Archaeological digs in Romania, especially in Oltenia
Adrian has discovered a new archaeology site in the area of Adancata Prioresti.
Adrian and Alexandru were walking in the area of Bilta village, Filiasi Town, Dolj County, when they discovered a new archaeological site which seems to be from the bronze age or earlier. Several artefacts were found in the area. The Alexis Project has found a total of more than 200 new historical sites in the last 17 years, a remarkable achievement!
On 30.03.2019, Adrian discovered a new archaeology site in the area of Tatomiresti village, Brădeşti Municipality, Dolj county, Romania. In accordance with the Law, samples of artefacts (pottery and bones) and an official document was sent to Brădeşti municipality to proceed. The new site seems to be from the Bronze Age, 'Verbicioara culture' or perhaps later.
The Alexis group and friends have done some research on a hill near to Radovan village, Dolj County, known as Magure iepii. A few Roman artefacts and stone age artefacts were recovered, but not many. Even though the 'Magura' is huge, the Alexis Group believes that it is a natural form, not a tumul or ancient fortress. Negative results are still extremely valuable in archaeology.
The Adancata Site - the Alexis Team, searching in the Goiesti area, found on the right bank of the Amaradia River, near the village of Adancata, near the church of Sf Nicolae, an area of approximately 100 x 50 metres of land, with a lot of artefacts on it. It seems to date back to the Bronze Age.
A Roman bronze Aquila, or Eagle Standard, was discovered in a ploughed field near Sălcuţa, Dolj County. It was bought by Dr Adrian Gheorghe and donated to the Museum of Oltenia, Craiova, and examined by Dr Dorel Bondoc. It was gilded, so we can be sure that it was a valuable piece belonging to an important Roman military unit.
In the southern part of Baile Ionele Lake, Urzicata Village, Dolj County, a very extensive site has been discovered. The site is huge, and occupies an area on the southern border of the lake, about 200 metres along it, and 200 metres to the south, a huge area full of artefacts from the time of the Romans, as well as some artefacts from the Bronze age.
Bodaiestii de Sus site - there is a road between Filiasi town and Melinesti village, connecting the Jiu River valley to the Amaradia River valley, crossing the hills between them. At the entrance to the small village of Bodaiestii de Sus is a huge wild area, a valley between two lines of hills, similar to the Radovan valley, where a preliminary search has already found a few artefacts from the stone and bronze age.
Bodaiesti Tell - over a period of several days, passing just near a strange hill, near the main road between Filiasi and Melinesti, near Bodaiestii de Sus village, Adrian became curious about the area. It has potential to be a Bronze Age site, but more field work is required. So far no water source has been discovered.
About 100 years ago, a priest from a monastery near Breasta Village, Dolj County, found strange stones in the area where a small river was coming from the middle of Breasta village, and flowing into the Jiu River, stones which were covered by Slavonian letters. Following this meagre information, after a search using satellite imagery, an NGO Alexis Project team, at the end of December 2012 tried to identify the location of this strange, lost site.
Canberra Point
Cioroiu Nou
Desa Archeological Site
In the northern part of Dolj County is a Middle Ages fortress deep in the forest, near Farcas village.
Other Archaeological Sites in Dolj County, Romania
Wonders of Dolj County - mapping and assessment of historical monuments, sites in Dolj County.
Dolni Vadin or Gorni Vadin, Горни Вадин, in Bulgaria, on the right bank of the Danube, is the site of an ancient Roman bridge and fortress, remains of which can still be seen today. Adrian went to Dolni Vadin to make further investigations there, over a search area more than 3.5 Km long, and about 200 metres wide, on the right bank of the Danube. He was very successful in his endeavours.
Girla Milan, near Grindul Pietris Island, on the left bank of the Danube River, in the Desa area, is a site where Dr Florin discovered a cemetery. It is a Bronze/Iron Age site.
The Giurgiţa Site - this site was discovered by Dr Gheorghe on the basis that it fulfilled the requirements he has proposed for an ancient site. It is a Bronze Age site.
