#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

International Museum Day
"Museums for Education and Research"

May 18, 2024

The National Museum of History of Moldova had the honor of hosting one of the most important events in the life of the world museum community - International Museum Day. This year's event, held under the banner "Museums for Education and Research", took place on Saturday, May 18, 2024, between 10:00 and 18:00.

Throughout the day, visitors had the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and surprises specially prepared for this occasion. The program included:

Within the museum:

- 10:00-18:00 - Free Visit to the museum's permanent and temporary exhibitions.

- 11:00-12:00 - Living Exhibit - a museum project using artificial intelligence to detect and describe exhibits, presented by students from IPLT "Gheorghe Asachi", winners of the "Engineering Excellence" Award at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Moldova 2024.
Location: nr. 9 (Bronze), floor

- 12:00-13:00 - Tactile Music - an installation generating contemporary music sounds through tactile touch, presented by winners of the "Engineering Excellence" Award at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Moldova 2024, students from IPLT Da Vinci, Chisinau.
Location: nr. 8 (Medieval), floor

- 13:00-14:00 - Guided Robot - a museum hall model where a guide robot offers both remote and disability-friendly tours, presented by students from IPLT "Gaudeamus" Chisinau, winners of the "Innovation Project" Award at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Moldova 2024.
Location: nr. 6 (Red), floor

- 15:00-16:00 - Museum in Reflected Reality - holograms, soap bubbles, luminescent algae, programmable LEDs, presented by students from IPLT "Mihai Stratulat" s. Boscana, Criuleni, winners of the "Perseverance" Award at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Moldova 2024.
Location: Cinemateca "Clio", floor
- 15:30-16:00 - Opening of Temporary Exhibition "Dialogue in Space and Time. Exhibition of Chinese Costume Culture" organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Chisinau.
Location: nr. 1 (Parter), floor

- 16:00-17:00 - Virtual Reality Workshop organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Chisinau:
- Interactive activities: Chinese knot, cutting Chinese paper, calligraphy;
- Demonstrations: guzheng (Chinese musical instrument), Kung Fu (Chinese martial art).

- 17:00-18:00 - Musical Concert supported by the brass band of the "Alexei Stârcea" School of Arts, artistic leader and conductor: Mihail Lisii

In the courtyard of the museum:

13:00-15:00 - "Technological evolution in space and time. Prehistory" - interactive activities and Cucutenian drawings.
13:00-18:00 - "Technological evolution in space and time. Medieval era" - activities supported by the Association of Historical Reconstruction clubs from the Republic of Moldova "Bastion".
13:00-13:30 - Opening of the exhibition "A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanța", organized by the Museum of National History and Archeology Constanța.
16:00-17:00 - Workshop organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, including interactive activities and cultural demonstrations.
17:00-18:00 - Music recital performed by the marching band of the "Alexei Stârcea" School of Arts.

International Museum Day, celebrated annually on 18 May, serves as a global platform for promoting the role of museums in cultural exchange and development. This year's edition emphasized the importance of education and research within museums, inviting visitors to rediscover the innovative and traditional role of these institutions.
Thanks to all partners and participants who contributed to the success of this event. We look forward to seeing you at the National Museum of History of Moldova to continue exploring and learning together!

Event partners: Aridon Group, First Lego League Moldova, Constanța National History and Archeology Museum, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Moldova, "Alexei Stârcea" School of Arts, "Bastion" Association of Historical Reconstruction Clubs from the Republic of Moldova.

Media partners: Diez, Locals, TVR Moldova, Călătorii cu Gust, Aquarelle Magazine, Aquarelle FM, TV Moldova1
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at our next events!