The exhibition "Once upon a time...! A brief history of childhood in the first four centuries of Roman rule in the Euxine Pontus"
The Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța, under the aegis of the Constanța County Council and in partnership with the National Museum Complex "Moldova" Iași, through the Museum of History of Moldova, organizes the exhibition "Once upon a time like never before...! A brief history of childhood in the first four centuries of Roman rule at the Euxine Pontus". The opening will take place on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 12:00, in the premises of the Museum of History of Moldova.
The central theme of the exhibition is childhood in Greco-Roman antiquity, outlined under multiple aspects. The exhibits highlight the condition of children in various social environments, achieving, at the same time, a profane - divine parallelism. Through the theme, structure and the presented heritage, the organizers address the public of all ages, passionate about knowing the past, but also admirers of the fragility and ephemerality of the "period of the most beautiful years".
The exhibition brings together 86 artifacts from the collection of the Constanța museum, most of which come from archaeological research undertaken in the ancient city of Tomis and its territory (today's Constanța), along with other pieces of heritage relevant to illustrating the universe of childhood in the Euxine Pontus, discovered in Dobrogea localities such as Durostorum/Ostrov, Callatis/Mangalia, Carsium/Hârșova, Ulmetum, Tropaeum Traiani/Adamclisi, Capidava, (L)Ibida/Slava Rusă, Nisipari, Cogealac, from Constanța county, but also Turcoaia, from Tulcea county.
The exhibition project brings to the public, for the first time, some of the children's funerary inventories, recently recovered from the necropolises of Tomitane and restored within the Restoration-Conservation Laboratory of the Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța (Luiza Ionescu, Doina Constantin, Nicoleta Adochiței, Alexandrina Nițu, Mariana Vasilățeanu, Laura Vasilache and Vlăduț Marian Moraru). Their richness and variety are eloquent for understanding the theme addressed: jewelry made of precious materials, toys, opaîts, nail art and rare glass vessels, as well as clay vessels, metal objects, jet (coal), amber, stone, bone and horn.
The curatorial team includes, from the Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța, Dr. Ana Cristina Hamat, Dr. Irina Sodoleanu, Dr. Maria Bolocan, Dr. Aurel Constantin Mototolea and Dr. Constantin Băjenaru, and from the Museum of History of Moldova in Iași, Dr. Ioan Iațcu, Ecaterina Dediu and Dana Mustereț.
The exhibition can be visited until October 4, 2026, based on the admission ticket to the History Museum of Moldova or the temporary exhibition ticket. Admission is free at the opening.
We look forward to seeing you!
