#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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The Ball of Christmas Trees

December 11th, 2015

The 5th edition of the Exhibition of Christmas Trees ended with the traditional Ball of Christmas Trees, charitable event signed by KLumea which took place in the evening of December 11th at the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The event, hosted by Nata Albot and actor Emilian Crețu, gathered a large audience, keen to support talented and creative young peopleand engage in charity. The guests spent a wonderful evening and assisted at the designation of winners of the Ball of Christmas Trees, auction of the most creative works participating in the contest, lottery with Christmas gifts, fashion show with velvet dresses created by Oxana Munteanu, suite of carols performed by the group "Sânziene", artistic moment by young accordionist Radu Rățoi and show by pop singer Pasha Parfeni.

10 out of 57 trees made by students of AMTFA and TUM and other plastic artists, exhibited in the museum between 20th November and 10th December, were auctioned at the event. Other five auctioned Christmas trees were the "trees with a story" created by Hospice Angelus, Boarding Girls School from Hâncești, Center for children with autism "Puzzle Kids", National Association "Defeat cystic fibrosis" and Foundation "Good Heart".

The winner of the 5th edition of the Ball of Christmas Trees were designated:
1st Prize - Oxana Turtureanu, student at AMTFA, tree „Dor de dor";
2nd Prize - Andrei Brânza, student at TUM, tree „Ciclice" (Cyclic) and Valentin Bostan, student at AMTFA, tree „Lacrima unui popor" (Teardrop of nation);
3rd Prize - Alexandru Terenti, student at TUM, tree „West wood".

The tree that accumulated most votes from exhibition visitors in the category "Public Sympathy" is entitled „Nemurire" (Immortality) and was created by Ecaterina Căpățină and Vadim Antoni.

The winners received cash prizes, gifts and half of the money that was bid for their trees, the other half going to the project engaged in decoration of children hospitals form Moldova - „Arterapia" managed by KLumea team.

The Ball of Christmas Trees is a project of social creativity, initiated and supported by Nata Albot and Viorica Nagacevschi, founders of Non Governmental Organization KLumea, encouraging young artists to create for charitable aims.

#Exhibit of the Month

Stone Battle Axe Discovered at Aluniș, Rîșcani District

The Ball of Christmas Trees

December 11th, 2015

#Exhibit of the Month