124 g.
- Winged axe. Dimensions: Length - 14.0 cm; Width - 2.5-3.4 cm; Weight - 285 g.
- Adze-axe. Dimensions: Length - 14.8 cm; Width - 2.3-5.0 cm; Weight - 286 g.
- Dagger fragment. Dimensions: Length - 16.5 cm; Blade length - 9.8 cm; Blade width - 2.8 cm; Weight - 81 g.
- Chain formed of four links. Dimensions: Length - 17.1 cm; Link diameter - 3.8; Weight - 32 g.The bronze hoard of Mîndrești is important due to the association of objects that find analogies in the regional repertoire with pieces that show clear analogies in Central Europe and the Carpathian Basin. The assemblage reflects a zone of contact and interaction where metallic forms of different origins and traditions circulated and were integrated into the repertoire of local communities.
Chronologically, the bronze hoard of Mîndrești is attributed to the Early Hallstatt period - HaA1, being dated to 1200-1100 BC.

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Publications

Library „Tyragetia"

Natalia Mateevici

Greek Amphorae in Barbaric World of North-Western Coast of Pontus Euxinus in 6th – Early 2nd Centuries B.C.

Series “Biblioteca “Tyragetia” XIV, Chisinau, 2007, 284 p. ISBN 978-9975-80-080-8.

The given monographic study is the first synthesis work on the development of trade relations between the ancient Greek civilization and the indigenous tribes of the area between the Eastern Carpathians and the Southern Bug.
The work is focused on study and research of a single category of artifacts of Greek imports – amphorae, the special vessels for storage and transport of liquids, especially wine and olive oil, the main categories of Greek-barbarian trade. Being also the largest category of Greek imports in the barbarian world, amphorae accurately reflect all stages of development of Greek-barbarian trade in ancient times.

In the paper there was studied and published amphora material from the collections of institutions from three countries: the Republic of Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine.

Using an impressive number of original sources makes this work an exhaustive, thereby raising its value to science.
Study of Greek amphorae and their spreading in the barbaric world enables researchers to keep a relatively accurate dating of archaeological sites of the natives of the north-western Black Sea area.

The text of the work is complemented with a great number of illustrations which include images of the vessels themselves and 18 maps. There is also the first catalog of Greek amphora stamps found in this area that was compiled by the author and contains about 370 stamps.