#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

“Childhood in the Gulag”

The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Lithuania

May 10-20, 2023

On May 10, 2023, at the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius, Lithuania took place the opening ceremony of the photo-documentary exhibition "Childhood in the Gulag". The exhibition presents images about the life of Bessarabian children condemned by the totalitarian-communist regime of the Moldavian SSR to deportation, starvation, Russification, indoctrination, forced removal from their families, during the years 1940-1941 and 1944-1953.

At the opening of the event, the ambassador of the Republic of Moldova in the Republic of Lithuania, H.E. Emil Druc, greeted the guests and thanked the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania for presenting the thematic exhibition of resonance for the common history of our countries. The curator of the exhibition, dr. Ludmila D. Cojocaru, mentioned the actuality of the recovering, documentation and historical investigation of the testimonies shared by the victims of the totalitarian-communist regime during the USSR. The General Director of the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania, dr. Arunas Bubnys, referred to the achieved remarkable results in the framework of bilateral cooperation, expressing his certainty in the successful implementation of future inter-institutional projects. In this context, the signing of the Cooperation Agreement between the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania and the National Museum of History of Moldova took place. At the event, the President of the Association of Romanian Language and Culture "Dacia" in Lithuania, Mrs. Lucia Bartkiene, spoke, who referred to the pages of history inscribed in the collective memory of the societies of Lithuania and Moldova.

The exhibition brings together about 180 photo-documentary images, accompanied by memories and archival documents from the collections of the National History Museum of Moldova, the Edineț County Museum, the Museum of History and Ethnography in Soroca, the INIS ProMemoria Archive of the MSU, as well as from the archives of the communities memory and of the survivors of the totalitarian-communist regime in the Moldavian SSR.

The exhibition held in Vilnius is a tribute to the children who went through the atrocities of the totalitarian-communist regime in the USSR, as well as an action to condemn the war launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

The photo-documentary exhibition "Childhood in the Gulag" can be visited between May 10-20, 2023, at the headquarters of the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (str. Aukų, no. 2A, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania).