# Treasures of Romania



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*
Treasures unearthed in Romania*









Source: Marea Enciclopedie a Dacilor​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*Pietroasele Treasure, Romania

*​
The Pietroasele Treasure, nicknamed "The hatching hen and the golden chicken" was found in Pietroasele, Buzău, Romania, in 1837, is a late fourth-century Gothic treasure that included some twenty-two objects of gold, weighing 27 kg, out of which 12 pieces weighing 18,795 kg were recovered. It was the star of the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. It was also exhibited in London (1868) and Vienna (1872). It was the greatest treaure of gold until the discovery of Tutankhamon. Now the greatest part of treasure is seen at The National Museum in Bucharest. 


On one of the pieces is the inscription "gutaniowi hailag" which was translated as variants of the formula "the sacred inheritance of Goths".

It is supposed by some historians that the treasure belonged to the Gothic king Athanaric whose center of power was here, in Buzău Mountains and it was buried in an attempt to hide it from the Huns, who had defeated the Gothic Greuthungi north of the Black Sea and began moving down into Dacia around 375.









Source









Source









Source​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós, Romania*
(Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna)​

The Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós (also called the Treasure of Sânnicolau Mare) is a valuable collection of twenty-three early medieval gold vessels, found in 1799 in Nagyszentmiklós, Kingdom of Hungary in the Habsburg Empire (now Sânnicolau Mare in Romania). The treasure was soon transferred to Vienna, the capital of the empire, where it has been ever since. Recently, Romania have issued requests to the Austrian government for its "repatriation".

The treasure, consisting of twenty-three pure gold vessels weighing a total of 10 kg and variously dated from the 6th to the 10th century, was found in 1799 in the vicinity of Sânnicolau Mare. The figure of the "victorious Prince" dragging a prisoner along by his hair, and the mythological scene at the back of the golden jar, as well as the design of other ornamental objects, show close affinities with finds at Novi Pazar, Bulgaria and at Sarkel, Russia. Stylistically, Central Asian, Persian-Sassanid and Byzantine influences are predominant.

Scholars have connected the treasure with the Avar khaganate. The newest researches show direct connections to Avar origin.
According to professor Nykola Mavrodinov (based on Vilhelm Thomsen), the script on vessel number 21 is in Bulgar, written with Greek letters, surrounding a cross, and reads, “Boyl Zoapan made this vessel. Butaul Zoapan intended it for drinking.” 




























Source: Wikimedia Commons​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Dacian Helmet of Coţofeneşti, Romania*
(National History Museum Bucharest)​
The Golden Helmet of Coţofeneşti is a Geto-Dacian helmet dating from the first half of the 4th century BC. In 1929, a child named Traian Simion uncovered the helmet by chance on the territory of the village of Poiana Coţofeneşti (now called Poiana Vărbilău), Prahova County, Romania.

Almost a kilogram heavy, the gold helmet is very well-preserved, missing only the part of its skull cap. The form of the helmet and its decorations reveal the autochthonous character of this Geto-Dacian artwork. Helmet decorations depict a range of mythical creatures, and an illustration, on either cheek-piece, of a ritual enactment.


















From Wikimedia Commons​


----------



## Yellow Fever (Jan 3, 2008)

^^ one kg = 2.2 lbs, this helmet actually isn't that heavy!


----------



## detlheacon (Sep 19, 2011)

Nice Collection. Great!!!!
seo services


----------



## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

Nice thread....nice pics and informative write-ups, thanks.


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

Thank you guys!^^

*The Treasure of Agighiol
National History Museum Bucharest*​
Found in 1931 a tomb of a Dacian prince not far form Histria (Dobruja). In the outher chamber were found the skeletons of horses, with the hammered silver plaques of their rich harness. The inner chamber contained the entire silver treasure of the prince himself. One of the vases is inscribed "Cotys", prince's name. The tomb and treasure are from 4th century BCE.








