Archeological research in Roșia Montană

With the financial support of RMGC, over 80 specialists have researched 13 archaeological sites and discovered, with the help of the people within the community employed to participate in the research program, 10.000 artifacts which were preserved and the most notable of which will be displayed in the future Mining Museum.

The research works started in 2000, with funds from Roşia Montană Gold Corporation, with the participation of the teams of archaeologists from the National Union Museum of Alba Iulia and the National Historical Monuments Institute for the assessment of the archaeological and architectural potential of Roşia Montană.

In 2001 “Alburnus Maior” National Research Program was created by Order of the Romanian Ministry of Culture. Preventive archaeological researches were coordinated from a scientific point of view by the Romanian National History Museum (Bucharest) and authorized by the Ministry of Culture and Religious Denominations.

The main objectives of the interdisciplinary research program were:

• research of the archaeological heritage, registration of data resulting from archaeological digs and regional surveys (archaeological and mapping databases, digital imagery archives, etc.), as well as full publication of the research results in Alburnus Maior series or other specialized studies;
• research of Roman and medieval mining galleries, compilation of Inventories and proposals for solutions to preserve/restore representative parts;
• delimitation of the archaeological and architectural reservation area which is to include parts of the mining galleries and historical monument buildings;
• record-keeping and research of industrial heritage structures;
• production of an ethnographic study on Roşia Montană - Abrud - Corna area;
• production of an oral history study of the area;
• application of the archaeological discharge procedure for the sites located in the impact area of the mining project, in order to enable economic activities in the area;
• development of a project for developing the future museum dedicated to the mining activities in the area of Apuseni Mountains from the very early ages to present times.

Based on the outcomes of these researches, the representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Religious Denominations and National Heritage have made the decision to preserve in situ some representative structures and monuments, respectively to continue the research or apply the archaeological discharge procedure, in compliance with the law.

Team

Archaeological research is coordinated by the Romanian National History Museum, with the involvement of 21 Romanian and 3 foreign specialized institutions.

• Romanian National History Museum, Bucharest
• National Historical Monuments Institute, Bucharest
• “Vasile Parvan” Archaeological Institute of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest
• National History Museum of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca
• Institute of Archaeology and Arts History Cluj-Napoca, Romanian Academy
• National Union Museum, Alba Iulia
• Dacian and Roman Civilization Museum, Deva
• Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Cluj-Napoca
• Institute of Cultural Memory, Bucharest
• Romanian Centre for the use of Teledetection in Agriculture, Bucharest
• Institute of Systemic Archaeology, Alba Iulia
• University of Bucharest, Faculty of History
• “Iulian Antonescu” County Museum of History, Bacau
• Centre for Training, Life-Long Education and Management in the field of Culture, Bucharest
• Bucovina Complex of Museums, Suceava
• “Gheorghe Brătianu” Centre of Oral History; Bucharest
• Opus – Atelier de Arhitectura SRL
• GeoEcoMar SRL
• Gei-PROSECO SRL
• NHN EcoINVEST SRL
• Intel91 SRL
• INTERGIS SRL
• Doris Art SRL
• University of Toulouse “Le Mirail”, France
• National Scientific Research Centre (CNRS), France
• Technical University of Munich, Germany

Alburnus Maior monographic series

Publication of scientific volumes (bilingual versions in Romanian and English) within Alburnus Maior monographic series. Five scientific research volumes have been published so far, while another 14 will follow in the near future (in Romanian and English):

• Alburnus Maior I – Results of the preventive archaeological researches between 2000-2001 – published in 2003
• Alburnus Maior II – Funerary Monument from Tău Găuri – published in 2005
• Alburnus Maior III – Roman necropolis from Tăul Corna – published in 2008
• Anthropos I – Roşia Montană. Ethnological study – published in 2004
• Anthropos II – Roşia Montană Exploitation. Economic investments and social-cultural realities (1919-1948) – published in 2007
• C. Tamas – Structures of endogenous breccias (breccia pipe – breccia dyke) and metal and rock composition of Roşia Montană deposit, Metaliferi Mountains, Romania – published in 2008

The results of „Alburnus Maior” National Archaeological Research Program were presented during various conferences, roundtables, workshops and prestigious national and international exhibitions.

ArcheologyClick on the photo to enlarge it