The identification and delineation, through aerial photography, of the archaeological structures ... more The identification and delineation, through aerial photography, of the archaeological structures that present temporal resolution, as well as their characterization based on high-resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-derived DEMs (Digital Elevation Models) are modern techniques widely used in the archaeological prospecting of various landscapes. In this study, we present an application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and aerial photography (AP) techniques, used in order to compute geomorphometric indices specific to the ashmound structures of Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites that are visible on the soil surface. The necessity of determining the ashmounds’ geoarchaeological description stems from the fact that despite the majority of archaeologists weighing in on the subject, there is still no accepted explanation regarding their initial functionality. Thus, we believe that the GIS-based high-resolution characterization of 200 ashmound features identified in 21 Noua Culture (NC) archaeological sites will contribute to a better understanding of the ashmounds’ functionality and evolution in the heterogeneous landscape of the study area (NE Romania). Therefore, various shape indices, such as the area (A), perimeter (P), length (L), form factor (RF), circularity ratio (RC), and elongation ratio (RE) were computed for microlevel characterizations of the visible ashmounds’ structures. Additionally, LiDAR-derived DEMs with a 0.5 m resolution were used to generate more surface characteristics such as the slope (S) and hypsometric indices (HI). The outcomes indicate that the ashmounds have relatively diverse shapes (an RF range from 0.37 to 0.77; a RC range from 0.79 to 0.99; a RE range from 0.68 to 0.99), and the micro-relief slightly varies from positive to negative landforms (HI range from 0.34 to 0.61) depending on the erosion intensity (S range from 1.17 to 19.69) and anthropogenic impact (e.g., current land use and agriculture type). Furthermore, each morphometric parameter is an indicator for surface processes, aiding in the identification of the geomorphologic and surface-erosion aspects that affect the archaeological remains, contributing to the assessment of the conservation status of the ashmound structures within the current landscape configuration. In this regard, this article presents and discusses the remote sensing (RS) techniques used, as well as the morphometric data obtained, exploring the implications of our findings for a better characterization of the NC in Romania.
The Bronze Age in Eastern Europe. Multidisciplinary approaches (V. Diaconu, A. Gafincu, eds.), 2023
The north-eastern part of Romania is characterized by the presence of numerous burial mounds, mos... more The north-eastern part of Romania is characterized by the presence of numerous burial mounds, most of them unexplored and less understood. Previous research confirmed this funerary practice since prehistoric periods and up to medieval times. So far, no efforts have been made in order to systematically record these monuments and to establish their chronology. Also, many of these sites are threatened by natural or human-induced risk factors, being irreversibly destroyed. One of the main hazards is represented by agricultural activities and intensive grazing. In this study, a new methodological approach based on high-resolution non-destructive ground-based geophysical and airborne sensing techniques (vertical gradient magnetometry, Electrical Resistance Tomography, oblique aerial photography, photogrammetry and LiDAR) has been applied for the Bahluieț River catchment in order to better pinpoint the location and to characterize the micromorphology of the tumuli monuments. A quick view of the specialized literature for the aforementioned region documented only 36 such sites, relatively accurate located. Using high-resolution digital elevation models, derived from LiDAR measurements, we were able to highly increase the number of this type of sites (adding 129 novel mounds) and to reconsider their spatial distribution within the landscape of the Bahluieț River catchment, most of them being located on the interfluves and the gentle slopes from the northern part of the basin. Usually, we can distinguish one or two mounds bigger and better reserved than the ones surrounding them that are, in most cases, flattened. Although this endeavor proved to be a difficult one, we find it very important in the context of the bigger problem regarding the preservation of this type of monuments, threatened by destruction especially because of the intensive modern agricultural practices.
During the end of the Bronze Age, the territory of present-day eastern Romania was occupied by No... more During the end of the Bronze Age, the territory of present-day eastern Romania was occupied by Noua communities, belonging to the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni (NSC) cultural complex. Although these communities have left us a large number of archaeological sites, this period is rather poorly known and understood, mostly because the investigation of Late Bronze Age (LBA) sites is very rare, usually consisting of small test trenches or fieldwalks. The main characteristic of these communities and the subject of our study is represented by the so-called ashmounds (grey, quasi-circular spots, visible on the soil surface, with small elevations and diameters of 25-30 m), present inside most settlements. Our paper aims at highlighting the spatial characteristics of these sites, using GIS (Geographic Information System) tools, as well as aerial photographs, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) measurements, magnetometry and geo-electrical methods, in order to identify the relationship existing between Noua communities and the inhabited environment, in the area known as the Jijia River catchment. Thus, our approach was able to outline the way in which the geographical peculiarities determined the establishment of new settlements, revealing that the human groups from the end of the Bronze Age preferred low terrains with smooth slopes, located in the immediate vicinity of the most important watercourse of the inhabited micro-area. Additionally, our geophysical studies allowed us to confirm the lack of ash located within the ashmound, as well as to signal the possibility that these features have become visible on the soil surface only due to the irreversible damage caused by intensive agricultural processes. Despite the small number of excavations, to this day an important number of studies have been dedicated to the communities and features in question; however, no analysis has yet been performed that unites the tools specific to GIS software with the usage of non-invasive methods (such as aerial photographs, LiDAR measurements and geophysical techniques).
During Late Bronze Age, the evolutions of previous archaeological cultures (from the Middle Bronz... more During Late Bronze Age, the evolutions of previous archaeological cultures (from the Middle Bronze Age) are continued and completed, but there are also two important cultural complexes emerging, namely: Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni and Zimnicea-Plovdiv. The subject of interest in the present study is represented by Noua culture, attested in a vast area, from the middle and upper Dniester, to the east of Apuseni Mountains and from the Subcarpathian region of Ukraine to the south of the forest-steppe area between Siret and Prut Rivers. Although, over time, the specific communities of this cultural manifestation have been investigated in numerous specialized studies, the interdisciplinary methods used in recent years can offer new information that contribute to the obtaining of a much clearer picture regarding the behavior of the human groups in question. In this sense, in the present paper, special attention was paid to the ceramic material identified during the archaeological excavations of sites belonging to Noua culture which, unfortunately, in most situations, is still `trapped` in the discourse from the middle of the 20th century. In this sense, there is a continuous perpetuation of the typology created by A.C. Florescu in the ʾ60s, namely: jar-vessels, bag-vessels, bowls, cups, glasses, etc. Thus, using the volumetric typology, developed by Anne O. Shepard almost 70 years ago, and correlating the information obtained with those regarding decoration, context and dimensions, but also with data from the field of ethnoarchaeology, this study aims to identify the intended functions of the ceramic recipients used by Noua communities from Jijia River Basin.
