#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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Events Archive

European Night of Museums 2017

May 20, 2017

The event was held under the slogan: "Common hobbies: museum collections gather enthusiasts"

This year the program of the Night of Museums was held from 12:00 to 24:00, and included:

12.00-24.00
Visiting the museum's permanent and temporary exhibitions ("History and Civilization", "Treasures of the Past", "Soviet Moldova - between Myths and the Gulag", Diorama of the Iași-Chișinău Operation, "Weapons and Military Equipment - Evolution throughout Centuries", "The Clock in the Course of Time", "Scale Models Expo Chișinău 2017").
12.00-24.00, the yard
"RETRO AUTO MOTO" - exhibition of collectible cars (ZIL-41047, GAZ-14 Chaika) and motorcycles. Participants: Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Club „Dacii Liberi RC"
12.30-23.00, the ground floor
Cinema Magic in the Night of Museums. Screening of documentary films within the framework of the CRONOGRAF International Festival and showing cartoons produced by FLORICICA and MOLDOVA-FILM studios. Meetings with filmmakers and cartoonists. The event supported by OWH Studio
13.00-18.00, the ground floor
Model building and robotics workshops. Participants: The Robotics Club of the Republican Center for Children and Youth ARTICO, model builders from Chișinău
14.00-15.00, the yard
Musical choreographic performance by the art groups of the Center for Aesthetic Education "Lăstărel" (Vocal ensembles "Tinerețe Floare", "Solo", and "Ell by star", vocal-choral section "Allegria", ensemble of folk dance "Brâuleț", and ensemble of Spanish dance "Flamenco")
15.00-19.00, the yard
Interactive activities for enthusiasts of history and military traditions, supported by the Stephen the Great Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova: workshops, games, the show "From the Kin of the Brave", demonstration of arms handling (18:00)
15.30-18.00, Blue Room / the ground floor
Musical moments in the exhibition rooms: choral music (15:30, Blue Room), string instruments (16:00, ground floor), metallophone (16:45, Blue Room), piano (17:30, Blue Room). Participants: Center for Aesthetic Education "Laštarel", Maria Bieșu Music School
19.00-22.00, the yard
Mysteries of Music. An extraordinary concert of the Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dumitru Cîrciumaru, with the participation of Mariana Bulicanu, Ana Cernicova, Ion Timofti, Tania Cerga, Andrei Glavan, Cristina Pintilie, Marcel Roșca, Lilian Severin, Tatiana Vârlan, Olga Vlaicu, and Vasile Tinei. The event is supported by the Department of Culture of the Chisinau City Hall
23.30
Flashmob "The Museum in My Heart"