From Marea Enciclopedie a Dacilor









From Wikimedia Commons









From Marea Enciclopedie a Dacilor​


----------



## buho (Sep 15, 2008)

Nice thread!


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

Thank you!^^
*
Treasure of Peretu
National History Museum Bucharest​*​
In 1971 Alexander Tran from the Peretu village, Teleorman county (Southern Romania) discovered in the area called "The Springs" a Thraco-Getic tomb about 2,500 years old. In tomb it was buried a figure of the local aristocracy. The tomb had two chambers: in the first there was a human skeleton surrounded by various items of pottery, iron knives, arrowheads, gilded silver objects, bronze vessels. In the second room it was discovered that the warrior was not buried alone: ​​there were the skeletons of two horses, two hunting dogs, a cow and a car with four iron wheels. Overall more than 50 gold plated silver objects, including a gilded silver helmet about. 750 grams. Most of the pieces are currently exhibited at the National Museum of History.









From cercetati.blogspot.com









From Wikimedia Commons​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*Treasure of Băiceni
National History Museum Bucharest*​
Incidentally discovered by locals in 1959 in the village Băiceni, Iasi County, and recovered starting in 1961 by the History Museum of Moldavia. The treasure has a weight of 2.5 kg of precious metal (gold). Composed of a helmet, a bracelet, a belt and a number of brackets.









From Wikimedia Commons









From Wikimedia Commons​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Helmet from Iron Gates
Detroit Institute of Arts, USA​*
The Helmet of Iron Gates is a Geto-Dacian silver helmet dating from the 4th century BC, housed in the Detroit Institute of Arts, USA.

It probably comes from Iron Gates area, in the Mehedinţi County, Romania. Formerly it was in the collection of Franz Tau, Vienna.

The helmet is similar to the Helmet of Coţofeneşti and other three Getian gold or silver helmets discovered so far.









From Wikimedia Commons​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Dacian Bracelets from Sarmisegetusa Regia (remains of Decebalus Treasure)
National History Musem Bucharest*​
The Classic Dacian period ends when parts of the Dacian State were reduced to a Roman province by the Roman Empire under Trajan, partly in order to seize its gold mines. After the Second Dacian War (105–106 AD) Romans had looted 165,000 kilograms (363,762 pounds) of gold and 300,000 kilograms (661,386 pounds) of silver in a single haul, as estimated by modern historians. This amount seems credible in terms of the Dacian exploitation of precious metals in the Apuseni Mountains along with trade payments and tributes from abroad. Its existence in only one spot (at Sarmizegethusa), suggests that there was a central control of precious metal circulation.

According to the majority of historians this sort of monopoly of precious metals, and the Roman's forcible collection of Dacian gold objects, explains the scarcity of archaeological discoveries consisting of golden ornaments for the period between the 3rd century BC – 1st century AD; however, the existence of the "Treasures of Dacian kings" has been confirmed by the latest archaeological finds of large gold spiral-shaped bracelets from Sarmizegetusa. It seems that the Romans did not find the entire royal treasure.

Some two dozen of the gold multi-spiral zoomorphic-headed bracelets were discovered by archaeological looting in different spots in the area of Sarmisegetusa Regia, in the Orăștie Mountains. By 2011, twelve out of the twenty-four looted gold bracelets had been recovered (some with the help of Interpol and FBI) and are housed at the Romanian National History Museum in Bucharest.

These gold bracelets, adorned with leaves and snake heads, weigh around 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) each.


















From Wikipedia​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Gepid Treasures from Apahida
National History Museum Bucharest*​
In the village of Apahida (Cluj county) have been made important archaeological discoveries, including two tombs with treasures belonging to two Gepid princes or kings from 5th century CE. One of the tombs was found in 1889 and consists of a coffin containing the body of a man wearing a ring with the name Omharus inscribed on it. The tomb contained numerous specific Gepidic ornaments. This treasure is now at the History Museum in Budapest. 

