Tyragetia

39-74

Authors: Ion Tentiuc, Valeriu Bubulici, Angela Simalcsik

In the work on the materials of a cremation burial in bronze situla of the 2nd-1st centuries BC, which was found in Mana village (Orhei district), we have taken for comparative and anthropological analysis remains of calcined bones from the burial in situla from Sipoteni (Călăraşi district) published in 1950s. Osteological research of the contents of the bronze vessel from Sipoteni showed that the remains belonged to a man 20-30 years old. In the burial urn a fragment of a black-burnished vessel, a silver fi bula of the Middle La Tene type, an iron ring, and an amorphous iron object were found. The grave goods also contain a bronze situla, identical in shape and size, which was found near the funeral urn. Researches attributed the Sipoteni burial to the 2nd-1st centuries BC, a period of domination of Bastarnae tribes in the central and northern part of the Carpathian-Dniester region. Our own comparative analysis of this type of bronze vessels showed that they are similar with identical containers from the Middle Danube sites, as well as from northern Italy, southern France and Spain, which were used by Celtic tribes as funeral urns. To the east of the Carpathians identical bronze vessels were found in the village of Mana, at the site of Bădeni (Iaşi), and as part of the so-called odd hoards from Bădragii Noi, Vesela Dolina, and Maryevka (in the region from the Eastern Carpathians to the Dnieper and the Don at least 50 so-called hoards were found), including ones in the bronze vessels, which we have mentioned. Some researchers’ attempts to attribute the situlae from Sipoteni, Bădragii Noi, Vesela Dolina, Maryevka, etc. to the type of Eggers 18-23 or the type of Bargfeld seem to us to fail, because these bronze vessels have slender shape, riveted bronze or iron attaches and the maximum diameter of the vessels is at the height of the fourth part. The East Carpathian situlae are of less slender proportions, and the largest diameter is located at the third part of the height of the vessels. In addition, the East Carpathian vessels have no trace of riveted attaches. They either have a different system of handles attachment or have no traces of them. Morphological features of bronze situlae found to the east of the Carpathians made it possible to attribute vessels without handles and attaches or traces of rivets to a special type – the type of Mana, and bronze containers with mobile iron handles – to the Bădragii Noi variant of the same type. Most researchers dated the bronze situlae within the 1st century BC. Analysis of the grave goods from the cremation burial complexes identified at Sipoteni and Mana (bronze situlae, silver fibula, weapons of Celtic type, etc.), as well as analysis of objects from odd hoards confirm that they belong to the 1st century BC, likely to the first half of this chronological interval.

81-116

Authors: Stanislav Ţerna, Thomas Saile, Maciej Dębiec, Martin Posselt

Between 2014-2015, a joint Moldavian-German expedition undertook surface investigations, geophysical prospections and small-scale excavations on several LBK sites from the Republic of Moldova. This fieldwork allowed us to obtain unique data on the internal organization of Neolithic sites from the Prut-Dniester interfluve. The geomagnetic scans led to the identification of long houses, typical for the LBK from Central and Western Europe. Some of these complexes have been checked by small test-trenches. The geophysical plots also included some Copper Age structures overlapping the LBK ones. Thus, we have been able to obtain the first complete geophysical plan of a Precucuteni settlement from the territory of Moldova. The analysis of the data obtained from the field led to a reconsideration of some older conceptions regarding the architecture and internal organization of LBK settlements from the North-Western Black Sea region.

129-145

Authors: Mihail Videyko

This article is dedicated to investigations of the site, which gave its name to the Trypillian Culture. For the first time it was excavated by V. Khvoika in autumn 1897, at the same time when he explored few sites around the village of Trypillia in 40 km south of Kiev. Despite the fact that since the excavation more than a hundred years has passed, the results have not been published, except a description in two pages that appeared in 1901. Later the place of excavations was forgotten, and only after 100 years it was discovered for a second time and identified using archival materials. A brief history of this “rediscovery” is presented in this article. We also propose the description of explored objects based on a modern view on the Trypillian Culture objects and interpretation of other finds from this site in the system of contemporary dating and periodization. This article mainly based on data from the Scientific Archive of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and some materials from the National Museum of History of Ukraine. Trypillia now is the largest (possibly up to 100 hectares) site of this culture in the Middle Dnieper region and at the same time the earliest one of these sites, dated by BI-II stage (around 4400-4200 BC).

165-174

Authors: Regina Uhl, Mariana Vasilache-Curoşu, Veaceslav Bicbaev, Mariana Sîrbu, Livia Sîrbu

În articol este făcută o prezentare generală a rezultatelor investigaţiilor arheologice, întreprinse la Petreni, raionul Drochia, de către echipa de cercetători de la Muzeul Naţional de Istorie a Moldovei şi de la Departamentul Eurasia (Eurasienabteilung) al Institutului German de Arheologie, în anii 2011-2015.

195-200

Authors: Mariana Sîrbu, Veaceslav Bicbaev

In the spring of 2009, in addition to other two archaeological finds discovered and explored during the period of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the lake of Valea Morilor in Chişinău, a pit was discovered. It was revealed by V. Bikbaev during the verification of adjacent land. The pit was located on a gentle slope on the left side of the Valea Morilor creek, 105 m away from the irrigation canal that crosses this part of the valley in the NW-SE direction. The archaeological investigations proved that it was a household pit containing material of Sabatinovka culture relating to the period of the Late Bronze Age. A large number of animal bones were found in the filling of the pit, including a dog skeleton, a small number of pottery fragments, stones and stone tools.

211-224

Authors: Nikolay Tupchienko

Based on archaeological evidence about ancient nonferrous and ferrous metallurgy, from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages, the author discusses perspectives in search of possible ways of forming of mythological and sacral aspects of iron symbolism in traditional culture of the Eastern Slavs. The focus is concentrated on the mechanisms of the transmission of metallurgical knowledge, and especially on a role of carriers of this knowledge in other ethnic environment, as well as on special methodological aspects of reconstruction of symbolic meaning of metal in archaeological finds. Also, an attempt has been made to define the area geographic area and ways of distribution of metallurgical knowledge and symbolic meaning of iron among the Eastern Slavs and their ancestor.

237-252

Authors: Octavian Munteanu

Les recherches archéologiques menées dans l’été de 2015, à l’Ouest du promontoire Butuceni Orhei, est une suite logique des études qui ont été réalisées en 2013-2014. La complexité des résultats précédents ont soulevé plusieurs questions, et dans la recherche de solutions, les priorités ont été i déterminés par la nécessité de l’évaluation de la confi guration du système de défense dans le point extrême ouest du promontoire, ainsi que l’appréciation des éléments composants ce système. Il était nécessaire de corréler les segments défensifs trouvés avec des traces d’une parcelle relativement bien préservées de la fortifi cation, représentée comme les fossés et vallum disposés dans la partie supérieure du promontoire. Avant l’étude en 2013, on a cru que l’accès au côté ouest du promontoire a été bloqué par un système de protection rectiligne, qui commence exactement à ce point, en suivant le chemin vers l’ouest, dans la direction du canal rivière Raut. Nos observations nous ont amenés à croire que la ligne défensive, que nous avons identifi ée et explorée dans les années précédentes, aurait un trajet diff érent de celui qui a été considéré comme traditionnel. Pour tester cette hypothèse, ont été organisées en 2015 des fouilles, à la suite desquelles est détecté un nouveau segment défensif. Il convient de noter, cependant, que les structures observées ont aucun rapport avec les précédemment étudiés et ne contribuent pas à la confi rmation de l’hypothèse. Dans le même temps, il n’y a pas suffi samment de preuves pour le rejeter catégoriquement, laissant ainsi la place pour d’autres recherches plus approfondies.

