#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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#Exhibit of the Month

February 2024

The ”trinocle” vessel from Florești

The exhibit represents a unique trinocle type vessel. It is dated to the Eneolithic period, the 5th-4th millennia BC, being related to the Cucuteni-Tripolia civilization (Cucuteni A-B - Tripoli B stage).

The artefact was discovered in 1986 in the settlement of Florești V, 2.5 km west of the town of Florești, currently the estate of the village of Mărculești, on the slope of a promontory, on the surface of which the traces of about 40 prehistoric dwellings were observed.

The original fragments discovered allowed a faithful restoration of the archaeological piece, offering us, in this context, an exceptional heritage object.

The piece conventionally called "vessel" represents a device in the form of a trinocle consisting of three monocles - ceramic tubes joined at the ends by means of bridges. The monocles have cylindrical bodies hollow inside, being oval in the middle, with the lip and base flared in the shape of funnels, the edges at the extremities being flat.

The red-brick colored vessel is modeled from a fine paste of clay, burned oxidizingly and decorated with painted ornament, for which natural dyes of black-cherry shade were used. Monocles identical in shape and size are painted in the same decorative manner. On the outside, both the upper and lower funnels, along with the middle of the piece and the decks, a decoration with geometric motifs is painted. The stylized ornament on the vessel is unfolded in two and three vertical levels and divided into four registers. The most important ornamented area on the trinocle is the space between the funnels in the middle area. The decoration is composed of a group of eight horizontal lines executed on the middle of the monocles and three groups of 3-4 lines arranged vertically between registers separated by relatively thick parallel bands. On the outside, the funnels are ornamented with circles inside of which are intersected by a group of three lines and a large painted dot, and around them are several foliate representations. A few spiral lines are also observed between other thick bands arranged in triangles with a concave side. Inside the funnels, the surface is rudimentarily smoothed, forming several uneven grooves, which represent the pressed traces of the tool with which the interior was shaped, and upon closer analysis, the existence of traces of the potter's fingers can also be admitted. The decor presents images of mythological creatures and symbols of religious ideas and beliefs of the prehistoric Cucutenian communities, from which the functionality of these pieces, which could be used in magical-ritual practices, is assumed.

The dimensions of the vessel are as follows: height - 228 mm; the diameters of the extremities vary from 135 to 142 mm; maximum diameter on the line of two binoculars / bowl width - 285-291 mm.

The trident vessel from Florești belongs to the classic period of the Cucuteni culture, when the so-called "binocular" vessels were very widely known. Viewed in this context, the trinocle from Florești presents itself as a unique piece not only in the Pruto-Nistrian space, but also in the entire area of spread of the Cucuteni-Tripolye civilization, from the Carpathians to the Dnieper.

#Exhibit of the Month

Glass Goblet from the Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov Cemetery (4th Century AD) in Tigheci

February 2024

The ”trinocle” vessel from Florești

#Exhibit of the Month