A second hoard was discovered in 1968, 300 m from the first. This second treasure, much richer than the first, contained the tomb of a man who was identified by existing accessories as another Gepid ruler. The two thesauri have led to the assumption that the area they are leaders of an inhumation cemetery Gepid, hypothesis confirmed by the fact that in 1978 a villager in the area discovered another ornament ornamental chance similar to those found in the first two treasures. 

The Gepids first appeared in the Roman World when they accompanied the Goths in an invasion of Dacia in the 260's AD but even after the province was abandoned by Rome, a decade later, they did not take possession of it. They settled, instead, east of the River Tisza where they were subjugated first by the Ostrogoths, then, along with them, by the Huns (in AD 375). The Gepids provided Attila with the largest of all his 'allied' contingents and their king, Ardaric, was the most favoured of all the great Hun's vassals. They proved staunch allies and formed the right wing of the Hunnic army at the Battle of Châlons (or the 'Catalaunian Fields') in 451. But after Attila's death, it was the Gepids, still led by Ardaric, who led the alliance of rebel Germans and Sarmatians, which overthrew Hunnic domination at the Battle of the Nedao in 454. It was this victory which provided the Gepids with a homeland in the eastern Carpathians as allies of Rome. 










From cercetati.blogspot.com

*Golden sword*

Sword by Rien Bongers, on Flickr


*Golden buckle*

Golden buckle by Rien Bongers, on Flickr
​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Tiaras from Galeşu Mare
1000 BCE, National History Museum Bucharest*​
The two tiaras (a form of crown) from Galeşu Mare (Constanţa county) belonged to some princes from Early Iron Age. 








From cercetati.blogspot.com​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Hunnic diadem from Gherăseni
Early 5th century CE, County Museum Buzău*​

The diadem belonged to a Hunnic princess. 

In 375 the Huns chased away the Goths from Dacia and from their capital in Buzău Mountains.








From Cimec website​


----------



## city_of_joy (Sep 29, 2009)

*The Perșinari Treasure
1600 BCE, National History Museum Bucharest*​
A number of buried treasures from the Bronze Age testify for the wealth of Carpathian society in this period. A good example is the Perșinari treasure (Dâmbovița county), consisting of eleven gold daggers in graduated weights, one gold sword and another fragmented gold dagger, leading to the suggestion that they represent various denominations of a substitute for money in the days coinage wasn't invented. The pieces are not from pure gold but for electrum (70% gold) and weight 4 kg totally.









From cercetati.blogspot.com​


----------



## AnOldBlackMarble (Aug 23, 2010)

Wow, I did not know about most of these. Another great thread. Thanks City.


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

Gold Treasures from Bronze Age
*National History Museum Bucharest*



















cercetati.blogspot.com​


----------



## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Good thread :cheers:

Bulgaria and Romania are filled with ancient Treasures :banana:


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

Ulpia-Serdica said:


> Good thread :cheers:
> 
> Bulgaria and Romania are filled with ancient Treasures :banana:


Thanks!

Unfortunately, most of Dacia's gold was stolen By Romans after the conquest of Sarmisegetusa and later by Austro-Hungarians. What we see now in the museum is infinitesimal comparing to what we could have:

_
A Byzantine historian compiling Getica wrote that the Decebal Treasure had 5,000,000 lbs (2,200 tonnes) of gold and 10,000,000 lbs (4,500 tonnes) of silver. Some modern historians, such as Julian Bennett believe that this is copy error. Still if the real treasure was one-tenth those figures, its value is still the equivalent of 160 million denarii.

Jérôme Carcopino has estimated the treasure at 165,500 kg of gold and 331,000 kg of silver. Between 1540 and 1759 in Sarmizegetusa Regia 700 kg of gold was recovered, *much more was discovered in the 19th century*_. 