The Dacian Fortress from Gradistea, Gorj County
A huge site in the Lipovu area from the Bronze Age has been the subject of a preliminary investigation. Much of the site has been destroyed by the exploitation of the limestone there, but part of it is still in existence.
 | Matca, and the Matca River
Matca River is a site which has yielded several old construction timbers and the remains of a dam across the river. These finds are believed to be related to the Middle Ages village of Old Racari. Recently, Roman pottery has been found in the area as well. |
The Alexis Project, with the help of Dr Dorel Bondoc from Oltenia Museum, made a search at a Roman site in the western part of Orlea village, Olt County. There were a lot of artefacts in the frozen field, with some from the Bronze age, not just from ancient Roman times.
Ostravu Mare
Prezentare in Profil Turistic a Sitului Arheologic Pravets
A new ancient site has been found at Puturoasa. Here there are a few fragments of pottery of good quality, as well as a few fragments of ancient bricks and limestone blocks from buildings. It is unknown at present whether the site has been registered by the authorities.
Again this year, Oltenia Museum has decided to continue to search in the area of the ancient Roman castrum of Racarii de Jos village, Bradesti municipality, Dolj county. There is known to be here a very important military fortress of the ancient Romans, covering the defense of an important part of Dacia Malvensis, which is known today as Oltenia. As usual, the digs are made under the management of the well known specialist of Oltenia Museum, Exp. Arch. Dr Petrus Dorel Bondoc, who is deeply involved in this research. It is important to note that this important site of Dolj County is open for tourists, as is the other important site at Cioroiu Nou.
The Radovan site - an important discovery at a previously unknown site
The Pyramids of Sona are mystifying hills that may be Tumuls, burial mounds, near Brasov, Romania.
Tetoiu site - The Alexis team often picks up a small bit of information about a possible site, and then makes a trip there, to make an evaluation at the target field, as well as studying satellite data in order to come to a conclusion. So…. the Alexis team received information that about 60 km north of Craiova, in Valcea county, near the village of Tetoiu there was an ancient fortress, where Roman coins and other artefacts had been discovered. A preliminary search on the net showed that, in the southern part of the hills was a possible site for the fortress, near a river and a forest, a site which may well have been a Castra Estivae, still unknown to science.
Thermae from the Roman Empire - It is amazing to see how close the images of Roman Thermae are around the world, as though they were made by the same architect. This is not surprising, since from Gallia to Tunis, from Rome to the Red Sea, even ancient Roman bricks are the same, and the Romans were careful to make all buildings, roads and towns of standard dimensions, no matter where they were. This was commented on by the Roman architect, Vitruvius.
The Gate of Trajan is an historic mountain pass near Ihtiman, Bulgaria. It was named after Roman Emperor Trajan, on whose order a fortress by the name of Stipon was constructed on the hill over the pass, as a symbolic border between the provinces of Thrace and Macedonia. The pass is primarily known for the major medieval battle of 17 August 986, during which the forces of Byzantine Emperor Basil II were routed by Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria, effectively halting a Byzantine campaign in the Bulgarian lands.
Tumuls (or Barrows, or large earthen tombs) in Oltenia
The Twin Trees Site - When exiting from Perisor village, Dr Gheorghe found a large valley, between two small hills, bordered by forests, with a small well in the middle, and a site with some ancient pottery pieces. This site must be investigated in November when there is less grass obscuring the artefacts.
 | Valea Rea
Valea Rea, or Bad Valley, is a large, wide valley in the middle of Brădeşti Village, where the Alexis Team are looking for an ancient fortress and other artefacts. |
The ancient medieval fortress known as Gradishte (a common Bulgarian word for a fortress) or Vratitsa (as it was called in the Middle Ages) is located near today’s northwestern Bulgarian city of Vratsa at the canyon of the Vartaeshnitsa River. It is located near the Vrattsata Pass (meaning 'door'), which gave its name to the city of Vratsa, using the natural defences of the mountainous terrain. The Gradishte or Vratitsa Fortress is an Ancient Thracian, Roman, Early Byzantine, and medieval Bulgarian city. There are hypotheses that the Thracian settlement may have been the capital of one of the major Ancient Thracian tribes, the Tribali, who inhabited today’s Northwest Bulgaria.
Recent additions, changes and updates to the Alexis site This site is to publicise the history and culture of Romania, and displays information from the Alexis Project Association
Alexis Project Filiasi/Romania
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This page last modified Friday, 15th November, 2019 05:22pm
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