The ‘accidental’ discovery of archaeological material represents an
ordinary fact in today’s arch... more The ‘accidental’ discovery of archaeological material represents an ordinary fact in today’s archaeology. Unfortunately, most of these discoveries have no archaeological context, thwarting the possibility of integrating the objects in more complex studies. In this context, based on the type of data that the archaeometric study of metal objects provides (information regarding prehistoric metallurgy, especially the used alloys and technologies), we propose for analysis two metal pieces (a socketed axe and a sickle) fortuitously found in Dobrovăt (Iași County), in order to see how much information can we gather for two fragmentary objects, without archaeological context. The methods used are optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μFTIR) and our aim is represented by the obtainment of important information about patina and corrosion products, the metals used and how these objects were manufactured and utilised. As a result, the before mentioned methods illustrated a number of special features regarding the metallurgical practice of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Carpathian area, contributing to the expansion of the database in this chronological and geographical area.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
The characterization of prehistoric human behavior in terms of habitation practices using GIS car... more The characterization of prehistoric human behavior in terms of habitation practices using GIS cartography methods is an important aspect of any modern geoarchaeological approach. Furthermore, using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys to identify archaeological sites with temporal resolution during the spring agro-technical works and automated mapping of the geomorphological features based on LiDAR-derived DEM can provide valuable information about the human–landscape relationships and lead to accurate archaeological and cartographic products. In this study, we applied a GIS-based landform classification method to relief characterization of 362 Late Bronze Age (LBA) settlements belonging to Noua Culture (NC) (cal. 1500/1450-1100 BCE) located in the Jijia catchment (NE Romania). For this purpose, we used an adapted version of Topographic Position Index (TPI) methodology, abbreviated DEV, which consists of: (1) application of standard deviation of TPI for the mean elevation (DEV) around each analyzed LBA site (1000 m buffer zone); (2) classification of the archaeological site’s location using six slope position classes (first method), or ten morphological classes by combining the parameters from two small-DEV and large-DEV neighborhood sizes (second method). The results indicate that the populations belonging to Noua Culture preferred to place their settlements on hilltops but close to the steep slope and on the small hills/local ridges in large valleys. From a geoarchaeological perspective, the outcomes indicate a close connection between occupied landform patterns and habitation practices during the Late Bronze Age and contribute to archaeological predictive modelling in the Jijia catchment (NE Romania).
The article presents the context and multiple investigations of an unexpected discovery, made dur... more The article presents the context and multiple investigations of an unexpected discovery, made during the 2020 excavations, from the Ruginoasa-Dealul Ruginii Chalcolithic site in north-eastern Romania. The site, known before our research (aerial photography, geomagnetic survey, test trenches) only for its visible traces of WW2, belongs to the Cucuteni culture, phase A, and consists of five rows of burned dwellings and several pits. The surprise, and central to this paper, is a burial grave belonging to the Late Bronze Age (LBA), Noua culture, dug into the filling of a Chalcolithic clay extraction pit, consisting of a crouched human male and its funeral inventory—an animal deposition and a small ceramic vessel. For an exact chronology of the features, samples of bones were dated by AMS radiocarbon (of both the human and animal skeletons from the grave). Also, thorough anthropological investigations, analysis of dental wear of the human skeleton, archaeozoological analysis of the animal skeleton deposited as an offering and analysis of Phytoliths from several areas of the grave were applied. Although the paper presents a single burial, the results obtained from applying multiple interdisciplinary methods bring a series of unique insights (anthropological profile, rite and ritual, special status) regarding the end of the Bronze Age in north-eastern Romania, a period still insufficiently known.
The authors present the preliminary data obtained from the archaeological research of the T1 barr... more The authors present the preliminary data obtained from the archaeological research of the T1 barrow from Crucea (Lungani comm., Iași County, RO). Four single characteristic inhumations, one double and a cenotaph assigned to the Yamnaya communities, an inhumation from the Late Bronze Age and two turanic were discovered. Yamnaya graves resembles those of the Târgu Frumos barrow (32‒26 centuries BC), with many similarities with those of Muntenia, Dobrogea, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The research aims to introduce into the scientific circuit a significant number of settlements sp... more The research aims to introduce into the scientific circuit a significant number of settlements specific to Late Bronze Age, which present ashmounds on the soil surface, identified using aerial images and LiDAR measurements. The subsequent verification of the settlements and the identification of archeological material allowed a precise chronological and cultural framing of the 72 sites.
Fieldwork is an important segment of archaeological research, contributing to the better knowing ... more Fieldwork is an important segment of archaeological research, contributing to the better knowing and understand- ing of different historical periods. Publishing the results obtained and the archaeological materials discovered after
such an initiative can complete the image already formed about the communities that lived in the past. In the present study we tried to highlight some settlements belonging to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, some of
which were not previously known in the literature. This time frame, although rich when talking about the discov- ery of settlements, was very little researched in the space that was proposed for studying. The last diggings that took
place in archaeological sites belonging to this period can be placed a few decades ago. Thus, publishing the results of the field research carried out can represent an important starting point in the resumption of the archaeological research dedicated to this chronological sequence.
This paper proposes a discussion on some archaeological materials specific to Noua and Corlăteni-Chișinău cul- tures, discovered in the settlements identified on the territory of Cozmești, Iași County. The spatial analysis of the
three archaeological sites indicates the apartenence to the already-known pattern specific to the above-mentioned cultures. Noua communities are known to be interested in the geographical areas placed at the confluence of two rivers, with low and medium altitudes and smooth slopes, this fact being proven once again by the preferences manifested for the three settlements discussed here.
