#Exhibit of the Month

The work In Memoriam. In Memory of the Heroes Who Fell at the Nistru (1992) was developed within the Center for Culture and Military History and published under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the Bureau for Reintegration, and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova. Authors: Gheorghe Bălan, Vitalie Ciobanu, Gheorghe Cojocaru.

This work provides a retrospective of the events that led to the outbreak of the war on the Nistru, accompanied by photographs of the heroes who lost their lives in the battles to defend the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova.

On March 2, 1992, the political conflict in the Nistru region escalated into a true fratricidal war. Under the fabricated pretext of "defending Russia's southern borders," political adventurers from the former Soviet metropolis encouraged Transnistrian separatism by arming secessionist paramilitary groups. At the same time, thousands of mercenary Cossacks and prisoners released early from jails, along with tanks and missiles, were sent against Independent Moldova, in a desperate attempt to revive the fallen empire.

Russia's undeclared war against the Republic of Moldova left behind hundreds of dead and wounded, shattered families, and villages in ruins. More than 50,000 peaceful residents from the conflict zone were forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge from the horrors of war.

For the sake of freedom and the future, Moldova's defenders faced death, enduring the hardships and humiliations of war.

During the Nistru war, 198 soldiers of the National Army and 89 personnel from the Ministry of Internal Affairs lost their lives, while 40 combatants went missing without a trace, and nearly 300 were left disabled.

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.