261-284

Authors: Liana Oţa, Valeriu Sîrbu

Studiul de faţă îşi propune să analizeze descoperirile care pot fi puse în legătură cu ceea ce am definit drept prima etapă de pătrundere a sarmaţilor în Muntenia, datată în intervalul care începe în ultima decadă a secolului I p. Chr. şi se extinde şi pe parcursul secolului al II-lea.

303-314

Authors: Vlad D. Ghimpu

Based on the research of many rock-hewn churches of the Romanian region, located in the Dobruja andaround the Carpathian mountain range, the author notes the existence there of a number of Christian churches belonging to the early Christian period and the early Middle Ages. According to the author, the religious buildingswere created for the most part of very strong material because of the highly volatile external environment, due to the pressure of the migratory and nomadic peoples. On the basis of new archaeological data it can be argued that in the territory of the future Moldova there was a diocese under the guidance of a chorbishop (bishop of rural settlements). The presence and discovery of a very valuable exhibit, which is a rare example of art, iconography and folklore heritage of Romanians in early Middle Ages (red brick with depictions), gives us the first written evidence of the presence of Christianity in this area.

323-331

Authors: George Dan Hânceanu

Le Musée d’Histoire de Roman a reçu en 1989 un lot d’objets en fer de la période médiévale découverts sur la rue Unirii près du centre historique de la ville. Après une série d’activités administratives de la municipalité on a découvert un four et quelques objets en métal. Une fois arrivés au musée à la suite d’une donation, les objets sont restés dans les dépôts de l’institution muséale jusqu’en 2015 quand ils nous ont retenu notre attention. En conséquence on a choisi un nombre de 27 objets pour les restaurer. Du point de vue archéologique et historique il est important de présenter ces objets en tenant compte de l’ensemble des découvertes provenant des bourgades médiévales – premièrement il s’agit des outils, pièces importantes quand on cherche d’établir une typologie générale et puis la location d’où viennent les objets, c’est à dire le centre de la bourgade.

345-356

Authors: Anton Kostenko

The article tells about the history of the archaeological collection of I.C. Suruceanu after his death in 1897. It contains information about modern museums, where part of the collection is stored today. Particularattention is paid to the I.C. Suruceanu’s collection of lapidary monuments, which is almost completely preserved in the Kherson Regional Museum. Also there is presented a list of groups of antiquities from the collection of I.C. Suruceanu in Kherson.

369-375

Authors: Ana Boldureanu

The author presents data on coin findings in the Republic of Moldova, about which there are known from the discoverers or from some communications or publications of the second half of 2015 and the first half of 2016. Among the ancient coin issues there are a hoard of siliquae found at Lărguţa (Cantemir District) and some isolated finds of Roman coins. The Middle Ages are represented by an ingot of the sommo type, originated from the Old Orhei area, a few small complexes from Costeşti (Ialoveni District), Old Orhei, and Alcedar (Şoldăneşti District), and the coins found during excavations in the Soroca Fortress in 2015.

29-50

Authors: Elena Chiaburu

Bells used in Christian churches are documentary sources due to the inscriptions, decorations and coats of arms available on them. Depending on the language in which the inscriptions were made, old bells had different names. The bells used to be donated to the churches by private persons, by the right of the founder, or by communities; the oldest bells of the medieval Moldavian state date back to the reign of Stephen the Great. The alloy used for bell casting contained copper, brass and a minor amount of silver or other elements. Bellfounders were itinerant, traveling from church to church to cast bells, the furnaces were built on sites, and the casting of large bells was carried out only during the warmer months. The most lasting operation was building the furnace and constructing the mold, and the most dangerous process was pouring the melt metal in a mold. This was followed by controlled cooling the bell, removing the mold material after the metal has solidifi ed, and finishing the bell. Casting bells was always associated with a number of beliefs and practices meant to contribute to the success of the operation and the obtaining of a beautiful sound of the bell. Data about the practitioners of this craft are rather scanty; their few names can be found in archival documents and inscriptions on the bells only to the middle of the 18th century. Some bells were cast in Transylvania, in Sighişoara and Braşov. Whether members of the clergy or the laity, the bellfounders had great technical knowledge and skills handed down from father to son. Unfortunately, only a few churches and monasteries preserved the original bells; many were lost in course of time, sometimes in fires, and in most cases because of requisitions for military needs, when they were melted down to make cannons.

79-90

Authors: Irina Cereş

In the given article the author analyzes the export of goods from the Principality of Moldova into the Russian Empire at the end of the 18th century - the beginning of the 19th century. As a result it was found that the main export goods in the trade between the Principality of Moldova and the Russian Empire during 1791-1812 were wine, salt, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, cattle, etc. The export of goods from the Principality of Moldova into the Russian Empire was not free from the influence of political factors. The analysis of unpublished archival sources allowed the author to conclude that export of goods from the Principality of Moldova into the Russian Empire at the end of the 18th century - the beginning of the 19th century had a permanent and traditional character. Therefore, the thesis by some researchers that during the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-1812 the Moldavian trade was reoriented from traditional European markets into Russian domestic market is incorrect.

105-122

Authors: Valentin Tomuleţ

Based on previously unpublished archival sources the author considers two privileged categories of the population of Bessarabia mazili and ruptaşi, attempting to show that some of them were literate and enjoyed respect and authority among the lower strata of the population. The number of literate mazili and ruptaşi possible, although quite difficult to identify by examination of the numerous petitions, complaints and claims addressed to county, regional and imperial institutions, especially in cases when after the fiscal censuses (1824, 1835, 1850, 1858) some of them for some reasons have not been identified in the social class of mazili or in the fiscal class of ruptaşi. Another similar situation was attested after the entry into force of the Law of 10 March 1847, under which mazili and ruptaşi from Bessarabia were reclassified to the Russian social category of odnodvortsy. Those, who for various reasons were not included in the list of the privileged classes of Bessarabia, had over the years to present documents proving that they belong to privileged social or fiscal categories. In addition to official documents signed by former rulers of Moldavia and the decisions of Provisional Committee of Bessarabia, mazili and ruptaşi were required to present testimonies of 24 persons from the category of ruptaşi and mazili, who could confirm under oath that the petitioners belong to mazili, ruptaşi or odnodvortsy. It is remarkable that the signatures on the testimonies argue that many of these ruptaşi and mazili were literate or at least were able to basically read and write. The signatures on these documents were made using Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, which means that after 1812 mazili and ruptaşi were taught to read and write at home.