The article presents the preliminary results of the preventive archaeological investigation carri... more The article presents the preliminary results of the preventive archaeological investigation carried out in May – September 2019 in the perimeter of site no. 4 from Săucești, Bacău County. The excavations concluded with 537 archaeological complexes, dating from the Late Bronze Age to the Modern / Contemporary periods, thus revealing the high density of site no.4’s habitation. These were added to the 392 complexes identified in the 2016 campaign on the same site. The latest archaeological vestiges unearthed establish the occupation of site 4 especially between the 5th/4th centuries BC and the 4th century AD. Given the site’s complexity and implicitly the enormous amount of documentation, the paper only presents a summarized selection of the results, structured on the types of archaeological discoveries. These categories clearly illustrate both the diversity of the types of site occupation and that of the ‘ages’ of habitation (chronologically).
This paper reviews the, so far available, paleorecords of Vitis sylvestris C.C. Gmel and Vitis vi... more This paper reviews the, so far available, paleorecords of Vitis sylvestris C.C. Gmel and Vitis vinifera L. from Romania. The study takes into consideration the presence of Vitis pollen from Holocene peat sediment sequences and archaeological context, but also the presence of macrorests from various archaeological sites that date from Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, and La Tène. Both paleobotanical arguments and archaeological discoveries support the theory that places the beggining of viticulture in Romania a few millenia ago, in Neolithic period. Also, written evidences (works of classical authors, epigraphical sources) confirm, indirectly, the presence of grapevine in La Tène period. Occurrences of Vitis vinifera and those of Vitis sylvestris manifest independently of the climate oscillations, being present both through colder and more humid episodes, as well as through drier and warmer events. Probably prehistoric communities have made a constant and deliberate effort, all along the Holocene, to maintain grapevine crops.
The various geographical features had a major impact on the behaviour of prehistoric communities,... more The various geographical features had a major impact on the behaviour of prehistoric communities, which can be determined by identifying a series of characteristics and preferences regarding the geographical location of the settlement and the resources exploited. In a well-defined space, the population, as well as the development of human groups, is determined by the micro-and macro-regional geographical characteristics. The use of this type of analysis in the study of Cracău-Bistrița Depression, between the late Chalcolithic and the early Hallstatt, will contribute to a better knowledge of this segment of archaeological research in Romania. The present approach, combined with a high number of thorough field researches, can generate predictive models, thus contributing to a more complex overview of the archaeological characteristics, but also of geographical, geological conditions, etc. preferred by prehistoric communities in this area and beyond. Rezumat. Diversele particularități geografice au avut un impact major asupra comportamentului comunităților preistorice, care poate fi determinat prin identificarea unei serii de constante și preferințe în ceea ce privește locul amplasării sistemelor de locuire și resursele exploatate. Într-un spațiu bine delimitat, popularea, precum și dezvoltarea grupurilor umane este determinată de caracteristicile geografice micro-și macroregionale. Utilizarea acestui tip de analiză în studiul depresiunii Cracău-Bistrița în intervalul cuprins între Eneoliticul dezvoltat și Hallstattul timpuriu, va contribui la o mai bună cunoaștere a acestui segment al cercetării arheologice din România. Demersul de față, reprezentat de analiza spațială a așezărilor, îmbinat cu un număr ridicat de cercetări de teren amănunțite, poate genera modele predictive, contribuind astfel la obținerea unei imagini de ansamblu cu mult mai complexă asupra caracteristicilor arheologice, dar și asupra condițiilor geografice, geologice etc. preferate de comunitățile preistorice din această zonă, și nu numai.
The detailed investigation of dwelling no. 14 (Precucuteni II phase) from the Isaiia site brings ... more The detailed investigation of dwelling no. 14 (Precucuteni II phase) from the Isaiia site brings interesting and, in some instances, novel data concerning the building system and the internal architecture of the Early Chalcolithic housing. Also, the artefacts from inside the dwelling and from the surrounding features bear witness about prehistoric crafts like pottery manufacture, stone knapping and polishing, animal hard tissue working, about the relations with neighbouring cultural areas, and, last but not least, about the ritual behaviour of the Precucuteni communities. Rezumat. Cercetarea detaliată a locuinței nr. 14 (Precucuteni II) din situl de la Isaiia furnizează informații interesante și pe alocuri inedite privind sistemul de construcție și arhitectura interioară a construcțiilor din eneoliticul timpuriu. De asemenea, artefactele descoperite în interiorul locuinței și în complexele adiacente sunt dovezi ale practicării preistorice a unor meșteșuguri precum prelucrarea ceramicii, cioplirea și șlefuirea pietrei, prelucrarea materiilor dure animale, ale relațiilor cu ariile culturale învecinate și, nu în ultimul rând, ale comportamentelor rituale ale comunităților Precucuteni.
The identification and delineation, through aerial photography, of the archaeological structures ... more The identification and delineation, through aerial photography, of the archaeological structures that present temporal resolution, as well as their characterization based on high-resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-derived DEMs (Digital Elevation Models) are modern techniques widely used in the archaeological prospecting of various landscapes. In this study, we present an application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and aerial photography (AP) techniques, used in order to compute geomorphometric indices specific to the ashmound structures of Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites that are visible on the soil surface. The necessity of determining the ashmounds’ geoarchaeological description stems from the fact that despite the majority of archaeologists weighing in on the subject, there is still no accepted explanation regarding their initial functionality. Thus, we believe that the GIS-based high-resolution characterization of 200 ashmound features identified in 21 Noua Culture (NC) archaeological sites will contribute to a better understanding of the ashmounds’ functionality and evolution in the heterogeneous landscape of the study area (NE Romania). Therefore, various shape indices, such as the area (A), perimeter (P), length (L), form factor (RF), circularity ratio (RC), and elongation ratio (RE) were computed for microlevel characterizations of the visible ashmounds’ structures. Additionally, LiDAR-derived DEMs with a 0.5 m resolution were used to generate more surface characteristics such as the slope (S) and hypsometric indices (HI). The outcomes indicate that the ashmounds have relatively diverse shapes (an RF range from 0.37 to 0.77; a RC range from 0.79 to 0.99; a RE range from 0.68 to 0.99), and the micro-relief slightly varies from positive to negative landforms (HI range from 0.34 to 0.61) depending on the erosion intensity (S range from 1.17 to 19.69) and anthropogenic impact (e.g., current land use and agriculture type). Furthermore, each morphometric parameter is an indicator for surface processes, aiding in the identification of the geomorphologic and surface-erosion aspects that affect the archaeological remains, contributing to the assessment of the conservation status of the ashmound structures within the current landscape configuration. In this regard, this article presents and discusses the remote sensing (RS) techniques used, as well as the morphometric data obtained, exploring the implications of our findings for a better characterization of the NC in Romania.
