Sfantu Gheorghe, 28 Jan /Agerpres/ – The excavations carried out by the specialists of the National Museum of the Eastern Carpathians, in the northeastern part of Sfantu Gheorghe, in the vicinity of the Sepsi Arena, have revealed new artifacts and several prehistoric tombs.

According to Prof. Puskas Jozsef, archaeologist at the museum, at the site located at the exit from Sfantu Gheorghe to Miercurea Ciuc, several archeological studies have been carried out in the last years within the framework of building and infrastructure projects, which have led to the discovery of remarkable objects, including the skeletons of eight horses, but also ten human tombs. Cheekpieces made from deer antler were found at the horses’ mouths, suggesting that they had been placed there with their harness.

‘The excavations carried out by the specialists of the Museum of the Eastern Carpathians, at the Sfantu Gheorghe-Arcus-Hosszu site, brought to light not only a very rich and varied archaeological material, but also a spectacular one (…) Apart from the four horse graves, ten human graves were also discovered, some of them relatively well preserved, with funerary inventories. These can be placed in at least two distinct periods of the Bronze Age, namely Early Bronze, Late Bronze, Late Middle Bronze-Early Bronze. The most interesting funerary complexes are those from the late Middle Bronze-early Late Bronze Age, which can be dated to 3,500 years ago (between 1750 and 1300 BC),’ said Puskas Jozsef.

In his opinion, these inhumation graves, as well as some adjacent Monteoru vessels discovered in tombs, suggest the mobility of extra-Carpathian groups towards the interior of the Carpathian arc.

‘Why are these tombs so special? First of all it should be mentioned that in the Middle Bronze Age (the Wietenberg culture – c. 2100-1600 B.C.) the cremation of the deceased, the gathering of ashes in funerary urns and the deposit of the urn in a specially dug pit, was practiced as a funeral rite in Transylvania. Such cemeteries are found especially in Turia, Bistrita, Ludus, etc. The spread of the burial rite in Transylvania is linked to the appearance of communities in the extra-Carpathian area in the Late Bronze Age (Noua culture – c. 1600-1200 BC). However, in today’s Moldavia, during the Middle Bronze Age, burial was practiced (Monteoru culture). Thus, the existence of inhumation tombs suggests the mobility of extra-Carpathian groups towards the interior of the Carpathian arc. This fact is also suggested by some adjacent vessels discovered in the tombs, being of Monteoru tradition,’ shows the text written by Prof. Jozsef Puskas and published on the museum’s Facebook page.

The archaeologist also noted the discovery of objects made of gold, namely pieces of jewelry worn in the hair, known over a very large area, from Central Europe to the Caucasus, and used throughout the Bronze Age.

Archaeological research will continue this year, as a new artificial ice rink will be built near the Sepsi Arena.