The new structure of the dava at Popeşti (Giurgiu County, southern Romania, 2nd century BC – ca. AD 6), based on the 2019–2020 preventive excavations. The first data
The new structure of the dava at Popeşti (Giurgiu County, southern Romania, 2nd century BC – ca. AD 6), based on the 2019–2020 preventive excavations. The first data

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this preliminary report on the preventive excavations carried out in 2019–2020 in Settlement B of the well‑known dava at Popeşti (Giurgiu County, in southern Romania) – the site identified by Radu Vulpe with Argedava – is to draw attention to the changes that need to be made to our previous image of the structure of the dava as well as to the fact that the area that is the source of this new information – the cemetery of the modern village – is gradually being destroyed by ongoing burials while the resources available for the rescue of the archaeological data are meagre in comparison to the importance of the findings. The pre‑ and post‑dava habitations will not be discussed here. Even those belonging to the dava period are presented selectively, and based mainly on the observations made during the excavations, as so far the vast majority of the artefacts could not be cleaned, let alone interpreted. What emerged from the 2019–2020 excavations in the cemetery area is that Settlement B was not used exclusively for habitation by commoners, as previously believed, as it had specialized neighbourhoods for public rituals (with large buildings and decorated hearths), possibly iron metallurgy, and certainly wine production and trade. Thus, the dava is a much more complex urban settlement than previously envisaged. These data potentially contribute to a better understanding of the economic, social and political processes that led to the extraordinary achievement that was the formation of the first Dacian state. However, unless urgent measures for preservation and/or research are taken, a large part of the still available information will be lost forever

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