Centuries-old buried treasure unearthed by 2 metal detectorists in Transylvania
Two men with metal detectors recently discovered a trove of ancient treasure in Transylvania, which shed new light on early settlements in the storied historical region,
local officials said
. Encompassing much of present-day Romania, Transylvania is known for its medieval towns, Gothic architecture and vampiric folklore, with a mythical reputation tied to the fictional character Dracula and his real-life inspiration, the notorious 15th-century ruler Vlad the Impaler.
The treasure unearthed this spring in the Transylvanian town of Breaza dates back much farther than the brutal monarch's reign. In an announcement shared last week, officials in Breaza said the metal detectorists found jewelry that originally belonged to
Dacian people
, who inhabited what is now Transylvania and some of its surrounding areas from around the 1st century B.C.E. until the 1st century of the common era. Dacia was eventually conquered by the Roman Empire.
Silver brooches and a bracelet decorated with plant motifs were among the artifacts discovered, in addition to a chain necklace and a belt constructed out of circular metallic pendants, each marked with solar symbols. The treasure weighed 550 grams altogether, officials said, equating to more a pound.
The Mures County Museum, near Breaza, confirmed the jewelry's origins in ancient Dacian society. An archaeologist at the museum, Daniel Ciota, will study the treasure as it is prepared for display.
Officials in Breaza said the silver pieces were likely worn by a Dacian aristocrat, citing its lavishness as a signal of its owner's status, potentially as a "high-ranking" member of their society. As for why the jewels were ultimately buried in the ground, the officials suggested they could have been used as offerings to some unknown deity long ago. However, they also acknowledged someone may have hidden them for more personal reasons.
There were no previous records of Dacian settlements in this part of Transylvania, and the treasure is the first physical evidence off Dacian people living around Breaza. Moving forward, officials said archaeologists and researchers will begin to explore the area in hopes of finding remnants of a settlement where the owner of the jewels may have lived.
"These historical artifacts remind us of the cultural heritage and importance of our region in the history of Dacia," the town of Breaza wrote in
a social media post
unveiling the treasure. "This discovery honors and encourages us to proudly protect and promote our heritage."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
WWII bombs found in Cologne, Germany prompt evacuations
WWII bombs found in Cologne, Germany prompt evacuations Show Caption Hide Caption WWII unexploded bomb found near tracks in Paris, passengers stranded Passengers' commutes were affected after an unexploded World War II bomb was found under the tracks at Gare du Nord station in Paris. Tens of thousands were evacuated from a German city Wednesday after the discovery of three unexploded bombs in the city center left over from WWII. The operation in Cologne, located in western Germany, is the largest evacuation in the city since the end of the fighting in Europe in 1945, city officials said. More than 20,000 people including residents, workers and hotel guests were cleared from parts of the city's old town and central Deutz district, Reuters reported, spanning a zone slightly larger than a half-mile. The evacuation began at 8 a.m. local time, impacting morning commutes in a bustling riverfront area of the city. Three American bombs, each with impact fuses, were found Monday, June 2 during construction work in a shipyard on the bank of the Rhine River, according to a statement from city officials. They are two American 20-ton bombs and one American 10-ton bomb. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service of the Düsseldorf District Government is expected to defuse the three unexploded bombs Wednesday, the statement said. More: When did World War II start? The deadliest international conflict explained. Unexploded bombs not uncommon in Germany Unexploded bombs are often found in Germany, where many major cities sustained heavy damage during the war. Central Cologne in particular was nearly decimated in 1942 as the first target of the British Royal Airforce's "thousand bomber raids," famously leaving the city's renowned Gothic cathedral nearly unscathed. City officials estimate 20,500 people plus a large number of workers are affected by the roughly 3,200-foot evacuation radius, which includes one hospital, two retirement homes, a train station, museums and event centers including the famous Philharmonic Hall, numerous large companies and several public transportation stops. Many restaurants, nine schools, 58 hotels and several daycare centers are also among the list of evacuated locations, the statement said. Contributing: Reuters. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Netflix's sweary Dept Q detective felt 'liberating' for Matthew Goode to play
