CERCETĂRILE ARHEOLOGICE DIN SITUL DACIC DE LA VALEA LUPULUI, JUD. BUZĂU
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FROM THE DACIAN SITE AT VALEA LUPULUI, BUZĂU COUNTY

Summary/Abstract: The Dacian settlement at Valea Lupului is located on the right side of Buzău middle river, in an area with high hills on both sides of the river. The site is divided into two distinct units: a rocky spur of truncated cone shape, called Chichilău by the locals, and a high terrace of the Buzău river called La Pod, which starts at the base of Chichilău and runs about 750 m to the north-west, interrupted by a deep torrent called Valea Rea.The Chichilău peak, with a maximum height of 464 m, has three very steep sides, namely the north, south and west sides. To the east the slope is more gentle, this being the only access point. The plateau on Chichilău has a size of about 33 x 25 m, towards the south it is higher, rocky and towards the north-west it is strongly affected by erosion. To the east and northeast there are two terraces, conventionally called Terrace 1 and Terrace 2, most likely of anthropogenic origin. The first research was conducted in 1986 by Dragomir Popovici and George Trohani, who mapped several sections and surveys on La Pod terrace and Chichilău. Between 2019-2022, 11 archaeological surveys and cross-sections were carried out, amounting to more than 40 square meters, in order to obtain data on the stratigraphy and substance of the archaeological deposits, all concentrated in the area of Chichilău hill. The investigations was carried out as part of the research project Hidden Landscapes: Exploratory Remote-sensing for the Archaeology of the Lost Roads, Borders and Battlefields of South-Eastern Carpathians (HiLands).Archaeological research has revealed a fairly substantial habitation documented by building remains or rubbish pits. The archaeological material is quite rich, the most important being the ceramic material. The ceramic vessels discovered come from all forms of Geto-Dacian pottery such as: jars, rushlight cups, fruit bowls, mugs, bowls, kantharoi, colanders, lids, kraters or vessels with tube. As far as imports are concerned, the only ceramic materials come from amphorae with simple or bifid (PseudoCos type) handles. Metal finds are much fewer. These include a strongly profiled fibula, a Nauheim-type fibula, a silver earring with an amber bead hanging from it, a Roman denarius minted in 86 BC and three iron knife blades. According to the material discovered during the excavations, the settlement dates back to the second half of the 1st century BC, most probably in the Augustan period and lasted throughout the 1st century AD.The nearest Dacian sites in the Buzău Valley lie at Târcov - Piatra cu lilieci, located 18 km east and Buda Crăciunești - Fântâna Hoților located 20 km southeast. Both sites are located downstream, on heights overlooking the Buzău valley, presenting habitation characteristics similar to those at Valea Lupului, i.e. dominant heights and man-made or natural inhabited terraces around them. As the Buzău river flows out of the hills, at the meeting point with the plains lies the Cârlomănești dava and to the south-west the site of Pietroasa Mică - Gruiu Dării.Although surface research has been carried out, there are no known Dacian sites upstream of the settlement at Valea Lupului, which means that possible communication routes along the Buzău or Bâsca valley, towards Brașov depression and the fortress of Covasna, were not in use at that time or cannot be documented at this stage of research. However, for the 1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D. a communication axis between Wallachia and Brașov Depression can be documented, on the Teleajen Valley through Tabla Buții pass, which was also used by the Romans during and after the Roman conquest. There are two important Dacian sites in the Teleajen Valley, as recently documented by archaeological excavations within the HiLands project. All these data, together with other recent discoveries in the area, suggest a possible link between Valea Lupului and Teleajen Valley. Here we have in mind the Dacian site of Valea Cătinei - Piatra Rotării recently discovered and investigated and the hoard of 81 Roman Republican denarii discovered at Chiojdu in 2022.

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