133-142

Authors: Alexandru Argint

The article presents the evolution of legislation in the field of education in Bessarabia in the period of 1812-1875, with a brief introduction to the educational legislation of the Principality of Moldavia in the second half of the 18th century - the first half of the 19th century in terms of its influence on the Bessarabian educational system in 1857-1878. Particular attention is given to reforms in the field of public education in the second half of the 19th century in the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (later Romania) and the Russian Empire, which started in 1864 the very important process of evolution of primary and secondary secular education in the territory of Bessarabia. In order to highlight the main aspects and features of the Romanian and Russian educational systems influenced the elementary school in Bessarabia the article presents a practical part of reforms rather than the theoretical one. This article is a study of the evolution of education from a historical point of view, being based on a comparison of the two systems of primary and secondary education in Bessarabia in the period of 1857-1878. This comparison will highlight the similarities and differences between the two systems of education, which influenced the Bessarabian society in the second half of the 19th century.

155-166

Authors: Eugen-Tudor Sclifos

40 years after the Congress of Vienna that ended the Napoleonic Wars, European diplomats gathered in Paris. France, together with England, managed to defeat Russia in the Crimean War, and now it was crowned with the laurels of success. On the agenda of foreign policy of the Great Powers appeared Romanian question. Despite the fact that Russia was defeated, it approached to France as a result of secret negotiations between the Duke de Morny and Russian ambassador in Vienna Gorchakov in 1855. The Congress of Paris in 1856 demonstrated evidence of this rapprochement. France put forward for discussion the question of the union of two Romanian principalities that suddenly found support from Russia, which wanted to be rehabilitated to Romanians and looked for an opportunity to destroy the Franco-British alliance. Despite this, both countries warring at the time of the Crimean War, cooperated in implementing the desires of Romanians, and sometimes France was ready to concede to Russians. The Congress of Paris did not give a definitive solution on the question because of divergent views of the Great Powers, but managed to find support from Russia.

173-178

Authors: Silvia Scutaru

The school of church choristers of the Eparchy of Chisinau and Khotin played an important role in the spiritual life of the Guberniya of Bessarabia. Although the activity of this school was carried out as part of imperial policy of spiritual domination, promoted by Tsarist autocracy and ecclesiastical authorities, its disciples helped to maintain devotion to the faith and traditions of the Bessarabian Church. This article addresses some aspects of the history of this institution, which was opened in 1889. It highlights its role in the life of the eparchy through the prism of imperial authorities' attitude towards local church music.

185-190

Authors: Cristina Tănase

In 2014 we celebrate 100 years since the beginning of the First World War and 95 years from the founding of the Society for the Burial of the Heroes Fallen in the War (Mormintele eroilor căzuţi în război). On the basis of the law and regulations of the "Cult of Heroes" Society, which was under the patronage of Queen Maria, there was decided to erect monuments, buildings, cemeteries, etc. to perpetuate the memory of the fallen in war or glorify the heroism of Romanians everywhere and at all times. Construction could be carried out by statutory committees of the "Cult of Heroes" Society and by private initiative groups established in accordance with the law. The idea of creating a monument to the heroes in Mateias, Brasov County originated in 1936 as a result of private initiative and was embodied in the life by the "Cult of Heroes" Society in 1939. Original documents, stored for more than seven decades, tell us how this memorial - a symbol of collective sacrifice made on the "altar" of the Romanian nation - was built.

203-226

Authors: Stepan Bulgar, Ivan Duminica

The article first introduces unknown documents from the archives of Turkey, Romania and the Republic of Moldova related to the "Gagauz problem" in the context of the Romanian-Turkish relations. The authors have paid attention mainly on the education field, where Turkish cultural and ideological influence was the most noticeable. In the dissemination of the policy of the Turkish identity among the Gagauz in Bessarabia, Turkish government largely relied on Gagauz intellectuals and the youth. Therefore, Turkish teachers Zahit Mehmet Boztuna, Hasan Belal Kilic Ahmed Mehmed, Sali Ismail, Osman Abdullah, Ali and Bayram Cantarelli, and others were sent to Gagauz villages. They had an appropriate authorization from the Romanian Ministry of National Education to teach Turkish language for two hours a week and provided the training in the Gagauz and Bulgarian-Gagauz villages of Comrat, Congaz, Kubey, Chadir-Lunga, Congaz, etc. According to some reports, their activities were funded from the Turkish and partly from the Romanian budget. At the same time, the Turkish government encouraged Gagauz young people to enter secondary, high and specialized secondary schools in Ankara and Istanbul. Students were guaranteed a hostel, training for the budget account and scholarships. The article reflects a huge role of the Turkish Ambassador in Romania Hamdullah Subhi Tanriyover (1931-1944), who initiated and conducted most of the work on the organization of Turkish language teaching in Gagauz villages, provision of textbooks and teacher training.

239-248

Authors: Aurelia Lăpuşan

C.G. Costa-Foru (1856-1935) was an outstanding personality of the Romanian culture, well-known journalist, lawyer, human rights activist and secretary of the League for Human and Civil Rights (1923-1929), the founder of the Committee on Amnesty (1928-1929) and the Bloc for Defense of Democratic Freedoms (1935). As a vice-president of the General Association of the Romanian Press, founded December 2, 1918 in Bucharest, C.G. Costa-Foru had an audience with the king and boldly expressed to him harsh accusations of censorship, suppression of the press and the arrests of journalists. His activities in the framework of the League for Human and Civil Rights, the Committee on Amnesty (1928-1929) and the Bloc for Defense of Democratic Freedoms were closely linked to practical measures for the integration of Bessarabia into the political life of Romania after 1918.

259-270

Authors: Elena Postică

The history of anti-Soviet and anticommunist resistance in postwar Bessarabia is rich in facts and names of fighters. This article tells about the fate of brothers Victor and Ion Andreev, natives of the village of Mănoilești, who in the spring of 1949, together with other young people, decided to establish an underground organization to fight against the Soviet occupation. Most members of this organization were intellectuals, mostly rural teachers, who, for reasons of professional and intellectual training, perhaps better than others intuited the harmful effects of Sovietization and Bolshevization of Bessarabia.

283-289

Authors: Diana Caşu

The Perestroika that has been launched by Mikhail Gorbachev in mid-1985 was a very ambitious program of further modernization of the Soviet Union aimed at solving the many problems of Soviet society. Among these problems was the policy on family. In this regard, the 27th Congress of CPSU (February-March 1986) adopted a number of measures that were designed to change the family policy. The Government of the Moldavian SSR and the Central Committee of the CPM took the lead in implementing this program. The responsibilities were distributed among the various ministries, agencies, cultural and social organizations. There were organized several public opinion polls to obtain information about the life of families in Soviet Moldavia. As a result, there was revealed a very difficult situation: criminality among teenagers, alcoholism in families, growing tendency of divorces, hygienic difficulties and so on. These problems were inherited by post-communist societies in the countries of the former Soviet Union, including the Republic of Moldova.