The Bronze Age in Eastern Europe. Multidisciplinary approaches (V. Diaconu, A. Gafincu, eds.), 2023
The north-eastern part of Romania is characterized by the presence of numerous burial mounds, mos... more The north-eastern part of Romania is characterized by the presence of numerous burial mounds, most of them unexplored and less understood. Previous research confirmed this funerary practice since prehistoric periods and up to medieval times. So far, no efforts have been made in order to systematically record these monuments and to establish their chronology. Also, many of these sites are threatened by natural or human-induced risk factors, being irreversibly destroyed. One of the main hazards is represented by agricultural activities and intensive grazing. In this study, a new methodological approach based on high-resolution non-destructive ground-based geophysical and airborne sensing techniques (vertical gradient magnetometry, Electrical Resistance Tomography, oblique aerial photography, photogrammetry and LiDAR) has been applied for the Bahluieț River catchment in order to better pinpoint the location and to characterize the micromorphology of the tumuli monuments. A quick view of the specialized literature for the aforementioned region documented only 36 such sites, relatively accurate located. Using high-resolution digital elevation models, derived from LiDAR measurements, we were able to highly increase the number of this type of sites (adding 129 novel mounds) and to reconsider their spatial distribution within the landscape of the Bahluieț River catchment, most of them being located on the interfluves and the gentle slopes from the northern part of the basin. Usually, we can distinguish one or two mounds bigger and better reserved than the ones surrounding them that are, in most cases, flattened. Although this endeavor proved to be a difficult one, we find it very important in the context of the bigger problem regarding the preservation of this type of monuments, threatened by destruction especially because of the intensive modern agricultural practices.
During the end of the Bronze Age, the territory of present-day eastern Romania was occupied by No... more During the end of the Bronze Age, the territory of present-day eastern Romania was occupied by Noua communities, belonging to the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni (NSC) cultural complex. Although these communities have left us a large number of archaeological sites, this period is rather poorly known and understood, mostly because the investigation of Late Bronze Age (LBA) sites is very rare, usually consisting of small test trenches or fieldwalks. The main characteristic of these communities and the subject of our study is represented by the so-called ashmounds (grey, quasi-circular spots, visible on the soil surface, with small elevations and diameters of 25-30 m), present inside most settlements. Our paper aims at highlighting the spatial characteristics of these sites, using GIS (Geographic Information System) tools, as well as aerial photographs, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) measurements, magnetometry and geo-electrical methods, in order to identify the relationship existing between Noua communities and the inhabited environment, in the area known as the Jijia River catchment. Thus, our approach was able to outline the way in which the geographical peculiarities determined the establishment of new settlements, revealing that the human groups from the end of the Bronze Age preferred low terrains with smooth slopes, located in the immediate vicinity of the most important watercourse of the inhabited micro-area. Additionally, our geophysical studies allowed us to confirm the lack of ash located within the ashmound, as well as to signal the possibility that these features have become visible on the soil surface only due to the irreversible damage caused by intensive agricultural processes. Despite the small number of excavations, to this day an important number of studies have been dedicated to the communities and features in question; however, no analysis has yet been performed that unites the tools specific to GIS software with the usage of non-invasive methods (such as aerial photographs, LiDAR measurements and geophysical techniques).
During Late Bronze Age, the evolutions of previous archaeological cultures (from the Middle Bronz... more During Late Bronze Age, the evolutions of previous archaeological cultures (from the Middle Bronze Age) are continued and completed, but there are also two important cultural complexes emerging, namely: Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni and Zimnicea-Plovdiv. The subject of interest in the present study is represented by Noua culture, attested in a vast area, from the middle and upper Dniester, to the east of Apuseni Mountains and from the Subcarpathian region of Ukraine to the south of the forest-steppe area between Siret and Prut Rivers. Although, over time, the specific communities of this cultural manifestation have been investigated in numerous specialized studies, the interdisciplinary methods used in recent years can offer new information that contribute to the obtaining of a much clearer picture regarding the behavior of the human groups in question. In this sense, in the present paper, special attention was paid to the ceramic material identified during the archaeological excavations of sites belonging to Noua culture which, unfortunately, in most situations, is still `trapped` in the discourse from the middle of the 20th century. In this sense, there is a continuous perpetuation of the typology created by A.C. Florescu in the ʾ60s, namely: jar-vessels, bag-vessels, bowls, cups, glasses, etc. Thus, using the volumetric typology, developed by Anne O. Shepard almost 70 years ago, and correlating the information obtained with those regarding decoration, context and dimensions, but also with data from the field of ethnoarchaeology, this study aims to identify the intended functions of the ceramic recipients used by Noua communities from Jijia River Basin.
