Fieldwalking reloaded

In the middle of March 2015 an intensive archaeological fieldwalking and survey have been launched again. We started our  2015 season of field survey  with the identification of a Roman vallum in Câmpu Cetății which was supposed to be situated between the Vf. Scroafa and Cața de Jos hill.  In Călugăreni we began a more intensive fieldwalking on a much more extended area. The intensive field survey from here carried out within a grid-system measured and staked out with the help of precise topographic devices (total station, GPS) is focusing mainly on the area of the former  Roman military fort and vicus. Each grid is surveyed by a team consisted of five people with the latest surveying methods. All the finds within a grid are collected and the position of each small-find recovered  is precisely measured with a GPS device of high performance.

Geophysical survey at Călugăreni and Sărățeni

Between the 7^th and 15^th of March an extended geophysical survey was made by students and professors from the Geophysics Department of the Eötvös Lóránd University. The team was split into two: while one part was concentrated on the surrounding area of the Roman fort from Călugăreni, the other group effectuated mesurements along the walls of the Roman fort from Sărățeni.

Even though the early spring was from windy to very hot, the team managed to survey many hectares in Călugăreni, spotting out a new part of the vicus. The measurements from Sărățeni were also resultful, accomplished by dozens of electro-magnetic sections which gave a more accurate picture of the direction of the walls and indicated the existence of other structures as well. It was an efficient week which opened new perspectives for the further investigations.

Excursion to the Roman baths on the eastern limes

In the first week of March, members of our team decided to make a trip to the places where once stood the Roman bath houses in the vicinities of Roman forts along the eastern limes. Bath houses were one of the most popular and probably most noisy establishments where people could combine the pleasure of becoming clean and eventually getting a massage with socializing and gossiping with other people. Seneca in the Epistulae Morales describes his experiences as a person who lives right over a public bath house: “Beshrew me if I think anything more requisite than silence for a man who secludes himself in order to study! Imagine what a variety of noises reverberates about my ears! I have lodgings right over a bathing establishment. So picture to yourself the assortment of sounds, which are strong enough to make me hate my very powers of hearing! When your strenuous gentleman, for example, is exercising himself by flourishing leaden weights; when he is working hard, or else pretends to be working hard, I can hear him grunt; and whenever he releases his imprisoned breath, I can hear him panting in wheezy and high-pitched tones. Or perhaps I notice some lazy fellow, content with a cheap rubdown, and hear the crack of the pummelling hand on his shoulder, varying in sound according as the hand is laid on flat or hollow. Then, perhaps, a professionalcomes along, shouting out the score; that is the finishing touch.”(Seneca, Epistulae Morales 56/1,2.)

Our excursion was much more of a quiet walk, amplified by our conversations about the information we held about Roman baths, and the barking of dogs from the end of the villages. Even though the baths are researched, the only still preserved, who have experienced the livelyhood of the place are the walls, the tegulae and other finds. Therefore, we can mostly count on them to tell the story which we will hopefully understand.

Visiting the Primary School from Vătava

At the end of February, members of the team visited the Primary School from Vătava, one of our communes on the limes. The presentation about the surrounding archaeological sites and the Roman watchtower from Vătava kept the children focused and interested. The finds which were discovered at the watchtower, were not only presented on a power point presentation, but they could see them in a temporary “mini-exhibition” and discuss about their functionality. The girls were very interested in dressing the tunics and learning about Roman perfume preparation, the boys were rather thrilled by the different weapons, coins, keys, fibulae and the other finds. They were curious about every detail, eager to learn more, also supported by their knowledge, which included not only their acquaintance with history, but also with the surrounding sites and the tradition of these, as they were kept in local legends and stories.

Exploring the eastern limes. Fieldwalking and aerial survey

In January 2015 our team took part on a fieldwalking in Mureş County next to Glodeni, Ideciu de Sus, Hodac and Caşva. Due to our collaboration with Máté Szabó from the Aerial Archaeological Archive from Pécs an intensive aerial archaeological survey was also done in the area of the Roman sites from Brâncoveneşti, Vătava and the Gurghiu Valley.

Close to the Roman site of Glodeni on aerial photos and satellite images a possible Roman marching camp has been identified, which produced only a few ceramic fragments during the fieldwalking and lacked any other material. In the area of the defensive structures of the presumed fort a high concentration of cobbles and pebbles could be observed.

The presumed Roman watchtower from Ideciu de Sus was identified in 2014 by one of the collaborators of our museum, Pop Iuliu Cristinel. It is situated on the hill east of the village on the opposite side of the Mureș valley from Brâncovenești. The visibility is really good from the hilltop, one can see Brâncovenești and several watchtowers. The location is close to a neighbouring Iron Age fortress.