315-333

Authors: Vera Serjant

Newspapers began to be used as a means of advertising since the end of the 19th century and remained the primary means of advertising until the advent of television. Due to short period of time between the submitting advertising material for publication and its appearance in the newspaper, advertising in daily newspapers was very effective for transmitting the latest information to the consumer. Daily newspapers usually came out in large cities and capitals. The first daily newspaper in Bessarabia was Bessarabsky Vestnik ("Bessarabian Messenger") published in 1889 in ChiТinău by E. Sokolova. Other major daily newspapers published for a long time in ChiТinău were Bessarabets ("Bessarabian"), Bessarabskaya zhizn ("Bessarabian Life"), Drug ("Friend"), Golos Kishinyova ("Voice of Chişinău"), and some others. During 1912-1914, the daily newspapers appear in Bălţi, Bender, Soroca, Tiraspol, and Akkerman.

353-358

Authors: Andrei Emilciuc

In the collections of NMHM there are a military award, which has a particular symbolic value in view of the centenary of the First World War, which was celebrated in 2014 the medal "For Works on Excellent Performance of General Mobilization in 1914". The medal was established by the decree of 12 February 1915 and was awarded to persons who had participated actively in the work associated with drawing up plans for mobilization, recruitment in military service, the supply of troops in dressings, providing military vehicles, as well as the transport of troops and military cargo. In addition, it was awarded to persons directly involved in the execution of works during the mobilization of 1914. Later the provisions were completed, so that the medal could be awarded to persons responsible for pre-military training of young people. The main issue (50000 copies) was made at the Petrograd Mint, and 800 medals were sent to Bessarabia, according to the request of its governor M.E. Gilhen.

375-382

Authors: Vera Stăvilă

National Museum of History of Moldova possesses a collection of anti-religious drawings and lithographs in an amount of 52 units. Of these, 24 lithographs relate to the series "Commandments and Symbols" (by B. Shirokorad), 11 drawings to the series "God on Earth", another 15 drawings touch different anti-religious topics (author A. Grabco). Graphic works of this collection, which is part of the anti-religious campaign, are characterized by mordant sense, bright colors, simple and catchy slogans denigrating and deriding everything that expressed religious beliefs. Using expressive art images along with the severity of the laws, the Communists hoped to convince the masses that religion is nothing more than "a manifestation of the decadence of capitalism", a consequence of the retrograde, the counter-revolutionary thinking an unforgivable crime in the Soviet Union. These works reflect only some of the methods from the rich arsenal used by the Soviet authorities in the fight against the Moldavian Orthodox Church.

387-392

Authors: Elena Postică

On 14 May 2015 at the National Museum of History of Moldova in the presence of an impressive number of scientists and people of culture there was opened the commemorative exhibition "Oak from Caracui" dedicated to the centenary of the birth of Academician Nicolae Corlăteanu, the founder of the Romanian linguistics in the Republic of Moldova and the renowned teacher, State Prize winner, Honored Scientist, holder of the Order of the Republic, author of more than 55 scientific papers and memories. Most of the exhibits come from the Corlăteanu family archive. It is about 200 photographs, scientific papers, documents, awards, personal belongings, etc.

29-50

Authors: Denis Topal

A specific feature of early Scythian Akinakai daggers is their manufacture from bronze, most often with iron alloy. The technology of making bimetallic handles is connected with the "Cimmerian scheme" known for the manufacture of so-called Kabardino-Piatigorsk daggers type. The latest copies of this type are present in sites dated to the mid-7th century BC which is reason to consider them as Scythian akinakes predecessors. Scythian bimetallic technology workshops was inherited from their predecessors and the first daggers of this kind are associated with type Gudermes which appeared at the end of the 8th - beginning of the 7th century in the Caucasus. Early Akinakai, Posmuş type, are also known in the Carpathian basin and are made entirely or partly of bronze.

57-78

Authors: Stanislav Ţerna, Mariana Vasilache

The article represents the publication of the complete collection of anthropomorphic figurines of Cucuteni A - Tripolye B1 stage from the settlement of Duruitoarea Veche I (Rîşcani District, Republic of Moldova). The figurines were discovered on the surface of the site and in course of the archaeological excavations conducted in 1973, and had previously been published only in part. The collection of figurines from Duruitoarea Veche I is one of the largest for the Cucuteni A4 sites from the Prut-Dniester interfluve and therefore is of significant scientific interest. The article includes the catalogue of finds as well as analysis of the technology, stylistics, morphology and fragmentation.

91-122

Authors: Mariana Sîrbu

This article presents and analyzes non-funeral objects of worship, which were found throughout the area of spreading of the complex of Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni cultures. The spiritual aspect of life of these communities is well defined by places of worship (some parts of the “ashpits” and dwellings, ritual pits) and by the presence of votive objects made of clay, stone, bone and bronze (anthropomorphic and zoomorphic representations, small balls, miniature vessels and rollers, buttons, pendants, etc.) in the settlements. The present study aims to identify features of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni communities’ spiritual life not related to burial rites based on archaeological data obtained as a result of excavations in the settlements throughout the spread of this complex of cultures.

131-144

Authors: Valerii Samar, Andrei Antonov

This paper introduces into the scientific use the results of archaeological investigations undertaken in the burial mound no. 2 near the village of Trudovoe. As a result of the research there were identified four stages in the process of building of the tumulus. There were also discovered many findings, such as a bronze cauldron, a granite altar etc., attributed to the Cimmerian culture.

151-159

Authors: Sergey Gorbanenko

The article provides an overview of the study of palaeoethnobotanical materials of Dyakovo culture. It introduces in the scientific circulation new materials from Znamenskoe hillfort. A statistical analysis of the data obtained from the settlement was carried out. The authors have conducted a comparative analysis of representative materials from the whole Dyakovo culture. On the basis of the whole complex of data on palaeoethnobotanical materials of the Dyakovo culture there was analyzed grain production and changes in it during the first periods of this culture (from the 7th century BC to the 4th century AD). The results do not pretend to be the final decision; they only specify the general trend for all «forest» cultures, to which N.A. Kiryanova has already drawn attention.

167-182

Authors: Octavian Munteanu

Bien que connu depuis près d’un siècle, la fortification de Horodca Mare, Hânceşti, n’a pas atteint les chercheurs que depuis quelques années maintenant. En outre, les interprétations occasionnelles de certains de mes collègues ont tendance à exclure le site de la liste des fortifications Gète, en faisant valoir sa position en l’absence de tous les indicateurs palpables de caractère défensif. Cette position est doublement regrettable, car il est venu à négliger les opinions exprimées par les archéologues des générations précédentes. Par conséquent, essayer de récupérer les arguments en faveur de caractère défensif du site du promontoire La Cetate, nous avons rassemblé et analysé les informations provenant de plusieurs sources, ainsi que les résultats de la recherche sur le terrain que nous avons menée en collaboration avec des collègues de l’Université Pédagogique de Chisinau. De cette façon, on a retourné aux collègues les arguments qui démontrent la nature défensive du site, suivie de la présentation des éléments caractéristiques défensifs qui ont été étudié au Horodca Mare.

