DEPOZITUL DE BRONZURI DE LA PIANU DE JOS
THE BRONZE HOARD FROM PIANU DE JOS

Summary/Abstract: Rescue excavations were carried out at the Pianu de Jos - ”Câmpul de Mijloc” site between 2009 and 2010. The site is located between Sibişeni and Pianu de Jos, on the left bank of the Pianu river. A bronze hoard deposited in a clay vessel was discovered at 0.35 m depth from the present-day ground. The bronze objects were deposited in a sack-shaped vessel of medium size, made of semi-fine paste, decorated with four knobs beneath the rim. The hoard consisted of 20 finished objects, complete and fragmentary, an oval ingot and 16 fragments of ingots. For a more accurate documentation, the hoard was recoverd in the pot and later dismantled in the restoration laboratory. The small pieces, such as pendants and beads were deposited at the bottom of the vessel. The socketed axes, the fragmentary loop, fragments of saw blades and sickle fragments were deposited in the middle of the vessel. The walls of the vessel were lined with ingot fragments. Fragments of ingots were deposited in the upper part of the vessel, and a casting fragment of oval shape, which closed the ensemble, was put over them. Two bronze hook sickles of different dimensions were discovered under the vessel. We have to stress that the vessel was inclined, leaning against these sickles and more river stones. The items of the hoard weigh more than seven kilos, of which the 16 ingot fragments represented more than half, followed by the bronze socketed axes. The bronze deposit from Pianu de Jos comprises two great groups of pieces: tools and jewelry. The tools are represented by the socketed axes, sickles and saw blades while jewelry includes pendants, the necklace fragment (?) and beads. From this point of view, the deposit is a mixed one, comprising both tools and jewelry. Chronologically, the bronze items and the vessel in which they were deposited have analogies in the Late Bronze discoveries, such as the Uriu-Domănești and Cincu-Suseni series of deposits and could be dated in the HaA1 period. We consider that the bronze deposit could be linked to the Cugir-Band group habitation in the Pianu de Jos site.

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