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Urzicuţa-Afumati-Birca-Giurgiţa Sites
Raport Urzicuta 23.10.2012
General index of sites in Urzicuţa-Afumati-Birca-Giurgiţa area
Sites in the Urzicuţa-Afumati-Birca-Giurgiţa area.
Photo: Google Earth 17th September 2010
GPS readings for the Urzicuţa-Afumati-Birca-Giurgiţa area.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 17th September 2010
Documentation for the Afumati Site.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 19th September 2010
The Giurgiţa Site - Giurgiţa Portaresti Iron-age Fortress
Adrian has spent ten years or more searching over the entire Oltenia area for lost Romanian treasures, to find, protect, and promote them.
He writes:
During all that time, my most dominant feeling has been not a good one. I was and am very sad, because, in my mind, my people are the owners of a huge treasure on planet Earth, made up of hundreds of sites, historical buildings, traditions, facts.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 2nd June 2012
However the owner of this property does not care about it, many of those sites are forgotten forever, many of the sites are already dead, many of the sites are lost for ever, for the next generations.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 2nd June 2012
Here, a huge iron-age fortress is covered by agricultural works, the most important enemy of the sites, and cannot be promoted for tourists in any way.
Why is it so hard for the Romanian authorities to claim all those sites as state property? I am speaking here of a site within Dolj County, 50 Ha in area in total, which would not cost much for the authorities to either resume or buy from the private owners.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 2nd June 2012
This would be the first step to protect, in all, about 110 sites in Dolj County which otherwise will be lost for ever, especially since there have been agricultural works over them for at least 100 years.
As can be seen, there is only a private field, covered with vegetation, there is no place to rest, to search, to view, to visit, no signs to be followed by tourists, and no information points for 50 km around.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 2nd June 2012
Only by satellite can this image be seen, but after a while even this image will be deleted by people's stupidity. Perhaps, there is still sleeping, one of my ancestors, waiting for the next generation to at least protect them.
Photo: Google Earth
The Giurgiţa Site
Alex writes:
Today me and my father have carried out several actions for the Alexis Project, as you will see in the next letters.
The most interesting experience was when we were near the village Giurgiţa on a road that passed near a hill. Dad suddenly turned the car on a driveway, climbed the hill and stopped on a plateau. Surprised, I asked him what happened. Dad told me that he wanted very much to take up the possibility of an experiment in real terms about finding an archaeological site where we did not have any reports that there was one.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
Documentation for the site.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
So my dad chose this location based only on the criteria already established with the Alexis Team, and found a plateau that is a hill top, surrounded by rivers and a forest on the plateau, which anyway would have looked different from now thousands of years ago. Dad also made a strange statement, that he "feels" this site as an archaeological one, but could give me no other scientific explanation.
I was skeptical, but even I found several artifacts from the Bronze Age. coordinates of this new site are 44.02377N,23.62009E. The site is on private property, in a vineyard near a walnut tree. I could not learn from the locals the name of this point.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
If you agree, please put this letter on our website as an authentic example of our ability to identify sites, but is also an important signal that there are still many little-known sites in the region.
Alex scrie:
Astazi eu si tata am efectuat mai multe actiuni de tip Alexis, dupa cum vei vedea in scrisorile imediat urmatoare.
Cea mai interesanta experienta a fost in momentul in care ne aflam in apropierea satului Giurgita, pe o sosea care trecea in apropierea unui deal. Tata a virat brusc autoturismul pe un drum secundar, am urcat dealul si am oprit pe un platou. surprins, l-am intrebat ce s-a intamplat. Tata mi-a explicat ca dorea foarte mult sa imi ofere posibilitatea unui experiment in termeni reali despre gasirea unui sit arheologic acolo unde noi nu aveam niciun fel de informatii ca ar exista vreunul. Deci tata a ales aceast locatie doar pe criteriile deja stabilite de echipele Alexis si anume un deal cu un platou in varf, inconjurat de ape curgatoare si o posibila padure pe platou, care oricum ar fi aratat altfel acum mii de ani. tata a mai facut o afirmatie ciudata si anume ca "simte" prezenta sitului, fara sa-mi poata da alte explicatii stiintifice. Sceptic am facut cativa pasi in imprejurimi si chiar eu am gasit mai multe artefacte din epoca bronzului. coordonatele acestui nou sit sunt 44.02377N,23.62009E. Situl se afla pe o proprietate privata, intr-o vie, in preajma unui nuc. nu am putut afla de la localnici denumirea acestui punct.