209-220

Authors: Aurel Zanoci, Octavian Munteanu, Ion Tentiuc, Valeriu Bubulici

As a result of archaeological investigations carried out in June 2015 near the village of Mana, there were found three fortified settlements: Mana III, Mana IV, and Mana V. The hill fort of Mana III, an area of about 0,18 ha, is located on the promontory at a distance of 1 km south of the village. From the east and west sides the fort was protected by steep slopes of the promontory, and from the north and south sides – by “ramparts” and ditches. On the surface of the settlement there were found fragments of the Thraco-Getic hand-made pottery and fragments of Greek amphorae, due to which the settlement can be attributed to the Thraco-Getic period. Also, at the site there was investigated a cremation burial typical for the Poieneşti-Lukashevka culture.

249-260

Authors: Monica Nicolăescu

This paper attempts to synthesize the aspect of the importance of graphic representations referring to the situation of dwelling structures found and documented at the settlements across Muntenia which are dated with the 2nd century BC - 1st century AD. Without intending to categorize or fit the mentioned complexes or settlements into any typology, the paper takes into account the way in which the housing complexes characteristic of the second iron age are illustrated and how these representations are relevant to understanding the dwelling complexes from the given period.

275-286

Authors: Vitalii Koziuba

The paper is devoted to the discussion of controversial issues in the study of the historical topography of Berestye (Brest). This city was one of the largest in western Rus’ of the 11th-13th centuries. The problems of shape, sizes and area of the castle and courtyard buildings are still under discussion, despite of the large area of archaeological excavation. Some questions of the castle location are reviewed on the ground of such sources as archaeological and map materials.

299-313

Authors: Elena Izbitser

This article discusses a monograph by A.A. Ierusalimskaia “Moshchevaia Balka. An Unusual Archaeological Site on the North Caucasian Silk Road” and two reviews on it that express diametrically opposing views about its scholarly contribution. In a number of examples the article shows that with a complete disregard for the critiques of her previous publications on a range of issues, A.A. Ierusalimskaia in this work demonstrates a lack of familiarity with both published and archival sources; purposely misrepresents the history of the study of Moshchevaia Balka, and falsifies (in some cases clearly deliberately) information about archaeological assemblages.

31-39

Authors: Elena Chiaburu

The investigation is made in a historical, geographical and religious context, it detects differences and corrects errors that appeared over time. After two centuries since the founding of the Diocese of Chişinău there is no clear evidence that its founder, Gavriil Bănulescu (Bodoni), was a Romanian. The conclusion we proposed is the possibility that Gavriil might be of Little Russian origin, from Galicia situated on the border with Transylvania and Bukovina. In Galicia there are two rivers called „Bystrytsya”, which merge into one behind the Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk and flow into the Dniester, so that the confusion with the Bistriţa River in Transylvania is possible. Another argument is the fact that the Callimachi family, with which Gavriil claimed to be related, originates from Dovgopillya on the Cheremosh River. Those who wished to complete Gavriil’s post-mortem biography have confused the Bistriţa in Transylvania with the Bystrytsya in Galicia. The family name should be just Bodoni, as his contemporaries mentioned it. In assessing the life and work of Gavriil is no longer necessary to accumulate historiographical ballast, and the activities for nationalist „recovery” is harmful.

51-54

Authors: Vasile Mărculeţ

Au début du XV-ème siècle, à une date étenu entre 1401 et avant le septembre de 1405, s'est achevé aussi le gouvernement du troisième métropolite connu de la Hungrovalachie, Anthimos. Son successeur dans le siège métropolitaine de l' Argeş a été le métropolite Jerémias, l'ancien prélat de Mitylène. Son gouvernement à la tête de l'Église de la Valachie pourait être dateé aproximativement entre avant le septembre 1405 et avant le mai 1412.

59-66

Authors: Irina Cereş

The article highlights the importance of Jewish merchants’ activity in maintaining and expanding trade relations between the Russian Empire and the Principality of Moldova at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Many of the Jews involved in the Moldavian-Russian economic relations constituted a separate privileged category in the socio-economic life of Moldavian towns. The predominance of Jews in the domestic market of Moldova was due to the fact that under the imperial decree of 1804 the Jews were granted the right to live in 15 provinces of western Russia. They held in their hands the most important branches of trade: grain, alcohol, salt etc. Despite the negative aspects of the Jewish merchants’ activities, which hampered the development of the Romanian national commercial bourgeoisie, it is undeniable that it had a positive impact on the development of local production. Through their business activities, Jewish merchants played an important role in trade relations between the Moldovan principality and the Russian Empire. Although some of the representatives of this ethnic group were involved in smuggling and other illegal activities, the Jews contributed to the introduction of joint stock companies, especially insurance companies, and contributed greatly to the spread of securities. Due to their methods of making a profit, they unwittingly helped to modernize the forms of production and trade. And it is precisely the Jews spread in the Romanian environment the practice of lending money at interest and guarantees.

79-96

Authors: Valentin Tomuleţ

In the present study, without resorting to a broad historical analysis, we consider two categories of privileged population - the mazili and ruptaşi and identify the changes in their social status and the fiscal imposition under the Tsarist rule. Analysis of unpublished archival documents allows us to conclude that mazili represented a social category and ruptaşi - a fiscal one, both of which were inherited by Bessarabia from the Principality of Moldavia For many years they were forced to make significant efforts to confirm the titles and tax and social status they had before the annexation of the region to the Russian Empire. Although mazili enjoyed certain privileges, imperial administration did not accepted them and did everything possible to suppress this social category, seeing them as a national bourgeois element (national rural bourgeoisie). Tsarism tried to promote the policy begun by Constantine Mavrocordatos, which aimed at limiting the number of privileged social groups, particularly those that did not come from the aristocracy, which, at that time, mazili and ruptaşi were part. These measures were in line with the Russian imperial policy of liquidation of local peculiarities and of social and administrative unification of the newly annexed province. Eventually the rights of mazili were limited; they were required to perform certain duties and pay taxes along with other categories. This becomes evident in the tax censuses, during which mazili and ruptaşi were required to present documents confirming their social and fiscal status. Despite this, the tsarist government used the services of mazili. Due to the special personal qualities - honesty, skills, knowledge, impeccable behavior and ability to cope with any situation, mazili were attracted to different services they were proud of, considering it their privilege. They enjoyed prestige among the local population, and in the case of riots they at the request of the authorities were able to eliminate them without bloodshed. Archival documents show that Russian imperial administration has taken concrete steps to limit the rights and privileges of mazili and ruptaşi in Bessarabia, placing them at the lower levels of the hierarchy - first in the category of odnodvortsy (single homesteaders) and later - in the category of free peasants. As a result, some of them due to lack of documents or because of any violations committed by them were transferred to the category of peasants, while others collapsed and were included in the other categories, related with the peasantry. Nevertheless, mazili continued to retain their distinctive social and spiritual features, even after their transfer to the category of odnodvortsy in 1847.

