#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

Events Archive

Dragobete Day at National Museum of History of Moldova

February 23, 2015

On the eve of traditional Romanian holiday Dragobete, the National Museum of History of Moldova organized in partnership with Esthetic Education Center „Lăstărel" and Theoretical Lyceum „Mircea Eliade" an event to honor ancestral cultural values, traditions and customs.

The Romanian version of „Valentine's Day" traces its origins to Dacians and to the belief in a god of love whose celebrations marked also the beginning of spring.

Feast of love and spring at the museum included a literary-musical show entitled „Dragobete kisses girls" performed by artistic groups of Esthetic Education Center „Lăstărel", pupils from the Republican Music Lyceum „Ciprian Porumbescu", Theoretical Lyceum „Mircea Eliade" and Theoretical Lyceum „Iulia Hasdeu".

On this occasion, in the Blue Room of the museum, where the event took place, was organized an exhibition of origami, which completed the festive atmosphere.

Program of literary-musical show „Dragobete kisses girls"

1. Welcome word by presenters Valeria Bârcă and Alexandru Iarovoi.
2. Performance by Group of whistlers „Mugurașii" from the Esthetic Education Center „Lăstărel" with a bouquet of songs, conductor Valeriu Mereuță:
- „Ciobănașul"
- „Rapsodia Română Nr.1 de George Enescu"
- „Trandafir de la Moldova".
3. Legend of Dragobete. Reciters: Victoria Stratulat and Cristian Moșoi.
4. Dragobete - symbol of spring. Presentation by: Alexandra Nicuță.
5. Scene „Dragobete - pupă fete". Performers: pupils from 12th grade from TL „Iulia Hașdeu", professor Eugenia Martea.
6. Romanian traditions and customs for Dragobete. Presentation by: Laura Gherman and Gabriela Chiperi, TL „Iulia Hașdeu" .
7. Music song „Ionel cu pălărie". Performance by: Sorin Culeac, Esthetic Education Center „Lăstărel".
8. Dance „Waltz". Performance by: Victorița Stratulat and Bogdan Cociurca, TL „Mircea Eliade".
9. Music song „Doi ochi căprui". Performance by: Andreea Cojocaru, TL „Mircea Eliade".
10. Poetry „Dragobete" by Viorica Pop. Recites: Mihaela Bargan, TL „Mircea Eliade".
11. Latino dances. Performance by: Victorița Stratulat and Bogdan Cociurca, TL „Mircea Eliade".
12. Poetry „Ce este amorul" by Mihai Eminescu. Recites: Valeria Bîrcă and Alexandru Iarovoi.
13. Violin solo. Valeria Graur, RML „Ciprian Porumbescu".
14. Music song „Iubirile nu mor". Performance by: Sârbu Nicoleta, RML „Ciprian Porumbescu".
15. Music song „Dacă ploaia s-ar opri". Performance by: pupils from 6th grade from RML „Ciprian Porumbescu".
16. Music song „E de necrezut". Performance by: Sârbu Nicoleta, RML „Ciprian Porumbescu".
17. Maxims about love. Reciter: Nicolae Grigoriță, RML „Ciprian Porumbescu".
18. The dance „Joc de sărbătoare". Performed by: group of modern dance „Boom Dance", Esthetic Education Center „Lăstărel". Conductor: Valentina Zagorscaia, Emeritus; ballet master: Elena Guțu; concert master: Irina Bogaciova.
19. Closing speech. Larisa Bardier, head of section, NMHM.

Dragobete Day at National Museum of History of Moldova

#Exhibit of the Month

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

Dragobete Day at National Museum of History of Moldova

February 23, 2015

#Exhibit of the Month