#Exhibit of the Month

The exhibit of the month for November is a rare glass goblet from the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov cemetery, discovered in Tigheci. Dated to the second half of the 4th century AD, this remarkable artifact demonstrates the craftsmanship of the time, made from translucent greenish glass with a truncated cone shape and intricate geometric decoration. The goblet features three rows of hexagonal facets, framed by incised lines, and a row of elongated ovals under the rim, characteristics which classify it within Series VII A, according to E. Straume's classification. These ornamental traits hint at artistic influences from various regions and indicate the spread of technologies and ideas within the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture.

Archaeological Context of the Discovery

The Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov cemetery at Tigheci is located in a historically complex area, positioned on the northwest slope of the Tigheci River, at the "La Lutărie" point. First identified in the 1980s following unauthorized clay extraction, the cemetery has suffered considerable damage, leading to the loss of valuable artifacts and the destruction of graves. Among the objects recovered by Mr. Ion Pușcașu, founder of the Museum of History and Ethnography in Tigheci, are wheel-thrown ceramic items reflecting the traditions and techniques of communities during the Migration Period.

The site was first archaeologically investigated in 1990, when a complete inhumation grave was found, though lacking any inventory. Subsequent surveys in 2013 and 2015 by the National Archaeological Agency revealed ongoing erosion damaging the cemetery, necessitating a rescue excavation in 2017. This campaign documented and investigated five graves from the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture, including the skeletal remains of a male individual estimated to have been 40 to 45 years old at the time of death, offering additional insights into the demographic structure of this community.

Cultural Significance and Comparisons

The hexagonally faceted glass goblet is among the most valuable artifacts from the Tigheci cemetery. Similar goblets are characteristic of the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov culture and have been found in notable sites such as Târgșor and Bârlad-Valea Seacă (Romania) and Gavrilovka, Ranjevoe (Ukraine), reflecting the cultural and trade connections of this community with other centers of influence in Late Antiquity. Ancient texts and cultural parallels suggest a complex interaction zone with Hellenistic and Roman influences, reflected in luxury goods production such as this glass goblet.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

"Centenary of the Constitution of Unified Romania (1923 - 2023)"

December 6, 2023 – January 20, 2024

The "Centenary of the Constitution of Unified Romania (1923 - 2023)", the first fundamental law that legislated the state organization, as well as the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens on both banks of the Prut, will be celebrated in Chisinau, in the framework of a thematic exhibition of documents and photos organized by the Constitutional Court of Romania and the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The opening of the exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of 1923 will take place at an opening organized on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 11:00, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, with the participation of representatives of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova, the Parliament and of the Government, of the judges of the Constitutional Court of Romania and of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova, as well as of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and the State University of Moldova.

The exhibition can be visited between December 6, 2023 and January 20, 2024, in the Union Hall of the National Museum of History of Moldova, and within the exhibition, the original copy of the Constitution from 1923, as well as the Romanian Constitution from 1866, with the support of the event's institutional partners: the Presidential Administration of Romania – the Cotroceni National Museum, the National Bank of Romania and the Bucharest Metropolitan Library.

The Constitution of 1923 was adopted by the Assembly of Deputies and the Senate, meeting as National Constituent Assemblies in the Parliament of Bucharest, in the meetings of March 26 and 27, 1923, being promulgated by King Ferdinand through Royal Decree no. 1360 of March 28, 1923 countersigned by the President of the Council of Ministers, Ion I. C. Bratianu, and 14 ministers, and was published in the "Official Gazette" no. 282 of March 29, 1923.

Romania and the Republic of Moldova are therefore united, not only by history, faith, language and common traditions, but today they share a unique moment in their constitutional and state history. For Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the Constitution of 1923 is the common democratic constitutional legacy that preserves for future generations, on both banks of the Prut, common constitutional roots and shows them a common European future.

Considering its importance for the common constitutional history, the Constitutional Court of Romania, the guarantor of the supremacy of the Constitution, declared by the plenary decision of January 18, 2023 - the Year of the "Centenary of the Constitution of Unified Romania" and organized on this anniversary occasion, an Assembly solemn at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, on March 27, 2023, with the participation of the President of Romania, the Presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, the Prime Minister and members of the Government of Romania, the judges of the Constitutional Courts from Bucharest and Chisinau, the representatives of the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the representatives of other religions and the diplomatic corps.