103-111

Authors: Tatiana Chicaroş

In this article we will analyze the development of the secondary education system in Bessarabia since 1833, when the first secular secondary public school was opened, until 1871, when the Russian Empire carried out a series of reforms, which affected the education system. Secondary education in Bessarabia was introduced during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1826-1856). The Tsar’s education policy was characterized by a number of limitations. The government intended to transform the education system into a tool to maintain and strengthen the regime. To achieve this, the tsarist government undertook some reorganization of the education system. This reorganization was aimed at the organization of schools on the basis of caste principle, raising children in a religious spirit, control over schools by the police and turning them into a means of Russification of non-Russian peoples. Under the new school statute from December 8, 1828 the continuity between parochial and county schools was eliminated, resulting in a two systems of education: primary education system, which included the county and parochial schools, and the system of secondary and higher education, which included gymnasiums and universities.

121-137

Authors: Valentin Tomuleţ

In the given article the author examines the Lancasterian System of Education established in Bessarabia on May 28, 1823 at the proposal of Count I.A. Kapodistrias. Initially, these schools were opened in Chişinău, Bălţi and Ismail, and later in Bender and Hotin. Education in them was based on a system of mutual learning. The founder of the Lancasterian System of Education was an English teacher Joseph Lancaster, who was teaching poor children without payment. The originality of this system is that its methods do not have a purely religious character; we can say that the teaching of religion was limited to reading the Bible without its interpretation. It should be noted that the mutual education system in Bessarabia was introduced at the behest of Alexander I. To maintain Lancasterian schools in Bessarabia there were spent annually 3780 assignation roubles. But the Lancasterian schools have not received much popularity among the population, and attempts to establish these schools in villages were unsuccessful. At the end of the 1840s some of them, except the Chişinău Lancasterian School, were transformed into preparatory classes of the county gymnasiums, while others merged with the new parochial schools, which started to appear in Bessarabia under the Regulation of parochial schools in 1836.

155-160

Authors: Marian Petcu

This study deals with the thorny issue of the history of our country – the Gypsy slave trade, as it was presented in the press (1837-1844). We have identified a number of advertisements that reflect the type of trade, its form, prices for slaves, and institutions involved in such transactions. All this information is presented in a variety of contexts: the writings of foreign travelers, responses of public authorities, official documents. Studied documents leave no doubt as to the intention of the authorities to assimilate the Gypsies. There is also highlighted the role of the press as an intermediary in the Gypsy slave trade. Since we are talking about semi-official publications (Cantor de Avis şi Comerţ, Vestitorul Românesc, Albina Românească), it should be understood that these transactions were carried out with the consent of the heads of the relevant state entities. The study also highlights the stages of freeing the slaves.

169-172

Authors: Liviu Papuc

As is well known, most of the large library of Paul Gore, nearly 5,000 volumes, as evidenced by preserved inventory list, is currently kept in the “M. Eminescu” Central University Library in Iaşi. Based on dozens of specimens found in the storages and on the notes made by Paul Gore in the inventory-catalog, the paper presents their bibliographic description. It is made in the continuation of a communication that is to be printed in the Magazine of the Museum of the “Al.I. Cuza” University of Iaşi and in order to complete a full catalog of the library of the great scientist, the work on which was begun with great success by other researchers in the field.

183-198

Authors: Mihail Iliev

After the First World War, in addition to the numerous human and material losses suffered, Romania registered over 360.000 orphans of war. In Bessarabia, 24,142 children remained without one or both parents. Providing for their care and education proved to be a difficult task for the national institutions and charity societies. Among the most influential non-governmental organizations of the time that assumed the noble mission of guardianship these orphans, was the Society for the Protection of War Orphans. This study analyzes the evolution of the Chişinău Regional Committee of the Society for the Protection of War Orphans in the first six years of activity.

213-222

Authors: Sergiu Tabuncic

The 1941 census is an important source for studying the history of the settlements from the present-time districts of Soldanesti and Rezina in the Republic of Moldova. In 1941, those localities were part of Bessarabia’s Orhei County. The materials of that census are stored at the National Archives of the Republic of Moldova, the fund No 2069, inventory 1, part 1, file 450-a. Villages Census 1941 – this is the title of the questionnaire used to collect data. The census was conducted under the auspices of the Central Institute of Statistics subordinate to the Council of Ministers of Romania. The census questionnaire contained 28 sections, each containing questions aimed to clarify the status of settlements in terms of administrative, social, economic, ethnographic, cultural, medical and religious aspects. Many questions pertained to the duration and continuity of the population’s residing in villages listed in the census and villages’ foundation years, to description of rural settlements, permanent and temporary dwellings. Also, the census results show some elements of relations between Romanians and Roma people. The 1941 census is the most significant and representative component of local history, substantially enriching the sources of this domain of research.

237-245

Authors: Cristina Tănase

In the attack on the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, on the front stretched from Finland to the Black Sea, there were involved more than three million German soldiers and about 500,000 Romanian, Slovak, Finnish, Hungarian and Italian soldiers and the French and Spanish “volunteers”. The 3rd Romanian army under the command of General Petre Dumitrescu, which consisted of the Mountain Corps and the Cavalry Corps, covered the border from Bukovina to Cârlibaba. The 2nd Mountain Division led by General Ion Dumitrache was acting on the border with Bucovina, between Rădăuți and Suceava, and had the main attack vector Novoselytsia – Hotin. Three weeks after crossing the Prut River, the 2nd Mountain Division crossed the Dniester moving to the east-southeast. On August 17, 1941 the troops which were under General Dumitrache’s command reached the right bank of the Bug River. This study is based on the collection of documents of General Ion Dumitrache stored in the archive of the Brasov County Museum of History and formed on the basis of materials donated to the museum by the Dumitrache family from 1984 to 1999.

257-270

Authors: Yuri Pyatnitsky

The article is focusing on a small metal medallion engraved with the scene “Descent into Hell” and the Greek inscription from the Hermitage Museum collection. This item has been published several times by Hermitage researcher Vera Zalessk as “lid from a piksidy brought by a pilgrim from Jerusalem, which could also be used as a matrix for making Eulogy copies”. This fantastic interpretation was repeated in several publications; she also wanted to publish it again in the catalog of the exhibition dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Academician Nikolai Likhachev. The later prompted me to write in 2011 a special article with another interpretation of this object and two other similar ones. Studying Greek documents in the Archives of Ancient Acts in Moscow, I noticed that the stamps from the documents issued by the Jerusalem Patriarchate are extremely similar to the object from Hermitage Museum by the typology, iconography and inscriptions. Continuing research in this direction, I found strong arguments for the identification of this object as a stamp of the Jerusalem Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre Temple of the 17th century. Comparison with the document of the first quarter of the 17th century by Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophanes, made us believe that manufacturing of this stamp was commissioned in Constantinople by the patriarch before his trip to Russia to appoint the Moscow Patriarch Filaret Nikitich, father of Tsar Mikhail Romanov. The time it was made may be considered as in the first quarter of 17th century through analogy with the personal seal of Patriarch Theophanes.

