#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

Opening of the "Humanity Without Borders" Exhibition

January 23, 2025

On January 23, 2025, Adugat Israel from Moldova organized a special program dedicated to the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The program included the opening of the exhibition "Humanity Without Borders" (curated by one of the most renowned specialists in Japanese history and culture, Sophy Gugelev from Israel) and the screening of the documentary "Kaunas - The Gates of Hope."

The exhibition opening at the National Museum of History of Moldova brought together over 180 guests, including high-ranking officials from the parliament, government, international organizations, and diplomatic missions from 12 countries.

Speeches were delivered by the Chief Rabbi of Moldova, Pinchas Zaltzman; the head of the European Union delegation, Mr. Mazeiks; the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Oruj; the ambassadors of Israel, Mr. Lion; Lithuania, Mr. Valionis; Japan, Mr. Yamada; and the Netherlands, Mr. Duijn; the director of the National Museum of History, Mr. Sava; the director of the Museum of Jewish History in Moldova, Mrs. Șihova; and the deputy director of the Romanian Cultural Institute "Mihai Eminescu" in Chișinău, Mr. Afrăsinei.

The speeches highlighted the importance of organizing such programs, the originality and uniqueness of the exhibition, and emphasized the need for joint efforts to promote education about the Holocaust, prevent hate and intolerance, and strengthen a platform dedicated to commemorating and promoting fundamental human values.

The project was carried out with the support of the embassies of Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Japan, the Museum of Jewish History in Moldova, the National Museum of History, the Romanian Cultural Institute "Mihai Eminescu" in Chișinău, the Yad Vashem Center (Israel), the "Port of Humanity" Museum in Tsuruga, Japan, the Sugihara House in Kaunas, Lithuania, and the Agency for Interethnic Relations of the Republic of Moldova.

The goal of the project is education on Holocaust history and combating manifestations of hate and intolerance based on ethnic and religious criteria, as well as antisemitism.

The "Humanity Without Borders" exhibition is open to the public until February 6, 2025, at the Diorama of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 31 August 1989 Street, 121 A.