#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.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"Astrophysicist Nicolae DONICI - 150 Years of Light"

September 15 – October 15, 2024

The National Museum of History of Moldova, in partnership with the „Mihai Eminescu" Romanian Cultural Institute in Chișinău and the „Heritage 21" Foundation, will host the exhibition titled "Astrophysicist Nicolae Donici - 150 Years of Light".

This initiative aims to present, in an accessible and concise manner, the remarkable life and achievements of Nicolae Donici (September 1/13, 1874 - November 21, 1960), a descendant of an old noble family from Moldova. Donici was a pioneering figure in the field of astronomy, internationally recognized as an Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy, Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Coimbra in Portugal, and one of the early members of the International Astronomical Union. His research on solar eclipses and cosmic phenomena earned him worldwide recognition in the scientific community.

A significant moment in his scientific career was the establishment of a private astronomical observatory in 1908 at Dubăsarii Vechi, on his aunt's estate. Dedicated to the study of astral phenomena, this observatory gained international fame due to Donici's ingenuity in adapting and improving his equipment. Among his notable achievements was the construction, in 1909, of a spectroheliograph, which he used to photograph the solar chromosphere in K rays (calcium), making it the only such equipment in Eastern Europe at the time. His detailed research on photospheric granules, chromospheric filaments, and solar prominences significantly advanced scientific knowledge in this field.

The exhibition also highlights Nicolae Donici's contributions to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), where he had a remarkable presence. He was an active member of several scientific commissions, including the Solar Physics Commission and the Solar Eclipses Commission. Donici attended all eight IAU congresses held between 1922 and 1955, in cities such as Rome, Cambridge, Leiden, Paris, and Stockholm. At the 1935 Paris congress, he presented the results of his research on the solar atmosphere, conducted at his observatory in Dubăsarii Vechi. His proposal to include the study of zodiacal light in the program of the Solar Atmosphere Commission was adopted, further establishing him as a leader in international astronomical research.

The 20 panels of the exhibition provide an extensive overview of his life and work, highlighting his importance as a pioneer of global astronomy and his role in advancing solar research. Through these materials, visitors will not only learn about Donici's scientific achievements but also gain insight into his lasting legacy for world science.

The exhibition can be viewed from September 15 to October 15, 2024, on the fence of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 121A, 31 August 1989 Street.

#Exhibit of the Month

Ceramic Vessel Set from Bălceana-Hâncești (5th–7th Centuries)

"Astrophysicist Nicolae DONICI - 150 Years of Light"

September 15 – October 15, 2024

#Exhibit of the Month