The ‘accidental’ discovery of archaeological material represents an
ordinary fact in today’s arch... more The ‘accidental’ discovery of archaeological material represents an ordinary fact in today’s archaeology. Unfortunately, most of these discoveries have no archaeological context, thwarting the possibility of integrating the objects in more complex studies. In this context, based on the type of data that the archaeometric study of metal objects provides (information regarding prehistoric metallurgy, especially the used alloys and technologies), we propose for analysis two metal pieces (a socketed axe and a sickle) fortuitously found in Dobrovăt (Iași County), in order to see how much information can we gather for two fragmentary objects, without archaeological context. The methods used are optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μFTIR) and our aim is represented by the obtainment of important information about patina and corrosion products, the metals used and how these objects were manufactured and utilised. As a result, the before mentioned methods illustrated a number of special features regarding the metallurgical practice of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Carpathian area, contributing to the expansion of the database in this chronological and geographical area.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
The characterization of prehistoric human behavior in terms of habitation practices using GIS car... more The characterization of prehistoric human behavior in terms of habitation practices using GIS cartography methods is an important aspect of any modern geoarchaeological approach. Furthermore, using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys to identify archaeological sites with temporal resolution during the spring agro-technical works and automated mapping of the geomorphological features based on LiDAR-derived DEM can provide valuable information about the human–landscape relationships and lead to accurate archaeological and cartographic products. In this study, we applied a GIS-based landform classification method to relief characterization of 362 Late Bronze Age (LBA) settlements belonging to Noua Culture (NC) (cal. 1500/1450-1100 BCE) located in the Jijia catchment (NE Romania). For this purpose, we used an adapted version of Topographic Position Index (TPI) methodology, abbreviated DEV, which consists of: (1) application of standard deviation of TPI for the mean elevation (DEV) around each analyzed LBA site (1000 m buffer zone); (2) classification of the archaeological site’s location using six slope position classes (first method), or ten morphological classes by combining the parameters from two small-DEV and large-DEV neighborhood sizes (second method). The results indicate that the populations belonging to Noua Culture preferred to place their settlements on hilltops but close to the steep slope and on the small hills/local ridges in large valleys. From a geoarchaeological perspective, the outcomes indicate a close connection between occupied landform patterns and habitation practices during the Late Bronze Age and contribute to archaeological predictive modelling in the Jijia catchment (NE Romania).
The article presents the context and multiple investigations of an unexpected discovery, made dur... more The article presents the context and multiple investigations of an unexpected discovery, made during the 2020 excavations, from the Ruginoasa-Dealul Ruginii Chalcolithic site in north-eastern Romania. The site, known before our research (aerial photography, geomagnetic survey, test trenches) only for its visible traces of WW2, belongs to the Cucuteni culture, phase A, and consists of five rows of burned dwellings and several pits. The surprise, and central to this paper, is a burial grave belonging to the Late Bronze Age (LBA), Noua culture, dug into the filling of a Chalcolithic clay extraction pit, consisting of a crouched human male and its funeral inventory—an animal deposition and a small ceramic vessel. For an exact chronology of the features, samples of bones were dated by AMS radiocarbon (of both the human and animal skeletons from the grave). Also, thorough anthropological investigations, analysis of dental wear of the human skeleton, archaeozoological analysis of the animal skeleton deposited as an offering and analysis of Phytoliths from several areas of the grave were applied. Although the paper presents a single burial, the results obtained from applying multiple interdisciplinary methods bring a series of unique insights (anthropological profile, rite and ritual, special status) regarding the end of the Bronze Age in north-eastern Romania, a period still insufficiently known.
The authors present the preliminary data obtained from the archaeological research of the T1 barr... more The authors present the preliminary data obtained from the archaeological research of the T1 barrow from Crucea (Lungani comm., Iași County, RO). Four single characteristic inhumations, one double and a cenotaph assigned to the Yamnaya communities, an inhumation from the Late Bronze Age and two turanic were discovered. Yamnaya graves resembles those of the Târgu Frumos barrow (32‒26 centuries BC), with many similarities with those of Muntenia, Dobrogea, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The research aims to introduce into the scientific circuit a significant number of settlements sp... more The research aims to introduce into the scientific circuit a significant number of settlements specific to Late Bronze Age, which present ashmounds on the soil surface, identified using aerial images and LiDAR measurements. The subsequent verification of the settlements and the identification of archeological material allowed a precise chronological and cultural framing of the 72 sites.
Fieldwork is an important segment of archaeological research, contributing to the better knowing ... more Fieldwork is an important segment of archaeological research, contributing to the better knowing and understand- ing of different historical periods. Publishing the results obtained and the archaeological materials discovered after
such an initiative can complete the image already formed about the communities that lived in the past. In the present study we tried to highlight some settlements belonging to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, some of
which were not previously known in the literature. This time frame, although rich when talking about the discov- ery of settlements, was very little researched in the space that was proposed for studying. The last diggings that took
place in archaeological sites belonging to this period can be placed a few decades ago. Thus, publishing the results of the field research carried out can represent an important starting point in the resumption of the archaeological research dedicated to this chronological sequence.
This paper proposes a discussion on some archaeological materials specific to Noua and Corlăteni-Chișinău cul- tures, discovered in the settlements identified on the territory of Cozmești, Iași County. The spatial analysis of the
three archaeological sites indicates the apartenence to the already-known pattern specific to the above-mentioned cultures. Noua communities are known to be interested in the geographical areas placed at the confluence of two rivers, with low and medium altitudes and smooth slopes, this fact being proven once again by the preferences manifested for the three settlements discussed here.
The article presents the preliminary results of the preventive archaeological investigation carri... more The article presents the preliminary results of the preventive archaeological investigation carried out in May – September 2019 in the perimeter of site no. 4 from Săucești, Bacău County. The excavations concluded with 537 archaeological complexes, dating from the Late Bronze Age to the Modern / Contemporary periods, thus revealing the high density of site no.4’s habitation. These were added to the 392 complexes identified in the 2016 campaign on the same site. The latest archaeological vestiges unearthed establish the occupation of site 4 especially between the 5th/4th centuries BC and the 4th century AD. Given the site’s complexity and implicitly the enormous amount of documentation, the paper only presents a summarized selection of the results, structured on the types of archaeological discoveries. These categories clearly illustrate both the diversity of the types of site occupation and that of the ‘ages’ of habitation (chronologically).
