#Exhibit of the Month

The ceramic vessel set was discovered accidentally in October 2025 in the southwestern part of the village of Bălceana, Hâncești District, approximately 1.2 km from the Lăpușnița River. The archaeological materials were recovered by the National Archaeological Agency.

The ceramic assemblage consists of a large storage vessel (pithos) with a capacity of 20 litres (h = 39.2 cm; d = 35.0 cm), decorated with a raised band below the rim; a medium-sized bowl with a capacity of 2.5 litres (h = 16.9 cm; d = 23.2 cm); a medium-sized jug with a capacity of 0.6 litres (h = 12.0 cm; d = 13.4 cm); and the base of a jar-shaped vessel.

The coarse handmade pottery was produced using the coil-building technique, by stacking and shaping coils of clay prepared from a paste tempered with crushed fired clay (grog) and sand. The vessel surfaces are uneven and covered with a yellowish-red slip featuring black patches, while the core of the vessel walls is black in colour.

The three vessels preserved intact display well-defined biconical shapes, with their maximum diameter at the middle of the body and straight or slightly oblique rims with rounded edges. Pottery of this type is characteristic of the Early Medieval cultural area of the northern and northwestern Black Sea region, dating from the 5th to the 7th centuries. East of the Dniester River, on the territory of present-day Ukraine, analogous pottery is found in Penkovka-type settlements, while in the Carpathian-Dniester region it is characteristic of settlements belonging to the Costișa-Botoșana-Hansca cultural group.

Within the Prut-Dniester region, coarse biconical pottery is generally represented by fragments and only relatively rarely by complete vessels, such as those discovered at Hansca, Dănceni, Recea, Seliște, Păhărniceni, and other sites. This type of pottery constituted an indispensable component of the local material culture during the 5th-7th centuries. In this context, the discovery at Bălceana of an almost intact set of coarse biconical vessels represents a relatively rare find of considerable scientific importance.

According to certain hypotheses, the tradition of coarse biconical pottery dating to the 5th-7th centuries originated in the North Pontic region. At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that these biconical ceramic vessels were the result of contemporary ethnocultural interactions, developing simultaneously across the vast territory extending from the Carpathian Mountains to the Dnieper River and the Seversky Donets.

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Publications

Library „Tyragetia"

Studies on Museology (II)

Series “Biblioteca “Tyragetia” XXIII, Chisinau, 2013. 228 p. ISBN 978-9975-80-765-4; 978-9975-80-766-1.

The volume Studii de muzeologie, II (Museology Studies, II) was officially launched at the end of December 2013 at the National Museum of History of Moldova in the context of a series of scientific and cultural events honoring its 30^th anniversary from foundation on December 21^st, 1983.

The volume appeared in the series Biblioteca „Tyragetia" XXIII (Library „Tyragetia" XXIII) with dr. hab. Eugen Sava and dr. Aurel Zanoci as coordinators, and dr. hab. Elena Ploșnița as responsible of edition. The graphical presentation was done by Ivan Litsiuk and Mihai Sava, the photography is authored by Iurie Foca, and the editing was ensured by Vlad Pohilă and Mariana Balan. The print was done at Bons Offices, on quality paper, on 17x25 format.

On the brown cover appears the museum coat of arms and on the back cover feature abstracts from reviews on the volume signed by dr. hab. Ion Niculiță and dr. Valentina Ursu. The summary includes important scientific contributions in the field of museolgy from the country and from abroad.

Beginning with a short preface signed by dr. hab. E. Sava, the volume has as starting point the Proposal for public policy regarding the modernization and streamlining of museum activities. In April 2012, the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Moldova created a working group who elaborated the project Public policies regarding streamlining museum activities from its subordination. After public debates, the project has been approved in July 2013 by the Inter-ministerial Committee for Strategic Planning from State Chancellery. Two options of the project are to be implemented starting with 2014. Option no. 2 is Management based on performance and development of museums business and educational competences and Option no.3 is Accreditation of collections management and funding of projects for collections development.

The value of this volume relies on the scientific authority of its authors. Among them is the patriarch of museology from contemporary Romania - prof. dr. Ioan Opriș, who presented the study Museographic realities and horizons in which he succeeded in motivating the realities of contemporary museology from Romania and in arguing the perspectives of museum institution evolution.

The study signed by Aurelia Cornețchi - Museum Night - a welcoming concept -surprises with richness of information. The author thinks that the cultural phenomenon Museum night has „revolutionized the museum institutions and has an extraordinary impact on the large public and is a phenomenon in full ascent"

The study made by Lucia Marinescu-Tonu puts to the forefront issues of heritage pedagogy which can contribute to the economic development, social cohesion and active citizenship.

Dr. hab. Elena Ploșnița in Museum heritage - a few lines of reflection and action highlights the need for development of museum institution's heritage based on proper scientific concepts, while the development of the museum itself should start from a management based on marketing policies and information technologies.

The study signed by Adelaida Chiroșca presents the show of an interesting collection - Sealing matrix from the heritage of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

Iurii Piatnițki dedicates a detailed study to the personality of Mihail Mihailovici Savostin, a well-known Russian collector from the end of 19^th-beginning of 20^th century.

Ann Nicholls proposes to the reader a presentation of the European Museum Academy which aims at attracting museographers and museum institutions from Republic of Moldova in the activity of this institution founded by European museographers on the occasion of the 10^th commemoration of the late curator Kenneth Hudson, based in Holland. The academy has the goal to stimulate museum thinking, support of museum research, stimulate pioneer ideas in museum practice etc.

Conceived as a consolidated volume, Studii de muzeologie incite and also inform, its publication being of absolute utility. Written in a clear and sober stile, it will certainly find an honored place among works specific to this field.

The study has a fair edition given the actual conditions. It is essential for this volume to be included in all specialized and public libraries.

We recommend with warmth this volume of studies which is goes in line with the tradition of museum research of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

Dr. hab. Elena Ploșnița