Aurel Rustoiu

• Senior Researcher at Institute of Archaeology and History of Arts Cluj-Napoca

This study discusses some aspects of environmental reconstruction through the palynological analysis of soil samples recovered from archaeological contexts belonging to the Iron Age at Sâncrai-Darvas. The microscopic fossils included in this study are pollen, fungal spores, microscopic charcoal and eggs of intestinal parasites. Pollen taxa were div...

1. Again about the location of the expedition of Aelius Catus and the displacement of the northern Danubian Getae to the south of the river. In a polemic paragraph, Strabo (VII.3.10) mentions briefly that “in our own times Aelius Catus has removed from the opposite side of the Danube into Thrace fifty thousand Getae, who speak a language cognate wi...

A fragment representing the left leg of a Roman bronze statuette was discovered in the fortress on the Piatra Craivii (Alba County, in south-western Transylvania). A Roman bronze statuette most likely coming from one of the neighbouring provinces surely was not a regularly trade good. An alternative way of acquiring it could have been a Dacian plun...

The systematic survey of the surroundings of the Iron Age cemeteries at Sâncrai-Darvas, on the middle Mureş valley, stems from the research objectives of two complementary archaeological projects that are developed by a team of the Institute of Archaeology and Art History of the Romanian Academy Cluj Branch and its collaborators. The much larger Li...

COMMENTARIA ARCHAEOLOGICA ET HISTORICA (VI) 1. COMMENTS REGARDING THE HISTORY OF PRE-ROMAN DACIA THAT WAS PROPOSED BY K. STROBEL 2. ONCE AGAIN ABOUT THE “DACIAN GRANARIES” FROM GRĂDIȘTEA DE MUNTE (HUNEDOARA COUNTY) ABSTRACT The first part of these comments offers a critical analysis of the annexes regarding the history and archaeology of pre-Roman...

The sky spectacle: comets and astral symbols in prehistoric and ancient images. A sketch of the celestial imaginary. The sky fascinated the humankind since the beginning. The ability to know how the stars moved allowed the people to perceive the flow of time and to set up the rhythm of life based on the periodical changes observed on the sky. The l...

"1. About the legionary fort at Sarmizegetusa in AD 102–105 (Cassius Dio 68.9.7). Cassius Dio (68.9.7) writes that after the end of the first Dacian war of Trajan, in 102 AD, the emperor left a legion in Dacia at Sarmizegetusa and auxiliary troops in other locations. Over time, the fragmentary accounts of Cassius Dio have been interpreted in two ma...

Mobility, migration, and conquest of endless horizons ... they have all been, since the beginning, essential traits of human existence. That is why the way different identity constructs were transformed or emerged as a consequence of local, regional or long-distance human mobility and migration has been an important research topic for social scienc...

The inventory of the cremation grave in urn no. 1 from Remetea Mare contains a set of garment accessories of the Central European La Tène type. Amongst these objects are two saddle-shaped silver finger-rings. They are accompanied by four bi-truncated silver beads with filigree decoration which are specific to the northern Balkans. These artefacts i...

The aim of this paper is to discuss some aspects concerning the “Tekija-Bare hoards horizon”: their “Dacian” origin, their significance, and the manner in which this phenomenon emerged after the practice of burying assemblages of silver body ornaments had ceased to the north of the Danube one or two generations earlier. The so-called Tekija-Bare gr...

The scope of this article is to discuss the main components of the social structures which characterized the “Celtic” and the “Dacian” cultural and chronological horizons, and to identify, on the basis of the available archaeological evidence, the means and practices through which social hierarchy and competition was expressed within the communitie...

The Apulum Roman Villa Project (ARVP) examines the “provincialization” and “de-provincialization” of Roman Dacia through the archaeological micro-history of a villa site at Oarda-Bulza, just outside one of the provincial capitals at Apulum. As one of the first villas in Dacia to be excavated scientifically and from multidisciplinary perspectives, t...

The archaeological campaign conducted in 2021 on the site at Oarda-Bulza continued the systematic investigation of the main building A, initiated in 2019, and also targeted the largest horreum of the villa, conventionally named C. In the case of the main building A, the main objectives of this year were: to excavate the eastern half of the Gepidic...

1. Navigating on the Danube, from Ptolemy the son of Lagus to Neacșu of Câmpulung. The year 2021 marks the 500 anniversary of the moment when Neacșu of Câmpulung wrote his letter, which many specialists considers to be the earliest attested document written in Romanian language. Since this is an important document for the history of Romanian litera...

The weaponry discovered in the cremation grave no. 49 from the La Tène cemetery at Fântânele–Dâmbu Popii suggests that the deceased was a warrior. The panoply of arms con-sisted of a spear and a shield. The spear head and the shield-boss were carefully laid into the pit upon being burnt on the pyre together with the deceased; the unburnt iron linch...

Only a few glass artefacts are known from the LT period in Transylvania. The beads discovered in the Late Iron Age cemetery from Fântânele-Dâmbu Popii enlarge the repertoire of such artefacts from the region in question. They were produced in workshops from the northern Pontic Greek environment and include a cobalt-blue bead with layered “eyes” and...