Dept Q detective Carl Morck hasn't got many friends, in fact he probably hasn't got any because he's rude, prickly, and has a knack for rubbing people up the wrong way — but that's exactly what made him "liberating" to play for actor Matthew Goode, he tells Yahoo UK. The Netflix crime drama centres on Goode's grizzly detective, who has recently returned to work after being shot in an attack that left his partner paralysed and another policeman dead. In a bid to keep him out of the way, Carl's boss sends him to the basement as the head of a new cold case unit where Carl is joined by fellow exiles Akram (Alexej Manvelov) and Rose (Leah Byrne) and they begin by looking into the odd disappearance of a civil servant four years earlier. Carl is snarky, sarcastic, and full of rage, the kind of person you wouldn't want to cross because you wouldn't know how he'd react. It's a very different character to any Goode has played before, and that's why he enjoyed it so much: "Oh God, I mean [it was] so much fun, as long as it made sense. I mean, it's very rare that you get to behave in that kind of way in real life. "So, it was quite liberating and I just had zingers left, right and centre. I was gonna say I was amazed they could actually cut a trailer together because obviously it's quite colourful language a lot of the time from Carl. But yeah, [it was] a lot of fun." The series is based on Jussi Adler-Olsen's crime novels of the same name, but with a twist, as creator Scott Frank has transported the story from Denmark to Scotland in surprising ways. "That was another thing was quite liberating," Goode reflects. "Scott said to me, he said because he's transposed it from Copenhagen to Edinburgh and he's made the original lead character English to make him an outsider he said 'most of it's not gonna work. So let's just discuss what Carl's history might be.' "So I didn't know [where it would go next]. So you get these scripts through, and I didn't actually know what was going on until it was revealed." "I did read them," Goode jokes. "Obviously! But it was the fact that there's a lot of [moving parts], it's a really intelligent, nuanced, there's so many strong characters, so many strong female characters." It was setting the story in Scotland that appealed most to their co-star Chloe Pirrie, who plays prosecutor Merritt in the series, because Edinburgh feels like the perfect location for a dark crime drama of this nature. "There's something that's Gothic and modern [about Scotland]," she explains. "It's a small place and there's a lot of crime, the High Court is in Edinburgh specifically and there's a lot of high profile cases that are tried. "There's this dark underbelly in Edinburgh. It's a city that has this very like pretty edifice and a lot of people go there for tourism and Harry Potter, all the things that people love to see, but there is so much history, there's so much darkness... there's a city under a city. "There's so much there and it's got such a rich history, so I think it's got this sense of they're in a basement, they're unearthing things and bringing them to the surface. "And I think with Edinburgh it's quite delicious because Edinburgh has this contradiction — there's a big wealth but it's a very specific city, I think people don't necessarily always see its cool texture. And for that reason, the show was quite exciting." Dept Q premieres on Netflix on Thursday, 29 May.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Three injured after man accidentally shoots the ground at shooting range
SALT LAKE CITY () — Three older adult men were injured after an accidental discharge at a Salt Lake City shooting range, according to police. Salt Lake City Police Department said that a 79-year-old man, a 78-year-old, and an 84-year-old were shooting skeet at the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range. This range is managed by the (DWR) and is located on the southwest side of Salt Lake City. According to SLCPD, the 79-year-old man experienced a malfunction with his shotgun. While he was trying to clear the malfunction, he accidentally fired it while it was pointing at the ground, and two rounds were discharged. Draper police investigating 'urban explorers' who climbed 16-story structure at aquarium after hours Faith Jolley, a spokesperson with DWR, stated that the man's foot was hit, and his two friends were injured by ricocheting BBs. He drove himself to a local hospital before police arrived at the shooting range, according to SLCPD. They described his foot injury as 'moderate.' The two friends who were struck sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene and released. DWR said that nobody involved received any life-threatening injuries. Safety tips about firearms are available on . They advise the following safety guidelines when using a firearm. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you have made the decision to fire. Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to shoot. Know your target, your target's environment, and any other safety hazard before you fire. Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. Three injured after man accidentally shoots the ground at shooting range Convicted killer receives life sentence for 2021 murder of his girlfriend Disneyland's castle collection: Gothic fonts, gold details, and everyday magic West Jordan wins first state softball title Visionary Homes offering $30K incentives, 4.99% rates, and new homes ready now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