283-288

Authors: Andrei Emilciuc

The book collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova includes a number of dictionaries and encyclopedias of a certain historical and cultural value, which were published in reputable printing houses of Western Europe. They have become a social phenomenon in the 18th and 19th centuries, appearing in dozens of editions and contributing significantly to the popularization of science and knowledge of languages among the population. These books are valuable also in terms of their design: leather bindings decorated with relief ornaments and inscriptions, gold stamping on the spines and gilded page edges, color lithographs and engravings, and other classic decorative elements. The article attempts to review the museum collection of such encyclopedias and dictionaries from the perspective of the history of book publishing in Western Europe in the 18th and 19th century.

299-304

Authors: Sergiu Dobrea

On May 18, 2013 at the National Museum of History of Moldova there was opened the exhibition “Arms and Military Equipment: the Evolution in Time” based on pieces from the museum’s collections. The exhibition offers the public a complete typological range of weapons from ancient times to the present (its chronology covers about 4 millennia). Most of the 788 museum pieces are presented for the first time. The exhibition is complemented with two models of medieval knights in armor, specimens of military equipment of the 18th - 19th centuries, pieces of military uniforms of the 19th - 20th centuries, paintings, etchings, and photographs depicting soldiers and battle scenes.

317-321

Authors: Ecaterina Bondarenco

The subject of this article is the restoration of objects from the Clothing and Accessories Collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova. The collection, which began to form from the first years of the museum’s existence, is diverse in terms of typology and chronology. Among its components the sub-collection of military uniform and accessories, containing 300 headwear items, occupies a special place. By country of origin these military headwear items originate from Russia, Prussia, France, Italy, Romania, Poland, Hungary, etc. In 2010, there were restored 30 headwear items, including: grenadier cap, Prussia, 1740-1785; Cavalry Guards officer’s helmet, Russia, 1811- 1817; Uhlan officer’s cap, Russia, 1837; infantry officer’s helmet, Prussia, 1914-1918; artillery officer’s cap, France, 1914-1918; sub-lieutenant’s cap, model 1934, Romania. The author analyzes the restoration techniques used in the process of working on some items from the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

339-348

Authors: Adelaida Chiroşca

In the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova there are six icons related to the famous iconographic type "Protection of the Holy Virgin". This type, that was designed to reflect the images of the feast of the Holy Virgin, has a complex composition, which harmoniously combines events, phenomena and characters belonging to different time periods. At the heart of it lies the vision of Andrew the Fool-for-Christ in the Blachernae church of Constantinople. The plot of the icons also recalls the miraculous phenomenon that became known as the Miracle of Blachernae. At the same time, this iconographic composition may be an illustration of the cycle of hymns, which conceptually transmits the idea of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The composition of icons of the Protection consists of the upper and lower parts. The upper part shows the Virgin standing on clouds with the veil symbolizing the protection in her hands, surrounded by saints, the holy prophets and the Myrrh-bearers. In the center of the lower part there is depicted Romanos the Melodist, on the right of him there are the emperors and men of Church; on the left St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ is depicted, turning to his disciple Epiphanius and pointing up at the miracle that takes place in the temple. On some icons in the lower part there is depicted the dream of Romanos the Melodist, in which Our Lady gives him a scroll, blessing him to sing and write hymns. There are icons depicting only the Virgin. Five of the six icons from the collection of NMHM are of average size, and one is larger, probably derived from a church dedicated to the feast. These icons are painted in oil and tempera on wood, composition of most of them corresponds exactly to this iconographic type.

357-363

Authors: Lucia Marinescu-Tonu

Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences in Rio de Janeiro (MAST) was opened in 1985 and is now one of the most popular institutions of this type in Brazil. It stores artifacts related to the Brazilian science and technology. Exhibitions organized by MAST represent a dialogue between astronomy, history, philosophy, and science transposed into museum space through various museum technologies. Currently, the museum is under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and develops its activities in three main areas: the history of science, museology and heritage, science and education. This is a scientifi c cultural institution, which by its intrinsic elements has a dual purpose: scientific and educational. Visiting the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences in Rio de Janeiro, we have found both similarities and differences in approach to the museum organization and public activities. As a general observation, we can say that the quintessence of the activities of MAST is the interaction with visitors, opening of the scientific community in the fi elds of astronomy and related sciences to society.

45-72

Authors: Gheorghe Postică, Ion Tentiuc

Among the materials related to the early Middle Ages in the Carpathian-Dniester region, which have been discovered during archaeological excavations and reconnaissance, as well as among chance finds there are bronze amulets depicting a rider on a horse. The area of distribution of these bronze figures of riders includes extensive regions, starting from the North Caucasus and the middle reaches of the Don in the East to Central and South-Eastern Europe in the West. Most of the finds were discovered in the south of Russia, in Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary. On the territory of the Prut-Dniester region (Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) it was found 24 bronze figures of riders belonging to different typological models. They were found in the following settlements: Hansca (Ialoveni District) - 3 figures, Păhărniceni-Petruha - 2 objects, Lucăşeuca and Furceni (Orhei District), Ocniţa (Ocniţa district), Briceni - 2 objects, Caracuşenii Noi (Briceni District), Popeştii de Sus (Drochia District), Tătărăuca Veche - 2 objects, Balinţi and Inundeni (Soroca District), Tarasova (Rezina District), Rezeni (Ialoveni District), Porumbrei and Schinoşica (Cimişlia District), Enichioi (Cantemir District), Dezghingea and Capaclia (Gagauzia) and Bolgrad (Odessa region). Seven bronze figures, presented at «Violity» Auction & Antiques in Kiev, may also be originated from the Prut-Dniester region.

89-106

Authors: Robin Brigand, Andrei Asăndulesei, Ionuţ Nicu Cristi

As part of the overall approach to the archaeological sites on the basis of the development tools of geomatics (GIS), this article focuses on the study of the Eneolithic population within the basin which has clear boundaries and is known well in European prehistory: Valea Oii ("Sheep Valley") in Iaşi County (Romania). Here, 130 years ago, was discovered an eponime settlement belonging the Cucuteni culture. In the context of sustainable development and rational use of natural resources, this study claims to be a methodological approach to the study of landscape and Eneolithic population of Moldova (Romania).

145-153

Authors: Nicolae Ursulescu

Based on recently published studies on this topic (Ţerna 2013), the article proposes to analyze the conditions of discovery, cultural and chronological affiliation, as well as the authenticity of 14 items based on available data. The gaps were filled in and the documentation errors were corrected. Documentary study has added to the catalog other six figurines. Of the 20 figurines, only five can be included, to a greater or lesser degree of probability, to the Cucuteni-Trypolye culture. 14 items were found in a limited area (lowland Elan-Horincea) and were made known to the science world by an amateur archaeologist during the past 25 years without specification of the exact conditions of discovery. It is surprising that in a small area (about 120 sq. Km.) were found 14 artifacts, whereas in the entire area (about 1,000 000 sq. Km.) only five stone figurines have been discovered. In addition, the artifacts discovered in this area have obvious differences from the well-known characteristics of Cucuteni-Trypolye art. This can be explained either by the existence in the area of a certain "art center", with much more valuable products than the average compared to the rest territory of the Cucuteni-Trypolye culture, either a modern imitation of Cucuteni models in a modernist style. The author is inclined rather to the second explanation, considering that the authenticity of the 14 statues of lowland Elan-Horincea should be subjected to serious doubts.

