#Exhibit of the Month

This year we commemorate 350 years since the birth and 300 years since the death of Dimitrie Cantemir (October 26, 1673 - August 21, 1723), the most famous Romanian humanist thinker and also the author of the first original Romanian philosophical works.

Dimitrie Cantemir represents one of the highest peaks of thought of his time, in all areas that his genius touched - in historiography, geography, philosophy, he opened up new perspectives for development. The great scholar was well acquainted with the Muslim environment, speaking, in addition to Western, also Eastern languages (Turkish, Persian and Arabic), and also had extensive knowledge in the fields of logic, medicine, natural sciences, astronomy and music. This well-educated Christian beyzade, being a born diplomat, won the trust of Sultan Ahmed III, who favorably allowed him to familiarize himself with the documents of imperial history that Cantemir used in working on his famous work "The Growth and Decay of the Ottoman Empire", which still remains a reference publication in a specialized bibliography.

The National Museum of History of Moldova possesses a German edition of this work, published in Hamburg in 1745. This edition is an impressive volume of 863 pages, accompanied by a preface in German by the editor, containing words of praise and appreciation: "... we consider that such a work of great significance must be known to the Germans in their mother tongue..."

Dimitrie Cantemir was the first scholar to show that the history of the Ottoman Empire divides into two parts. The first part that of growth, includes biographies of 19 sultans and ends around 1672, when the empire entered a new phase, that of political and military decline. Through this work, Cantemir tried to draw attention to the need for an alliance of European countries against Turkish expansion. At the same time, he praised certain aspects of the culture of the Turkish people.

Like "Description of Moldavia", "The Growth and Decay of the Ottoman Empire" enjoyed wide popularity in European countries. The work was first translated into Russian by Dmitry Grozin, but was not printed. After the death of Dimitrie Cantemir, thanks to his son Antiochus, who became the Russian ambassador in London and then in Paris, this fundamental writing of our scholar was translated and published in English (two volumes, 1734-1735, followed by a new edition in 1756) and in French (1743, in four small volumes). In 1745, the work was also published in German. It was read, highly valued and used in their writings by Voltaire, Byron, Victor Hugo and others. This is the first treatise that addresses the issue of Ottoman power and the multicultural nature of the empire. Work on it began during the author's stay in the Ottoman Empire, resumed after 1711, and finished in 1717. This writing brought him European fame and placed him among the great scholars of the time.

Virtual Tour

Chronological Axis

Early Middle Ages. Forming of Romanic Communities. Emergence of First Pre-state Formations

(6th – 9th centuries A.D.)

This is a period of forming of Romanic communities (6th – 8th centuries), emergence of the first pre-state (9th – 12th centuries) and early state formations (13th – 14th centuries), when rich and various material and spiritual culture was created. In terms of archaeological research this period is represented by the material discovered at settlements, fortresses, towns, necropolises, and in different hoards.

Settlements and necropolises attributed to different periods of the Middle Ages has been investigated at Branesti, Hansca, Danceni, Durlesti, Lucaseuca, Molesti, Petruha, Seliste, Scoc, etc. Material discovered at the archaeological sites testifies to the fact that the inhabitants were mainly engaged in agriculture and cattle-breeding. As a rule such a material includes different forms of pottery, iron ploughshares, hand-mills, spindles, various adornments, and weapons including guns. There were also discovered items imported from the East, Byzantium, and Western Europe, among which there are amphorae, coins, pectoral crosses made of bronze and silver.

Medieval fortified settlements and fortresses are known near the villages of Alcedar, Calfa, Echimauti, Rudi, etc.
The first urban centres in our region – Cetatea Alba, Orheiul Vechi, and Costesti – appear in the late 13th century, in the Golden Horde time. These towns, which minted their own coins, became important politic, administrative, and handicraft centres located along international trade routs linking the East and the West.

Significant archaeological discoveries concerning different aspects of religious life were made during investigations in the territories of the monasteries from Capriana, Orheiul Vechi, Tapova, Hancu, and Curchi.

Various medieval jewellery and coins have been discovered in buried treasures found in many localities from the Republic of Moldova. The most significant ones are the hoard of Byzantine coins from Fauresti; the hoard of silver jewellery from Echimauti; the hoard of silver bars that was recently discovered at Orheiul Vechi; the hoard consisting of about 800 coins, earrings, bracelets and other adornments of the time of Alexander the Kind’s reign, found at Cuhuresti; hoards from Baltata, Saharna Veche, etc.