This paper reviews the, so far available, paleorecords of Vitis sylvestris C.C. Gmel and Vitis vi... more This paper reviews the, so far available, paleorecords of Vitis sylvestris C.C. Gmel and Vitis vinifera L. from Romania. The study takes into consideration the presence of Vitis pollen from Holocene peat sediment sequences and archaeological context, but also the presence of macrorests from various archaeological sites that date from Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, and La Tène. Both paleobotanical arguments and archaeological discoveries support the theory that places the beggining of viticulture in Romania a few millenia ago, in Neolithic period. Also, written evidences (works of classical authors, epigraphical sources) confirm, indirectly, the presence of grapevine in La Tène period. Occurrences of Vitis vinifera and those of Vitis sylvestris manifest independently of the climate oscillations, being present both through colder and more humid episodes, as well as through drier and warmer events. Probably prehistoric communities have made a constant and deliberate effort, all along the Holocene, to maintain grapevine crops.
The various geographical features had a major impact on the behaviour of prehistoric communities,... more The various geographical features had a major impact on the behaviour of prehistoric communities, which can be determined by identifying a series of characteristics and preferences regarding the geographical location of the settlement and the resources exploited. In a well-defined space, the population, as well as the development of human groups, is determined by the micro-and macro-regional geographical characteristics. The use of this type of analysis in the study of Cracău-Bistrița Depression, between the late Chalcolithic and the early Hallstatt, will contribute to a better knowledge of this segment of archaeological research in Romania. The present approach, combined with a high number of thorough field researches, can generate predictive models, thus contributing to a more complex overview of the archaeological characteristics, but also of geographical, geological conditions, etc. preferred by prehistoric communities in this area and beyond. Rezumat. Diversele particularități geografice au avut un impact major asupra comportamentului comunităților preistorice, care poate fi determinat prin identificarea unei serii de constante și preferințe în ceea ce privește locul amplasării sistemelor de locuire și resursele exploatate. Într-un spațiu bine delimitat, popularea, precum și dezvoltarea grupurilor umane este determinată de caracteristicile geografice micro-și macroregionale. Utilizarea acestui tip de analiză în studiul depresiunii Cracău-Bistrița în intervalul cuprins între Eneoliticul dezvoltat și Hallstattul timpuriu, va contribui la o mai bună cunoaștere a acestui segment al cercetării arheologice din România. Demersul de față, reprezentat de analiza spațială a așezărilor, îmbinat cu un număr ridicat de cercetări de teren amănunțite, poate genera modele predictive, contribuind astfel la obținerea unei imagini de ansamblu cu mult mai complexă asupra caracteristicilor arheologice, dar și asupra condițiilor geografice, geologice etc. preferate de comunitățile preistorice din această zonă, și nu numai.
The detailed investigation of dwelling no. 14 (Precucuteni II phase) from the Isaiia site brings ... more The detailed investigation of dwelling no. 14 (Precucuteni II phase) from the Isaiia site brings interesting and, in some instances, novel data concerning the building system and the internal architecture of the Early Chalcolithic housing. Also, the artefacts from inside the dwelling and from the surrounding features bear witness about prehistoric crafts like pottery manufacture, stone knapping and polishing, animal hard tissue working, about the relations with neighbouring cultural areas, and, last but not least, about the ritual behaviour of the Precucuteni communities. Rezumat. Cercetarea detaliată a locuinței nr. 14 (Precucuteni II) din situl de la Isaiia furnizează informații interesante și pe alocuri inedite privind sistemul de construcție și arhitectura interioară a construcțiilor din eneoliticul timpuriu. De asemenea, artefactele descoperite în interiorul locuinței și în complexele adiacente sunt dovezi ale practicării preistorice a unor meșteșuguri precum prelucrarea ceramicii, cioplirea și șlefuirea pietrei, prelucrarea materiilor dure animale, ale relațiilor cu ariile culturale învecinate și, nu în ultimul rând, ale comportamentelor rituale ale comunităților Precucuteni.
FONTES PERENNITATIS Studia in honorem magistri Nicolae Ursulescu octogesimum annum peragentis, 2023
Rezumat. În această lucrare, autorii prezintă o recentă descoperire deosebită, realizată în nivel... more Rezumat. În această lucrare, autorii prezintă o recentă descoperire deosebită, realizată în nivelul Horodiștea–Erbiceni II din situl pluristratificat de la Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, jud. Iași. Este vorba despre un presupus complex ritual (Cx. 07/Gr. 22/2021), caracterizat prin depunerea în întregime și în conexiune anatomică a unei femele de bovină domestică (Bos taurus), sacrificată, probabil, cultic. Asemenea depuneri cultice, foarte rare, până în prezent, în eneoliticul final și bronzul timpuriu de la răsărit de Carpați și, în general, din întreg spațiul carpato-danubian, sunt numeroase în Europa est-centrală (culturile Boleráz, Baden–Pécel, Salzmünde, Amforelor sferice, Vučedol, Walternienburg–Bernburger, Havelländischen, Schnurkeramik) și pot fi legate, în cazul prezentat și cel de la Dolheștii Mari, de prezența și influența purtătorilor culturii amforelor sferice, așa-numitul Subgrup moldovenesc sau Siret, cu care comunitățile horodiștene (faza a II-a) au conviețuit, pașnic și nepașnic, în anumite areale, rezultând, în ultimele secole ale mileniului IV BC, unele procese de aculturație.
Abstract. In this paper, the authors present a recent special discovery, made in the Horodiștea–Erbiceni II level from the multi-stratified site at Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, Iași County. It is about a supposed ritual complex (Cx 07/Gr. 22/2021), characterized by the deposition in its
entirety and in anatomical connection of a female cattle (Bos taurus), probably sacrificed cultically. Such cultic deposits, very rare, until now, in the Late Eneolithic and Early Bronze from the east of the Carpathians and, in general, from the entire Carpathian-Danubian Area, are numerous in East-Central Europe (the cultures: Boleráz, Baden–Pécel, Salzmünde, GlobularAmphorae, Vučedol, Walternienburg–Bernburger, Havelländischen, Schnurkeramik), and can be linked, in the presented case and the one from Dolheștii Mari, to the presence and influence of the Globular Amphorae culture bearers, the so-called Moldavian or Siret Subgroup, with which the Horodiștea communities (phase II) coexisted, peacefully and non-peacefully, in certain areas, resulting in some acculturation processes in the last centuries of the fourth millennium BC.