Daca esti de acord, te rog pune aceasta scrisoare pe site-ul nostru, ca un exemplu autentic despre abilitatea noastra de a identifica situri, dar este si un semnal important ca mai exista inca foarte multe situri putin cunoscute in regiune.
Tell-ul din Filaret, Giurgiţa
Google Earth image of the site.
Photo: Google Earth 15th September 2010
Alex writes:
Archaeological Doctor Florin Ridiche of the Oltenia museum has continued his researches, and has helped us again. He indicated in the area of Giurgiţa, a Tumul or Tell or Barrow, an earthen mound, usually a burial mound. This Tumul is 8 metres high and diameter 50 metres.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
Today we followed his directions and visited, photographed and mapped the site, full of artefacts from prehistoric and more recent times, with a Tumul a short distance away, with coordinates 44.00315N, 23.60778E.
We hope to receive archaeological data on this site soon from Doctor Ridiche.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
Last but not least, I want to tell you about the last member of the Alexis project team, one you can see here, just behind my dad ... it's ROXY THE FROG! She seemed very enthusiastic about the project and insisted on coming with us on every trip we had in the last weeks.
She now is some kind of symbol for us, we laugh about her all the time ... But somehow she stands for all those who would like to join us, but that can not do it at the moment, or for all those who WE would like to have nearby, but we do not. She is there for us all the time. ha-ha!
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
Alex scrie:
Dupa cum stii deja, ne preocupa faptul ca acesti tumuli liniari se afla la o distanta prea mare de principalele situri arheologice din zona, astfel incat continuam sa credem ca ar putea exista si un alt sit, inca necunoscut, care sa le explice existenta.
Prietenul nostru, arheologul doctor Florin Ridiche de la Muzeul Olteniei a continuat sa studieze si ne-a ajutat din nou. El a indicat prezenta in zona a unui sit arheologic pe care noi nu-l cunosteam, un TELL( inaltime aparenta aparenta 8 metru si diametru 50 metri). astfel incat, urmand indicatiile dansului, astazi am vizitat, fotografiat si cartat acest sit, plin de artefacte din preistorie si invecinat, se pare, cu un tumul, la mica distanta de el. Coordonatele sunt : 44.00315N, 23.60778E.
Datele despre acest sit arheologic speram sa le primim de la prietenul nostru, Florin Ridiche, cat de curand, si sa ti le transmitem pentru site-ul nostru.
Cerat Archaeological Site - April 2012
The Alexis Project was once again in the area of the undocumented bronze age site in the area of Cerat village, just near Girugita village.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 5th April 2012
The Alexis Project believes that it would be a good thing for specialists from Oltenia Museum to start a thorough search in the area. The entire hill is full of artefacts, and there may be some that are important for the Museum's collections.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 5th April 2012
It is a beautiful spring in the area, with a lot of artefacts spread over the field, but agricultural works in the area can entirely destroy this site before specialists can make a good evaluation of it.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 5th April 2012
Cerat Archaeological Site
Adrian, Alina and Alexandru made another visit to the Bronze Age and Roman times sites from Cerat village, near Giurgiţa village.
A lot of artefacts are to be found in the agricultural area.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 6th November 2010
The small village of Cerat is near Giurgiţa village.
Adrian and Alina Neagoe, in contact by phone with Arh.Dr.Florin Ridiche from Oltenia Museum, who showed us the site data, were in the Cerat village area.
As you exit from Cerat on the road to Libovu Mare village, crossing the bridge of the Desnatui River, on the right side of the road, between the high voltage electricity power pol no 02 and 03, starting after crossing the bridge, on the right, about 200 to 300 metres away, there is a small valley.
There is an area about 100 x 100 metres there where there are a lot of artefacts from the Bronze Age, and also from Roman times.
This is on private agricultural land, on the right bank of the Desnatui River.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 3rd October 2010
There is an area about 100 x 100 metres there where there are a lot of artefacts from the Bronze Age, and also from Roman times.
