Coasta lui Damian

Archeology_in_Giurtelecu_Simleului_in_1950s.jpg

Coasta lui Damian is the main archaeological site in Giurtelecu Şimleului (, ).

Coasta lui Damian is in Romania (at ).

Geography

Damian’s Promontory (Romanian: Coasta lui Damian or Dealul lui Damian or Via lui Damian) is Giurtelecu Şimleului's most prominent landmark and it can be seen from everywhere in the settlement. The promontory is part of the north eastern part of the Măgura Şimleului Massif.

At the end of Coasta lui Damian, there is a plateau, 60 by 30 m. The hill is accessible only from the Crasna River meadow on a long route, slope, or via the narrow saddle that connects with the rest of the promontory.

Archaeological discoveries

Here is a list with the archaeological discoveries at Coasta lui Damian:

  • La Tène Culture (late Iron Age)
  • Bronze Age settlement, Wietenberg Culture
  • Bronze Age settlement, Coţofeni Culture
  • Neolithic settlement, Tiszapolgár Culture
  • discoveries from 7th–9th centuries
  • 10th–11th centuries, early Middle Ages

Well positioned strategically and naturally fortified, the site different human communities in search of security for thousands of years. Older defensive settlements located on Coasta lui Damian have been destroyed by the most recent arrivals.

There is an archaeological site situated on a plateau at the end of Damian’s Promontory, which was first studied by M. Moga, who made a short survey of the site. Also, Emil Lobonţiu (1893–1970) was very interested in archeology at Győrtelek. He began archaeological excavations at Coasta lui Damian. Zalău Museum began systematic archaeological excavations in 1998. In August 1999, the archaeological site has been further excavated.

The oldest traces of human presence on Coasta lui Damian date from the Neolithic period. The Neolithic era layer is separated from the Eneolithic level by a thick ash layer, perhaps deriving from a wide-spread fire which destroyed the Neolithic settlement.

During the Tiszapolgár Culture, a new settlement grew up on the plateau. The plateau is exposed to winds which can cause fires to spread out of control, and the only water source is located at the foot of the hill, and it is probably these reasons which led the Eneolithic residents to abandon this area for a high terrace on the bank of Crasna River, called today “Dâmbul Radului” (Radu’s Hill); a bronze axe was discovered at this site in the 20th century. Former settlements were a burial site or cemetery; a tomb of the Tiszapolgár Culture was discovered in 1998.

Archaeologists have found discarded household goods and other refuse from the Coţofeni Culture on the plateau. A hut from this era was investigated in a sheltered area, on a terrace located below the plateau. Ceramic material indicates a late stage of Coţofeni Culture. The Coţofeni Culture was succeeded by the Wietenberg Culture on Coasta lui Damian. Two houses and a workshop of theWietenberg Culture are on the plateau.

Dacians used the site to bar access from this area to the central area of the Măgura Şimleului acropolis.

A top arrow dating from the 10th century was found on Coasta lui Damian.

Other sites

Other sites in Giurtelecu Şimleului:

"Tărbăcii" Site

  • Bronze Age civil settlement, Wietenberg Culture

"Dâmbul Radului" Site or "Dealul Radului" Site

  • Neolithic civil settlement

"Berc" Site

  • Neolithic axe (isolated descovery until now)

"Măgură" Site or "Măgura" Site or "Poiana Măgura" Site

  • Neolithic civil settlement

"Cârstor" Site

  • discoveries from 7th–9th centuries

References

  • The Cambridge Ancient History: Second Edition, by John Boardman (N. G. L. Hammond, D. M. Lewis, Frank William Walbank, A. E. Astin, Elizabeth Rawson, Edward Champlin, Andrew Lintott, Alan K. Bowman, J. A. Crook, Peter Garnsy, Dominic Rathbone), Cambridge University Press, 2000); ISBN 0-521-22496-9.
  • G. Schumacher-Matthäus, "Studien zu bronzezeitlichen Schmucktrachten im Karpatenbecken". Marburger Studien zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte 6 (Mainz 1985) 243; Karte 11
  • N. G. O. Boroffka, "Die Wietenberg-Kultur". Universitätsforschungen zur Prähistorischen Archäologie 19 (Bonn 1994) 46
  • Petri Mór, Szilágy vármegye monographiája [Sălaj County Monography] (I-VI, Budapest, 1901-1904)
  • Dionisie Stoica, Ioan P. Lazăr, "Schiţa monografică a Sălagiului" (Şimleul Silvaniei, 1908).
  • Sanda Băcueţ Crişan, Early Neolithic and Eneolithic in Şimleu Depression [Neoliticul şi eneoliticul timpuriu în Depresiunea Şimleului], doctoral thesis (Alba Iulia, 2007).
  • Dan Băcueţ Crişan, Depresiunea Silvaniei in secolele VII-XI, from Zeno Karl PINTER, Ioan Marian ŢIPLIC, Maria Emilia ŢIPLIC, (Sibiu, 2005), ISBN 973-709-158-2.
  • Victor Russu (1843-1910), "Silvania antica (Regio transvallana Daciae porolissensis)". Bulletin Societatea Geografică Română 10,3/4, 1889, 171–437 (388–391).
  • M. Moga, "Traiul populaţiei daco-romane şi barbare la grăniţa de vest a Daciei". Stud. şi Cerc. Istor. Veche 1, 1950, 131–135 (132).
  • I. H. Crişan, "Contribuţie la inceputurile ritului de incineraţie în Transilvania". Probleme Muzeogr. 1961, 169–178 (Nr.3)
  • N. Chidioşan, "Sincronismele apusene ale culturii Wietenberg stabilite pe baza importurilor ceramice". Crisia 4, 1974, 153–170 (156 Nr. 11)
  • Ioan Bejinariu, "Săpăturile arheologice de la Giurtelecu Şimleului – Coasta lui Damian (II)". Descoperirile culturii Wietenberg, în Ioan Cristian Popa, Gabriel Tiberiu Rustoiu (editori), Studii si cercetari arheologice (Omagiu profesorului Ioan Andritoiu cu prilejul împlinirii a 65 de ani), Alba Iulia, Editura „ALTIP”, 2005, p. 363–390.
  • Horea Pop, Fortificaţiile dacice din vestul şi nord-vestul României, Published by Editura Mega, 2006, ISBN 973-7867-42-4, 9789737867421, p. 91.

ro:Coasta lui Damian