Cuvinte cheie: Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, depunere rituală, cultura Horodiștea–Erbiceni, cultura amforelor sferice, Bos taurus.
Keywords: Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, ritual deposition, Horodiștea–Erbiceni culture, Globular Amphorae culture, Bos taurus.
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widely used in the archaeological prospecting of various landscapes. In this study, we present an application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and aerial photography (AP) techniques, used in order to compute geomorphometric indices specific to the ashmound structures of Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites that are visible on the soil surface. The necessity of determining the ashmounds’ geoarchaeological description stems from the fact that despite the majority of archaeologists
weighing in on the subject, there is still no accepted explanation regarding their initial functionality. Thus, we believe that the GIS-based high-resolution characterization of 200 ashmound features identified in 21 Noua Culture (NC) archaeological sites will contribute to a better understanding of the ashmounds’ functionality and evolution in the heterogeneous landscape of the study area (NE Romania). Therefore, various shape indices, such as the area (A), perimeter (P), length (L), form factor (RF), circularity ratio (RC), and elongation ratio (RE) were computed for microlevel characterizations of the visible ashmounds’ structures. Additionally, LiDAR-derived DEMs with a 0.5 m resolution were used to generate more surface characteristics such as the slope (S) and hypsometric indices (HI). The outcomes indicate that the ashmounds have relatively diverse shapes (an RF range from 0.37 to 0.77; a RC range from 0.79 to 0.99; a RE range from 0.68 to 0.99), and the micro-relief slightly varies from positive to negative landforms (HI range from 0.34 to 0.61) depending on the erosion intensity (S range from 1.17 to 19.69) and anthropogenic impact (e.g., current land use and agriculture
type). Furthermore, each morphometric parameter is an indicator for surface processes, aiding in the identification of the geomorphologic and surface-erosion aspects that affect the archaeological remains, contributing to the assessment of the conservation status of the ashmound structures within the current landscape configuration. In this regard, this article presents and discusses the remote sensing (RS) techniques used, as well as the morphometric data obtained, exploring the implications of our findings for a better characterization of the NC in Romania.
chronology. Also, many of these sites are threatened by natural or human-induced risk factors, being irreversibly destroyed. One of the main hazards is represented by agricultural activities and intensive grazing. In this study, a new methodological approach based on high-resolution non-destructive ground-based geophysical and airborne sensing techniques (vertical gradient magnetometry, Electrical Resistance Tomography, oblique aerial photography, photogrammetry and LiDAR) has been applied for the Bahluieț River catchment in order to better pinpoint the location and to characterize the micromorphology of the tumuli monuments. A quick view of the specialized literature for the aforementioned region documented only 36 such sites, relatively accurate located. Using high-resolution digital elevation models, derived from LiDAR measurements, we were able to highly increase the number of this type of sites (adding 129 novel mounds) and to reconsider their spatial distribution within the landscape of the Bahluieț River catchment, most of them being located on the interfluves and the gentle slopes from the northern part of the basin.
Usually, we can distinguish one or two mounds bigger and better reserved than the ones surrounding them that are, in most cases, flattened. Although this endeavor proved to be a difficult one, we find it very important in the context of the bigger problem regarding the preservation of this type of monuments, threatened by destruction especially because of the intensive modern agricultural practices.
ordinary fact in today’s archaeology. Unfortunately, most of these discoveries have no archaeological context, thwarting the possibility of integrating the objects in more complex studies. In this context, based on the type of data that the archaeometric study of metal objects provides (information regarding prehistoric metallurgy, especially the used alloys and technologies), we propose for analysis two metal pieces (a socketed axe and a sickle) fortuitously found in Dobrovăt (Iași County), in order to see how much information can we gather for two fragmentary objects, without archaeological context. The methods used are optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μFTIR) and our aim is represented by the obtainment of important information about patina and corrosion products, the metals used and how these objects were manufactured and utilised. As a result, the
before mentioned methods illustrated a number of special features regarding the metallurgical practice of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Carpathian area, contributing to the expansion of the database in this chronological and geographical area.
from the Late Bronze Age and two turanic were discovered. Yamnaya graves resembles those of the Târgu Frumos barrow (32‒26 centuries BC), with many similarities with those of Muntenia, Dobrogea, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
Late Bronze Age, which present ashmounds on the soil surface, identified using aerial images and LiDAR
measurements. The subsequent verification of the settlements and the identification of archeological material allowed
a precise chronological and cultural framing of the 72 sites.
ing of different historical periods. Publishing the results obtained and the archaeological materials discovered after
such an initiative can complete the image already formed about the communities that lived in the past. In the
present study we tried to highlight some settlements belonging to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, some of
which were not previously known in the literature. This time frame, although rich when talking about the discov-
ery of settlements, was very little researched in the space that was proposed for studying. The last diggings that took
place in archaeological sites belonging to this period can be placed a few decades ago. Thus, publishing the results
of the field research carried out can represent an important starting point in the resumption of the archaeological
research dedicated to this chronological sequence.
This paper proposes a discussion on some archaeological materials specific to Noua and Corlăteni-Chișinău cul-
tures, discovered in the settlements identified on the territory of Cozmești, Iași County. The spatial analysis of the
three archaeological sites indicates the apartenence to the already-known pattern specific to the above-mentioned
cultures. Noua communities are known to be interested in the geographical areas placed at the confluence of two
rivers, with low and medium altitudes and smooth slopes, this fact being proven once again by the preferences
manifested for the three settlements discussed here.