173-184

Authors: Vasile Diaconu

The present study discusses the antler and bone scepters specific for the Romanian Bronze Age. This type of objects have been found since the Neolithic period, they are frequently encountered during the Bronze Age and rarely discovered in the first period of the Iron Age. The majority of the pieces are made of antler and only a couple of them are made of bone. Some of the pieces, beautifully decorated have a central perforation in order to fix it in a wooden handle. Concerning the archaeological context of the findings, the majority of the objects were discovered inside the settlements and only one piece is part of the inventory of a tomb. The antler and bone scepters have been discovered in different archaeological cultures since the Early Bronze Age, but the majority of the pieces are attributed to the Middle Bronze Age (the Monteoru, Wietenberg, Costişa, Otomani, Verbicioara cultures). For the Late Bronze Age we only know one item. The signification of such items is primarily related to the social symbolism, but they can also be interpreted as cult objects in the case of their utilization during religious rituals.

203-216

Authors: Serghei Agulnikov, Eugen Mistreanu, Sergiu Popovici

This article puts in the scientific use results of rescue research of the mound (tumulus) no.1 from the village of Brânzenii Noi (Teleneşti District) and the mound (tumulus) no.1 from the village of Rogojeni (Şoldăneşti District). The vast majority of burials in the mounds studied belong to the Yamna culture, Early Bronze Age. One burial from the mound 1 in Brînzenii Noi refers to antiquities of the Noua culture, Late Bronze Age. In conclusion, the authors consider the issues of coexistence of the Late Yamna culture tribes with the bearers of the Catacomb culture in such a peculiar ecological niche as the floodplain of the Middle Răut.

235-252

Authors: Ion Niculiţă, Aurel Zanoci, Mihail Băţ

From the right bank of the Dniester, north of the village of Ţipova (Rezina District) begins a deep gorge with steep slopes. Near the village of Horodişte the gorge divides, forming a network of canyons which, in turn, outline a series of headlands. As a result of study of orthophotoplans and archaeological reconnaissance in the micro-zone there was discovered an "agglomeration" of sites, consisting of six fortifications (Horodişte „La Cot", Horodişte „La Şanţ", Horodişte II, Buciuşca II, Buciuşca III, Ţipova III ) and two unfortified settlements. In order to investigate the defense system and to determine the period of its functioning at Horodişte „La Cot" and Horodişte „La Şanţ" an archeological research was carried out. As a result, it was found that these fortified settlements were surrounded by "walls" consisting of two wooden facings with a filling of earth and stone. The archaeological materials recovered from the filling of the "walls" indicate that the fortification of Horodişte „La Şanţ" functioned during the early Hallstatt (Cozia-Saharna culture), and one of Horodişte „La Cot" - in the 4th - 3rd centuries BC. Based on the compact arrangement of fortifications and unfortified settlements in the micro-zone of Horodişte-Tipova, it can be assumed the existence of some formation in this space, the "administrative center" of which was the fortress of Horodişte "La Cot". The period of its existence is still not clear. But if we take into account that most of the fortified and unfortified settlements in the Middle Dniester region functioned since the early Iron Age, it can be assumed that the community of the Horodişte-Tipova area settled down here around that time. However, it reaches its peak of development in the 4th - 3rd centuries BC, as well as neighboring communities around Saharna.

267-273

Authors: Natalia Mateevici, Mihai Ionescu

During rescue operations in Mangalia (Romania), in the area of the ancient Callatis there were found the remains of the building structures that are 50 meters from the sacred area of the ancient city. Numerous amphora fragments were identified, among them there was a small collection of amphora stamps - 16 samples, of which five belong to Sinop, 3 stamps - to Rhodes, 2 Knidos stamps, and to the amphora production of Kos, Paros, Thasos and Heraclea Pontica there were attributed by one stamp. For two stamps it was impossible to determine centers of production. Chronological framework of this small collection includes the period of time from the 3rd century to the 40-20-ties of the 2nd century.

287-316

Authors: Nicolae Telnov, Vitalii Sinika

In the article there are published and analyzed bowls from the Scythian burial complexes of the cemetery near the village of Glinoe (Hlinaia) and from some barrows of the late 4th - 2nd century BC on the left bank of the Lower Dniester, near Tiraspol. The research reveals widest spreading of the bowls in the funerary practice of Scythians on this bank of the Dniester. Their role and place in the funeral rite are assessed. There are examined wooden and ceramic bowls. The authors offer a typology for hand- shaped bowls, which takes into account all their morphological features. Particular attention is paid to the decoration of the hand-made bowls, which primarily reflects the Thracian ceramic tradition. The analysis of spreading of the bowls in the settlements and burial mounds of the Scythians on the Northern Black Sea littoral testifies the sedentarization of the Scythian population in the Lower Dniester in the 3rd - 2nd centuries BC.

335-346

Authors: Octavian Munteanu, Ion Tetntiuc

The archaeological investigations at the Getae fortified settlement of Horodca Mică revealed some materials from the medieval period. In the central part of its internal space a one-room dwelling with the floor deepened into the ground was found, characterized by two phases of habitat. At the first stage it was warmed by a clay oven located in the middle of the east wall, and at the second - by a rounded open hearth located in the central part of the room. In the filling and on the floor of the house, besides rather interesting collection of ceramics, there were found the following objects: an iron knife, an sub-rectangular iron buckle, a leaf-shaped arrowhead and a fragment of a whetstone with hanging hole. On the floor of the house there was also found a medieval coin issued by Moldavian Prince Iliaş (1432-1443), which was attributed to type V and dated approximately from 1442. The discovery of the coin makes possible dating the dwelling with the first half of 15th century. Further investigation of the internal space of the Getae fortified settlement will show whether it was an isolated dwelling or it was part of the medieval settlement arranged on the place of an ancient fortress by virtue of the military-political circumstances.

363-370

Authors: Ana Boldureanu

The author presents the finds of coins in the historical territory of Moldova, which were recorded during 2013 - the first half of 2014. There were examined three ancient coins and one Byzantine coin found in the Ocniţa District. They were minted under the emperors Septimius Severus (193-211), Maximianus Herculius (286-305) and Decentius (350-353). The Byzantine coin is class A2 anonymous follis issued during the reign of Basil II, Constantine VIII and Roman III (976(?)-030/1035). There are presented findings of medieval coins from Bolohani, Orhei, Brătuleni (Nisporeni District), Hincăuţi, Edineţ, Lăpuşna, Hânceşti, Oprişeni (Glyboka District, Chernivtsi region of Ukraine), Zguriţa (Ocniţa District) etc. All of them will complete the list of coin finds from Moldova and provide researchers new documentary sources.