#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.

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Exhibitions

"The Ukrainian universe of Maria Prymachenko in Chisinau"

May 10 – June 30, 2023

The Polish Institute in Bucharest will present on the fence of the National Museum of History of Moldova, an exhibition dedicated to the Ukrainian folk art artist Maria Prymachenko. It is an opportunity for our countries to express their support for Ukraine in these difficult days of the war. The exhibition "Ukrainian Universe of Maria Prymachenko" can be visited from May 10 to June 30, 2023.

The Museum of History and Ethnography in Ivankiv, located in the Kyiv region, burned down during the Russian invasion on February 27, 2022. In its collection were 25 works belonging to the Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko. Some of them managed to be saved by the inhabitants of the city, who took them out of the burning building.

The universe of naive painters is broken from reality, full of fantastic creatures and plants. For them, such a way of painting is absolutely normal. For us, however, trained in academic painting, studying a work that requires a lot of our attention and in-depth knowledge of plants, animals, and people challenges us to call upon our own intuition. So let's focus on Maria Prymachenko's paintings. They are beautiful, colourful, full of eccentric creatures and plants. There is nothing accidental in this, as Maria grew up in a family where all its members had artistic talent. Grandmother had specialized in dyeing Easter eggs, father had been an accomplished carpenter, and mother had enjoyed embroidery. All this entourage, the fact that she kept an eye on what her father was doing, the attraction to the ornaments on the embroideries and kilims of her mother's work had a strong impact on her art. In the rich ornamentation of Prymachenko's works, similar to that used in Ukrainian embroideries, we find the fantastic creatures mentioned above. There were voices that attributed their presence to the illness and suffering she went through. Maria had Heine-Medina disease, also called poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis, which undoubtedly had a strong impact on her psyche and affected her entire life, including her physical condition. Because of this, he only completed four primary grades, having practically no chance to become known to the general public.

The artist spent the last eight years of her life confined to bed. He painted, taught and received guests until his last moments. He died on August 18, 1997, in the same village where he was born. She was awarded the "Taras Shevchenko" National Award for services to the art of the USSR, and UNESCO declared 2009 as the Year of Maria Prymachenko. In his memory, a small planet was named "14624 Prymachenko". After visiting an exhibition of Prymachenko's works in Paris, Pablo Picasso said: "I bow before the artistic wonders of this brilliant Ukrainian."

The opening of the exhibition will take place on May 10, at 11:00 a.m., in the courtyard of the museum. The exhibition "Ukrainian Universe of Maria Prymachenko" can be visited on the fence of the National Museum of History of Moldova between May 10 and June 10, 2023, 31 August 1989 street, 121A.