ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FROM THE SITES COŢATCU ‐ CETĂŢUIA (2019 CAMPAIGN) Cover Image

CERCETĂRILE ARHEOLOGICE DIN SITUL DE LA COȚATCU – CETĂȚUIA (CAMPANIA 2019)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FROM THE SITES COŢATCU ‐ CETĂŢUIA (2019 CAMPAIGN)

Author(s): Laurențiu Grigoraș, Daniel Garvăn, Cătălin Dinu
Subject(s): Archaeology, Prehistory
Published by: Muzeul Judetean Buzău
Keywords: Coţatcu - Cetăţuia; tell-settlement; Starčevo-Criş culture; Stoicani-Aldeni cultural group; Bronze Age;

Summary/Abstract: The site is located in the hilly area, at about 2 km North-West from the edge of Coţatcu village (Podgoria Commune, Buzău County), at the base of the terrace near to the valley of the brook with the same name. Coţatcu - Cetăţuia site was discovered in 1971 when the land slides affected this area. First archaeological excavations were carried on between 1973-1974, led by Vasile Drâmbocianu. In 2006 new investigations started and continued until 2010. The trenches (P1-P3) investigated during these five campaigns had as main objective to establish the tell stratigraphy and its cultural evolution. The maximum thickness of the cultural settlement, measured on section P1, is about 3.20 m. The preliminary observations indicated the existence of five main sequences: the first (placed at the tell base) belonging to Starčevo-Criş culture and the last four to Stoicani-Aldeni cultural group. This is one of the rare tell settlement, researched so far, which has at its base such an early habitation level.This kind of tell, with such a consistent anthropic layer, is rarelly found within the Stoicani-Aldeni cultural group area. Most likely as a consequence of being placed in the interference area between Gumelniţa and Cucuteni cultures, Coţatcu site distinguishes itself by some “synthesis” ceramic materials which are clearly different from the mentioned cultures artifacts.The research of Coţatcu site was resumed in 2019, the main objective being the off tell investigation. To this end, the trench carried out in this campaign (S1), was partially traced to cover the terrace area near the tell. Starčevo-Criş ceramic sherds were discovered here, indicating that the neolithic settlement occupied a larger area than the eneolithic tell.Along with the identification of the Starčevo-Criş ceramic sherds in the off tell area (not only at its base), another novelty related to the S1 research is the finding of a few ceramic fragments belonging to the Bronze Age (Monteoru culture, phases Ic3 – Ic2). Although the discovery of such materials had been mentioned in the area of Coţatcu village, it is for the first time when Monteoru ceramic sherds are identified in the site of Coţatcu - Cetăţuia.

  • Issue Year: 2021
  • Issue No: 24
  • Page Range: 25-56
  • Page Count: 32
  • Language: Romanian