#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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“Echoes of War” exhibition Opens in Moldova

4 October, 2023

"Echoes of War" by a Syrian photojournalist, Omar Sanadiki opened on 4 October in the National Museum of History of Moldova. The exhibition depicts two distant, yet intertwined wars in Syria and in Ukraine. The photos in Ukraine were shot in June this year, and were brought to Chişinău by the European External Action Service (EEAS) as a collaborative project with the photographer. "Echoes of War" will stay on show until 31 October at the Museum.

In his captivating photos, Sanadiki provides a reflective visual journey contrasting the turbulent atmospheres from the war that broke out in 2011 in Syria with those captured in 2023 in Ukraine. Sanadiki documents the war in Syria since its first day, photographing the destruction and the lives of the inhabitants of Homes, Aleppo and Damascus. The idea of the exhibition was born in Ukraine, during a media training organized by the EEAS which Sanadiki participated in.

During the opening of the exhibition on 4 October, the photographer said: "While visiting Ukraine and talking to the Ukrainian journalists, I felt inspired by seeing how the Ukrainian people cope with the war". "It reminded me of my people, of Syrians. Of our suffering and pain".

Sanadiki paired the photos he took in Syria with the frames from Ukraine in ten powerful stories, from personal reaction to destruction, portraying the inside of bombed houses, hands going through the rubble in the search of faded memories and pieces of past lives. He also depicts how life continues in both nations, with everyday tales of families, friends and passers-by who continue to live in Syria and Ukraine.

"These photos represent two distant, yet intertwined experiences of war, suffering and resilience" - said Aude Maio-Coliche, Director of Strategic Communication and Foresight at the European External Action Service at the opening. "They transcend geographical and cultural or linguistic boundaries".

Ambassador Jānis Mažeiks, the Head of EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova said "It is very important that there are artists who document this evil, but also document the humanity, the way life goes on, how children are being born and raised, even against the background of shelled buildings".

"For me" - added the Ambassador - "it is also a reminder of being on the right side of the history. I think we can collectively take pride in the fact that the European Union and the Republic of Moldova both on the occasions of Syria and of the war in Ukraine - Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine - have been on the right side of the history, not only in words, but also in deeds".

"Echoes of War" is an example of the efforts of the European Union to continue the conversation about the true cost of war. It also serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit remains unbroken, ever-resilient, ever-hopeful.

The exhibition is a result of the training for journalists that took place in Poland and Ukraine for journalists coming from the outside of the European Union organized by the EEAS this summer. On Thursday and Friday the media professionals are visiting Chişinău to join training organized by the EEAS for media representatives from the Western Balkans, Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia to discuss the challenges of disinformation and information manipulation faced by the media today.

The exhibition will stay on display at the National Museum of History of Moldova until 31 October.