This is on private agricultural land, on the right bank of the Desnatui River.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 3rd October 2010
Documentation of the site.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 3rd October 2010
Dealul Maciului
Dr Florin Ridiche, from Oltenia Museum asked Adrian to make a search in the area of Dealul Maciului, the eastern area of Afumatzi village, on the left bank of the Baboia River, and on the right side of the main road from Afumatzi village to Urzicutza village.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 3rd October 2010
Adrian went to the area, at 44.00864°N 23.49489°E, and covered a large area in his search, but found only a few artefacts.
Adrian has a good cooperation with Mr Bogdan Condurateanu, general manager of the project Digital Romania, from the Garmin Company, who cooperates with Adrian by phone from Bucharest to manage his searches.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 3rd October 2010
The area, at 44.00864°N 23.49489°E, and documentation.
Photo: Google Earth 25th September 2010
The general area, and some of the artefacts found.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 25th September 2010
Popinas in the Urzicutza area
Adrian was in the Urzicutza area, in the southern section, looking for a Popina, a kind of Tell or Tumul, but smaller, about 200 metres in diameter and about one metre in height, often bordered by water and covered with grass.
For the first time, because of the difficulty in locating the Popinas, Adrian was guided by Mr Bogdan Conurateanu, from Bucharest, by phone, the general manager of the project Digital Romania, in cooperation with the Garmin Company.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 18th September 2010
All the time, while Adrian was searching, he sent instructions to find the Popina, using GPS points.
Finally, Adrian found the Popina, but it was covered by grass, so it is very hard to find artefacts at this time of the year.
GPS Points: 43.99974°N 23.52602°E at 1.6 km SW from Urzicutza village.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 18th September 2010
Google Earth image of the area, and documentation.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 18th September 2010
Urzicuţa Tumuls
South of Urzicuţa village are two Tumuls, at the GPS points:
43.99215°N 23.52066°E Diameter = 20 m Height = 2 m
43.99297°N 23.51705°E Diameter = 10 m Height = 1 m
These are situated 2.5 km NW from Baile Ionele Lake, and 2.5 km from Urzicuţa village.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 18th September 2010
Ancient pottery has been found here, but it is important to note that some are from Roman times.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 18th September 2010
Also, the entire field, starting from Getic Podis at the north until the Danube River to the south, is full of Tumuls and a lot of sites, many of them from the bronze / iron ages.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 18th September 2010
Giurgiţa - Urzica Mare Tumulus
Google Earth image of the site.
Photo: Google Earth 15th September 2010
Alex writes:
Between the village of Urzica Mare and the village of Giurgiţa, in an open field, near the ruins of farm buildings, there is a large prehistoric fort, circular, protected by two low waves in the ground and having what appears to be a huge tumulus.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
The land is private property, the site is destroyed by agricultural work, but on the surface can be identified ceramic fragments and pieces of fossiliferous limestone, as shown in the illustration.
Photo: Adrian Gheorghe 15th September 2010
My father said that he attended in 2008 a large operation mapping archaeological sites in Dolj county, under the direction of renowned Archaeologist, Doctor Florin Ridiche of the Oltenia Museum, and with cartographer Mircea Serban, so that this archaeological site can be found mentioned in detailed mapping and is well known.
Alex scrie:
Astfel, pornind din satul Urzica Mare catre satul Giurgita, in plin camp, in apropierea ruinelor unor cladiri agricole, se afla o mare fortificatie preistorica, de forma circulara, protejata de 2 valuri de pamant si avand in apropiere ceea ce pare a fi un tumul urias.
Terenul este proprietate privata, situl este distrus de lucrari agricole, dar se mai pot identifica pe suprafata sa fragmente de ceramica si bucati de calcar fosilifer, dupa cum se observa in imaginile alaturate.
Tata afirma ca a participat in anul 2008 la marea operatiune de cartare a siturilor arheologice din judetul Dolj, sub coordonarea cunoscutului arheolog doctor Florin Ridiche de la Muzeul Olteniei si a cartografului Mircea Serban, astfel incat acest sit arheologic poate fi gasit mentionat cu detalii si in cartarea de atunci, fiind omologat ca atare.
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Alexis Project Filiasi/Romania
RC J/263/230/2007 CIF 21464151
Email: [email protected]