#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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Events Archive

Scientific conference with international participation “75 years since the Operation «South»”

Chișinău, 2-3 July 2024

During July 2-3, 2024, the works of the scientific conference with international participation "75 years since the Operation «South»" took place, an event organized by the National Museum of History of Moldova, in cooperation with the Institute of History of the Moldova State University.

The first day of the conference brought together researchers from Chisinau, Bucharest and Vilnius, who presented scientific communications regarding the elucidation of the deportations of the summer of 1949 from the perspective of history and memory of the tragedy in current research, and the speakers presented aspects such as the phenomenon of deportations in the Soviet repression system (dr. Virgiliu Bîrlădeanu), the deportations from the Moldavian SSR during the compact collectivization of agriculture (dr. Valentin Burlacu), the hate speech and the ideological preparation of the deportation operation from July 5-6, 1949 (dr. hab. Elena Negru), the evolution of the concept "kulak" in the Moldavian SSR, 1940-1950 (dr. hab. Ion Şișcanu), the sovietization of the Bessarabian village: the Operation "South", the collectivization of agriculture and social policies in the Stalinist period (dr. Dumitru Lisnic), the realization of the Operation "South" in the district Edineţ, MSSR (dr. Nicolae Fuștei), the deportations of the Bessarabians in Tomsk region (Russian Federation) from the perspective of the Memory Expeditions (dr. Octavian Țîcu), the extermination of the members of the Sfatul Țării. Case study of Constantin Bivol (Natalia Mafteuță).

On the second day of the scientific event, during the plenary session, communications were presented by outstanding specialists from the Republic of Moldova, the Republic of Lithuania, and Romania, highlighting the common features of the manifestation of the totalitarian communist regime and the importance of studying the phenomenon of deportations in order not to admit it again in the future.

With a word of greeting in front of the participants of the event came the General Director of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Mr. dr. hab, prof. univ. Eugen Sava who mentioned the systematic effort undertaken by the National Museum of History of Moldova toward the scientific-museographical valorization of history and memory of the former deportees and political prisoners from the Moldavian SSR period. On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Republic of Moldova, the greeting was addressed by the attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Liudas Gintautas Dabkus, who referred to the common historical experience regarding the suffering caused by the Stalinist deportations, but also the resistance opposed to the Soviet regime of occupation, emphasizing the important role that belongs to today's society in the perpetuation of democracy, freedom, respect for human rights and the common effort in building a European culture of memory.

The proceedings of the plenary session were followed by the inauguration of the thematic exhibition of the National Museum of History of Moldova "Memory of the deportations", presented by dr. Ludmila Cojocaru.

The scientific-practical session "Narrative heritage of the Stalinist deportations: scientific-museographical valorization initiatives and exchange of good practices" convened representatives of the museographic community from the Republic of Moldova and Romania, concerned with valorizing the history and memory of totalitarian-communist deportations and repressions, who presented communications on projects, initiatives and good practices carried out by their institutions.