widely used in the archaeological prospecting of various landscapes. In this study, we present an application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and aerial photography (AP) techniques, used in order to compute geomorphometric indices specific to the ashmound structures of Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites that are visible on the soil surface. The necessity of determining the ashmounds’ geoarchaeological description stems from the fact that despite the majority of archaeologists
weighing in on the subject, there is still no accepted explanation regarding their initial functionality. Thus, we believe that the GIS-based high-resolution characterization of 200 ashmound features identified in 21 Noua Culture (NC) archaeological sites will contribute to a better understanding of the ashmounds’ functionality and evolution in the heterogeneous landscape of the study area (NE Romania). Therefore, various shape indices, such as the area (A), perimeter (P), length (L), form factor (RF), circularity ratio (RC), and elongation ratio (RE) were computed for microlevel characterizations of the visible ashmounds’ structures. Additionally, LiDAR-derived DEMs with a 0.5 m resolution were used to generate more surface characteristics such as the slope (S) and hypsometric indices (HI). The outcomes indicate that the ashmounds have relatively diverse shapes (an RF range from 0.37 to 0.77; a RC range from 0.79 to 0.99; a RE range from 0.68 to 0.99), and the micro-relief slightly varies from positive to negative landforms (HI range from 0.34 to 0.61) depending on the erosion intensity (S range from 1.17 to 19.69) and anthropogenic impact (e.g., current land use and agriculture
type). Furthermore, each morphometric parameter is an indicator for surface processes, aiding in the identification of the geomorphologic and surface-erosion aspects that affect the archaeological remains, contributing to the assessment of the conservation status of the ashmound structures within the current landscape configuration. In this regard, this article presents and discusses the remote sensing (RS) techniques used, as well as the morphometric data obtained, exploring the implications of our findings for a better characterization of the NC in Romania.
chronology. Also, many of these sites are threatened by natural or human-induced risk factors, being irreversibly destroyed. One of the main hazards is represented by agricultural activities and intensive grazing. In this study, a new methodological approach based on high-resolution non-destructive ground-based geophysical and airborne sensing techniques (vertical gradient magnetometry, Electrical Resistance Tomography, oblique aerial photography, photogrammetry and LiDAR) has been applied for the Bahluieț River catchment in order to better pinpoint the location and to characterize the micromorphology of the tumuli monuments. A quick view of the specialized literature for the aforementioned region documented only 36 such sites, relatively accurate located. Using high-resolution digital elevation models, derived from LiDAR measurements, we were able to highly increase the number of this type of sites (adding 129 novel mounds) and to reconsider their spatial distribution within the landscape of the Bahluieț River catchment, most of them being located on the interfluves and the gentle slopes from the northern part of the basin.
Usually, we can distinguish one or two mounds bigger and better reserved than the ones surrounding them that are, in most cases, flattened. Although this endeavor proved to be a difficult one, we find it very important in the context of the bigger problem regarding the preservation of this type of monuments, threatened by destruction especially because of the intensive modern agricultural practices.
ordinary fact in today’s archaeology. Unfortunately, most of these discoveries have no archaeological context, thwarting the possibility of integrating the objects in more complex studies. In this context, based on the type of data that the archaeometric study of metal objects provides (information regarding prehistoric metallurgy, especially the used alloys and technologies), we propose for analysis two metal pieces (a socketed axe and a sickle) fortuitously found in Dobrovăt (Iași County), in order to see how much information can we gather for two fragmentary objects, without archaeological context. The methods used are optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μFTIR) and our aim is represented by the obtainment of important information about patina and corrosion products, the metals used and how these objects were manufactured and utilised. As a result, the
before mentioned methods illustrated a number of special features regarding the metallurgical practice of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Carpathian area, contributing to the expansion of the database in this chronological and geographical area.
from the Late Bronze Age and two turanic were discovered. Yamnaya graves resembles those of the Târgu Frumos barrow (32‒26 centuries BC), with many similarities with those of Muntenia, Dobrogea, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
Late Bronze Age, which present ashmounds on the soil surface, identified using aerial images and LiDAR
measurements. The subsequent verification of the settlements and the identification of archeological material allowed
a precise chronological and cultural framing of the 72 sites.
ing of different historical periods. Publishing the results obtained and the archaeological materials discovered after
such an initiative can complete the image already formed about the communities that lived in the past. In the
present study we tried to highlight some settlements belonging to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, some of
which were not previously known in the literature. This time frame, although rich when talking about the discov-
ery of settlements, was very little researched in the space that was proposed for studying. The last diggings that took
place in archaeological sites belonging to this period can be placed a few decades ago. Thus, publishing the results
of the field research carried out can represent an important starting point in the resumption of the archaeological
research dedicated to this chronological sequence.
This paper proposes a discussion on some archaeological materials specific to Noua and Corlăteni-Chișinău cul-
tures, discovered in the settlements identified on the territory of Cozmești, Iași County. The spatial analysis of the
three archaeological sites indicates the apartenence to the already-known pattern specific to the above-mentioned
cultures. Noua communities are known to be interested in the geographical areas placed at the confluence of two
rivers, with low and medium altitudes and smooth slopes, this fact being proven once again by the preferences
manifested for the three settlements discussed here.
Abstract. In this paper, the authors present a recent special discovery, made in the Horodiștea–Erbiceni II level from the multi-stratified site at Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, Iași County. It is about a supposed ritual complex (Cx 07/Gr. 22/2021), characterized by the deposition in its
entirety and in anatomical connection of a female cattle (Bos taurus), probably sacrificed cultically. Such cultic deposits, very rare, until now, in the Late Eneolithic and Early Bronze from the east of the Carpathians and, in general, from the entire Carpathian-Danubian Area, are numerous in East-Central Europe (the cultures: Boleráz, Baden–Pécel, Salzmünde, GlobularAmphorae, Vučedol, Walternienburg–Bernburger, Havelländischen, Schnurkeramik), and can be linked, in the presented case and the one from Dolheștii Mari, to the presence and influence of the Globular Amphorae culture bearers, the so-called Moldavian or Siret Subgroup, with which the Horodiștea communities (phase II) coexisted, peacefully and non-peacefully, in certain areas, resulting in some acculturation processes in the last centuries of the fourth millennium BC.
Cuvinte cheie: Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, depunere rituală, cultura Horodiștea–Erbiceni, cultura amforelor sferice, Bos taurus.
Keywords: Costești–Cier/Lângă Școală, ritual deposition, Horodiștea–Erbiceni culture, Globular Amphorae culture, Bos taurus.