#Exhibit of the Month

The artifact is a battle axe made from magmatic rock (diabase) of gray-brown color. It was accidentally discovered in 1966 within the territory of Aluniș village, Rîșcani district. Based on its morphological characteristics, the artifact can be attributed to the Catacomb culture (29th-22nd centuries BCE).

The axe features a massive, elongated naviform body with slightly pronounced shoulders, a short and narrow edge that is flat and circular in cross-section. The blade is slightly curved. The hole was drilled in the maximum width of the object. It is circular in shape with a diameter of 2.2 cm. The surface of the artifact is meticulously polished, worked with great care, and shows no signs of damage or chipping.

Dimensions: Length: 20.0 cm; Maximum width: 8.4 cm; Edge diameter: 5.0 cm; Blade width: 7.0 cm; Weight: 2.3 kg.

Stone battle axes are characteristic of the Catacomb culture communities and are most often found as grave goods, deposited in tombs. Their presence in funerary complexes suggests a multifaceted functionality: weapons, social symbols, and ritual objects. Initially used as weapons, the axes became social symbols for their owners, later acquiring votive significance when deposited in tombs to serve the deceased in the afterlife.

The social symbolic function of stone battle axes is indicated by the high-quality rocks used for their manufacture and the exceptionally meticulous craftsmanship. The large dimensions of the axe from Aluniș support this hypothesis and distinguish it from other examples.

The discovery of stone battle axes outside a funerary complex may indicate their votive deposition. It is difficult to imagine that these exceptionally well-crafted pieces, made from high-quality rocks transported over great distances, could have been abandoned or lost accidentally. It is far more likely that they were deposited for magical-religious purposes, a possibility that may also apply to the stone axe discovered at Aluniș.

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Exhibitions

“Politicians”

Caricature Exhibition by Journalist and Caricaturist Anatol Fornea

August 29 - September 25, 2024

The National Museum of History of Moldova announces the opening of the caricature exhibition "Politicians" by Anatol Fornea, which will take place on August 29, 2024, at 4:00 PM. The exhibition will be open to the public from August 29 to September 25, 2024, and will be hosted in the lobby on the ground floor of the museum.

On the occasion of Moldova's Independence Day, Anatol Fornea presents the caricature exhibition "Politicians," focusing on emblematic political figures from Moldova. The exhibition highlights both praise and critique of those who have influenced the national political scene. A distinctive feature of this exhibition is the absence of direct identification of the politicians, allowing visitors to make associations through details such as the color of the ties, which correspond to the represented political parties.

Anatol Fornea, a caricaturist, journalist, and TV presenter from Moldova, was born on July 19, 1998, in Chișinău. He graduated from the School of Fine Arts for Children "Alexei Șciusev" and the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences at Moldova State University (USM), where he later earned a master's degree in Communication Sciences. Fornea is also known as the host of the interview show "Dialoguri Colorate" broadcasted on TVR Moldova, where he creates portraits of guests at the end of each discussion.

The exhibition is part of a broader project by the artist, which aims to create caricature portraits of personalities from various fields of activity in Moldova.

The "Politicians" caricature exhibition can be visited from August 29 to September 25, 2024, at the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 31 August 1989 Street 121A.