These comments stem from the recent publication of a number of studies regarding the silver artefacts of pre-Roman Dacia, with important implications for the relative and absolute chronology of the late La Tène period in the region in question, and also for some cultural and historical transformations that happened in the same area. Some of the con...

Die späte Eisenzeit in Siebenbürgen wurde weitgehend von zwei kulturellen und chronologischen Horizonten bestimmt: dem „keltischen“ Horizont und dem „dakischen“ Horizont. Die erste chronologische Periode, die der LT B1/B2-C1 entsprach, war hauptsächlich durch die Ankunft einiger keltischer Gruppen aus Mittelwesteuropa gekennzeichnet. Archäologische...

The Fântânele-Dâmbu Popii cemetery represents a reference site for the Celtic horizon in Transylvania. The grave no. 49 from the Fântânele-Dâmbu Popii cemetery has revealed, aside from the funerary rite and rituals specific to the middle La Tène period in the Carpathian Basin, a series of practices belonging to the magical domain. On one hand, a li...

This article aims to discuss the ways in which the funerary inventories of the 4th – 3rd centuries BC from the eastern Carpathian Basin, which include tools and utensils used by craftsmen, illustrate their professional identity. In rural societies of the 4th – 3rd centuries BC from the Carpathian Basin, the social competition can be observed within...

The article discusses the provenance, function and meaning of a Hellenistic “Delian” type bed (kline) fitting find in a pit from the Dacian settlement at Unip, Timiş County. Its shape indicates that it is a segment of a bed leg. This item should be dated to the period in which this kind of furniture was commonly used in the Mediterranean area – the...

In the past two decades, the “archaeology of religion” has moved from the margins of scholarship to the center, led by the growth of postprocessual archaeological hermeneutics. ¹ Such theoretical frames – whether the materiality of religion, objects as agents, the entanglement of humans and objects, or “thing theory” – demonstrate the centrality of...

Aurel RUSTOIU-Sándor BERECKI RUSTOIU, Aurel-BERECKI, Sándor. Bronzová prilba z neskorej doby železnej z Apahidy (Transylvá-nia). Bronzová prilba objavená v laténskom hrobe v Apahide v roku 1900 je dobre známa v odbornej li-teratúre. Nález sa dlhodobo nachádzal v súkromnej zbierke. Len nedávno bol darovaný do krajského múzea v Târgu Mure. Pri tejto...

The present article is going to discuss the manner in which the Danube was used as a route of communication during the Late Iron Age, the chronology and functions of the Dacian fortresses from this region, and the characteristics of the elites who controlled the local communities and resources both socially and politically. The appearance of Dacian...

Archaeologically, the identification of workshops depends to a significant degree on the identification of installations and tools associated with manufacturing activities in various contexts or sites. However, these features are not always evident. For this reason, the interpretation of other archaeological traces can also reveal the presence of w...

The Celtic Cultural Horizon in Transylvania during the IV-II Centuries BC: Migrations and the Emergence of Hybrid Group Identities The Celtic cultural and chronological horizon from Transylvania was the result of a process of “colonization” which went through several successive phases in the second half of the 4th century and in the early 3rd centu...

e hidden magic of some amulets from pre-Roman Dacia. About a bucket-shaped pendant discovered in southern Transylvania. (Abstract) A bucket-shaped pendant was recently discovered by treasure hunters in southern Transylvania, in the Dacian for-tresse from Tilişca probably. More than two decades ago, it was noted that among the pendants from pre-Roma...

A bucket-shaped pendant was recently discovered by treasure hunters in southern Transylvania, in the Dacian fortresse from Tilişca probably. More than two decades ago, it was noted that among the pendants from pre-Roman Dacia was a category of finds made of bronze or iron which resemble the shape of a miniature bucket. #ese pendants were worn aroun...

The works of Marian GUMĂ continue to have a significant impact on the archaeological and historical research concerning the prehistory and proto-history of Banat and the surrounding regions. This impact is mostly generated by his published syntheses about the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in Banat. The scientific heritage left behind by Marian GUMĂ...

This handbook is currently in development, with individual articles publishing online in advance of print publication. At this time, we cannot add information about unpublished articles in this handbook, however the table of contents will continue to grow as additional articles pass through the review process and are added to the site. Please note...

The eastern part of the Carpathian Basin experienced a process of Celtic colonization in successive stages during the second half of the 4th century and at the beginning of the 3rd century BC. One result of this process is the appearance of new communities characterised by the cultural amalgamation of the locals with the newcomers. Starting from th...

The Late Iron Age in Banat was defined by three different cultural and chronological horizons: the “pre-Celtic” horizon (LT B1 – B1/B2: ca. 390/380 – 350/330 BC); the “Celtic” horizon (LT B1/B2 – C1: ca. 350/330 – 175 BC); the “Dacian” horizon (LT C2/D1 – D2). Geographically, Banat was a connecting region between Central European areas and those fr...

