Un pumnal scitic descoperit la Buciumeni, judeţul Galaţi
A Scythian Dagger Found at Buciumeni, Galaţi County

Summary/Abstract: In 1965, at the Mixed Museum from Tecuci, Galati County, an iron dagger, of akinakes type, was brought. It was found accidentally, during some agricultural works, in the village of Buciumeni. We don't know the archeological context of its discovery, nor the exact place where it was found. Being accidentally discovered, no precise dating of the dagger is possible; we can only date it by analogy with other items of akinakes type found in Moldavia. The dagger, although eaten by rust, is fully preserved. After the application of a conservation treatment, all the characteristics of this type of dagger could be seen. It belongs to the well known type of akinakes with a hilt guard at the haft and a horizontal bar, usually found in Moldavia, the other category of akinakes being the one with a haft that ends in antennas. A typological classification was done by Prof. Alexandru Vulpe, based on the items discovered at Ferigele. Prof. Vulpe dated those items between 550-450 B.C., more precisely in the first half of this period. Analyzing all the information regarding this type of dagger and correlating it with our discovery, we may date the Scitic dagger discovered at Buciumeni in the period beteween the second half of VIth century and the first half of the Vth century B.C.. Analogies for this dagger we can find in Moldavia, at Bălăbăneşti (Galaţi county); Bâcu, commune Ipatele (Iaşi county); Bârseşti (Vrancea county); Găneşti, commune Cavadineşti (Galaţi county); Măcişeni, commune Corni (Galaţi county). Although the daggers accidentally found in Moldavia belong to the Scythian type of daggers, they can't represent a proof for the Scythian presence in Moldavia. They rather reveal the use of Scythian weapons by the local population from Moldavia or indicate the production of such weapons in some centers outside the Scythian boundaries , imitating the type of daggers specific to the Scythian fighters.

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