Latest news with #MureșCountyMuseum
Miami Herald
16-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Metal detectorists find mysterious trove of ancient jewelry in Romania. See it
Two metal detectorists in Romania uncovered a trove of centuries-old silver jewelry, providing evidence of an ancient settlement in the region. In accordance with the law, they turned over their finds to the state, and the finds were then confirmed by the Mureș County Museum to be of Dacian origin, according to a news release from Breaza Municipality City Hall. The finds, weighing over one pound, included a bracelet, fibulae, or brooches, a necklace with a pendant and a belt with a plate decorated with celestial images, according to officials. Experts said the discovery is the first evidence of the existence of a Dacian settlement in the area of Breaza in central Romania. The artifacts may be close to 2,000 years old as Dacia existed in present-day Romania until the end of the first century, when it was conquered by the Roman empire. The elegant artifacts likely belonged to a high-ranking individual, possibly a member of the aristocracy, experts said. Officials said the jewelry may have been buried as an offering to a deity or as a way to hide valuables during times of trouble. The treasure will continue to be studied and documented before being put on display at the Mureș County Museum, officials said. Breaza is about a 70-mile drive northwest from Bucharest. TranslateGPT was used to translate the news releases from Breaza City Hall and the Mureș County Museum.
Fox News
15-04-2025
- Fox News
Ancient treasure found by metal detectorists in 'important' and legendary region
Two metal detectorists recently came across millennia-old treasure in a small European village. The discovery was made this spring in the Romanian commune of Breaza, Mureș County, which is located in Transylvania. Transylvania is famous for being the setting of Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula," as well as its connection to the brutal leader Vlad the Impaler. But the recent archaeological discovery was far from frightening. In a Facebook post, the Breaza Mures Municipality City Hall wrote that two finders named Dionisie-Aurel Moldovan and Sebastian-Adrian Zăhan came across the treasure, which dates back to the Dacians. The Dacians settled in present-day Romania in the 1st millennium B.C. The group unsuccessfully warred against the Roman Empire in the second century A.D., and Dacia became a Roman province in 106 A.D. Pictures show various silver artifacts that have been tarnished with age. In a statement, Romanian officials said the ancient adornments included two fibulae, or brooches, and one bracelet. The metal detectorists also found a smaller fibula, a neck chain with three pendant-like pins and a belt made of oval plates connected by a series of rings. Officials also identified a rectangular silver plate "decorated with a series of solar motifs," which also likely belonged to the belt. The Facebook post noted that the silver was "worn by a prominent member of the Dacian aristocracy on various special occasions," but officials are unsure whether the stash belonged to a man or a woman. The total weight of the silver was roughly 1.2 pounds. "The treasure, weighing approximately 550 grams, represented an important symbol of the social status of its owner," the translated statement read. "Its burial in the ground can be interpreted as an offering made to an unknown deity or merely as a hiding place during a difficult period in the life of [the owner]." The treasure is currently in the care of Mureș County Museum, where the artifacts will continue to be studied. The discovery delighted local officials, who said they were deeply proud of their local history. "These historical artifacts remind us of the cultural heritage and importance of our region in the history of Dacia," the post concluded. "This discovery honors and encourages us to proudly protect and promote our heritage."