The mapping of archaeological sites in Transylvania has shown that the discoveries belonging to the Celtic horizon (corresponding to the La Tène B1/B2-C1 phases: 350-330/320-190/175 BC) are missing almost completely from the mountainous areas surrounding the plateau inside the Carpathians range. There are only a few isolated discoveries: one silver...

Cercetări interdisciplinare în siturile de epoca fierului din spaţiul tiso-nistrean Interdisciplinary research in Iron Age sites from the Tisa-Dniester area Materialele colloquium-ului de vară de la Saharna 13-16 iulie 2017. În A. Zanoci, M. Băț, S. –C. Ailincăi, A. Țârlea (eds), Cercetări interdisciplinare la siturile din epoca fierului în spațiul...

The first king of the Dacians (and of the Getae) mentioned in ancient written sources was Burebista (also spelled Boerebistas, Byrebistas, Burvista etc).It seems that both the chronology of his reign and the deeds of the Dacian king are still subject of controversy. Nevertheless, all scholars agree that Burebista was a contemporary of C. Julius Cae...

Archaeological investigations carried out during the last decades in southern Banat, in the Danube’s Iron Gates region, have shown that at the end of the Late Iron Age the river’s left bank was defi ned by the presence of a series of fortifi ed settlements which formed together a true defensive system of pre-Roman Dacia. From the topographic point...

In the Dacian and Roman civilisation museum in Deva, Among other artefacts imported from the Roman world, the collections of the Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilization from Deva holds a strongly profiled brooch made of bronze. Its place of discovery is not sure, but some clues indicate that it was found at Ardeu, in or close to the Dacian fortress...

The result of the colonisation of the eastern and southern part of the Carpathian Basin by Celtic communities was the appearance of some new communities characterised by the cultural amalgamation of the newcomers with the indigenous populations, which led to the construction of new collective identities. At the same time, the “colonists” establishe...

Cross-cultural Connections between the Middle and Lower Danube Regions during the Late Iron Age. The Silver Bracelet from Băniţa (jud. Hunedoara / RO) The social and cultural connections between the communities from the middle and lower Danube regions had taken different shapes. Among them, the intercommunal alliances based on exogamy determined a...

New data from Mithraeum III at Apulum (Dacia)—the first scientifically excavated mithraeum in the province—challenges the conception that Mithraic communities were isolated social cells, and points at a province-wide social network. Such social dynamics help to explain processes of maintenance and diversification of cult “content” within Roman Mith...

The analysis of silver jewelleries from the La Tène cemeteries in Banat shows that they originated from different cultural areas. For example, the saddle‑shaped silver rings belong to the Central‑Western European La Tène cultural area, the annular silver ornaments from Timişoara – Cioreni and Aradu Nou originated from the local north‑western Balkan...

Saddle-shaped finger-rings are among the most widespread types of Late Iron Age jewellery. Such ornaments are encountered throughout the entire period in question, from south-western Germany, western Switzerland and northern Italy to Transylvania and Banat in Romania, sporadically also reaching the Lower Danube region. This article analyses the evo...

The present comments have been prompted by the recent publishing of two works that brought again into attention of both the scientific community and the general public the silver and gold objects of pre-Roman Dacia. 1. About the chronology and owners of the gold spiral bracelets from pre-Roman Dacia This note analyses the opinions of E. Oberlände...

The eastern part of the Carpathian Basin experienced a process of “Celtic colonisation” during the second half of the 4th century and at the beginning of the 3rd century BC. These movements are indicated by cemeteries displaying specifi c elements of the funerary rite, ritual and inventory. One result of this process is the appearance of some new c...

The circulation of different archaeological artefacts frequently reflects the manner in which a wide variety of communities used to communicate. The distribution of amphora-shaped glass and coral beads at the beginning of the Late Iron Age provides a relevant example. The analysis of these artefacts indicates that they came from Mediterranean works...

The volume brings together 18 studies on magic and religions. The works were presented at a symposium held in Deva, at the Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilization.

Th e ceramic human head discussed in this article was discovered in 1904 at Deta by B. Milleker, being now preserved in the Museum of Vršac. Th e main aim of this article is to identify the context of discovery, as well as the chronology and the type of this artefact. At the same time the analysis is taking into consideration the wider cultural sig...

The first note is discussing the Celtic grave with a helmet from Ciumeşti and the significance of the Greek bronze greaves which belong to this burial. During the 50 years which passed since its discovery, the aforementioned grave generated numerous comments, interpretations and scientific debates. The note is a synthesis of the information regardi...

I. Observaţii preliminare. Contextul descoperirii Complexul la care ne vom referi în paginile de faţă a fost descoperit, cu ocazia săpăturilor din anii 1975-1976 în localitatea Streisângeorgiu (astăzi înglobată oraşului Călan, jud. Hunedoara). Cercetările au vizat investigarea complexului medieval datând din sec. XI-XV. Cu acel prilej a fost identi...