Wikipedia

_
The Dacian spoils must have contributed immensely to the flourishing of the economic, social and constructive activities of the Roman Empire. Before his wars against Decebalus, Trajan had been forced to take harsh measures to save the finances of the state, left in a poor condition by his predecessors, but now he passes to sudden unlimited expenditure: *draining the Pontine Marshes, extending Italy’s ports, building a new aqueduct to provide water to Rome, remaking in Egypt the channel between the Nile and the Red Sea, increasing the army by founding two new legions, preparing the great war against the Parthes of 113 – 117*, renouncing certain taxes, giving to the Roman people grand and long performances, allotting to the poor considerable grants, but, above all, *building in the middle of the City the incomparable Forum Ulpium, with magnificent edifices* and with his Column itself, whose relief depicts the Dacian wars we are so interested in._

wildcarpathia.com


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)




----------



## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

PRIMEVAL said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Unfortunately, most of Dacia's gold was stolen By Romans after the conquest of Sarmisegetusa and later by Austro-Hungarians. What we see now in the museum is infinitesimal comparing to what we could have:


The lands of the Thracians and the Dacians were rich in the antiquity. Unfortunately, due to illegal digs made by looters many of the archaeological treasures are shipped abroad. Have a look at the Treasure of Bulgaria thread in my signature, we can clearly see many similarities between Thracian and Dacian culture :cheers:


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

Ulpia-Serdica said:


> The lands of the Thracians and the Dacians were rich in the antiquity. Unfortunately, due to illegal digs made by looters many of the archaeological treasures are shipped abroad. Have a look at the Treasure of Bulgaria thread in my signature, we can clearly see many similarities between Thracian and Dacian culture :cheers:


I know your thread, in fact it was the source of inspiration for mine :cheers:. The Thracian and Dacian art were almost identical, especially in 5-4th centuries BCE. Clearly it was the conscience of a common origin.


----------



## TracoRomanul (Mar 14, 2011)

^^

not common origin, in fact same people.

source Herodot


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

Yes, as long as they spoke the same language.

And returning to the treasures, there are many other interesting pieces or collections but there is an almost total lack of images on internet. In fact I found only one blog with some not very good pictures and some other disparate images. I would like to have some images of the Dacian Sâncrăieni Treasure and others, but couldn't find.



Crown of Queen Elisabeta (1881-1916)
*Bucharest National History Museum*










cercetati.blogspot.com​


----------



## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

nice updates....:cheers2:


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

National History Museum Treasure Room






National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​








*Neolithic Gold Treasure from Moigrad* 

National History Museum Bucharest - Moigrad (Sălaj County) gold treasure (4th millenium BCE) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Moigrad (Sălaj County) gold treasure (4th millenium BCE) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​










*Perșinari (Dâmbovița County) Gold Daggers Treasure*


National History Museum Bucharest - Perșinari (Dâmbovița County) gold treasure (~1600 BCE) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​








*Tiaras (crowns) from Galeșu Mare* 


National History Museum Bucharest - Galeșu Mare (Constan'a County) gold tiaras (~1000 BCE) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​








*Other treasures from Bronze and Iron Ages* (2000 -700 BCE)


National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

*Dacian Gold Helmet form Poiana Coțofenești *


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold helmet from Poiana Coțofenești (Prahova County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold helmet from Poiana Coțofenești (Prahova County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold helmet from Poiana Coțofenești (Prahova County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold helmet from Poiana Coțofenești (Prahova County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold helmet from Poiana Coțofenești (Prahova County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​











*Dacian Silver Treasure from Agighiol*


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr




National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Agighiol (Tulcea County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

*Dacian Gold Treasure from Stâncești and Cucuteni - Băiceni* 


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold treasures from Stâncești and Cucuteni - Băiceni by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold treasure from Stâncești (Botoșani County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold treasure from Cucteni - Băiceni (Iași County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​










*Dacian silver Rhyton from Poroina* (Mehedinți County), 4th century BCE


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver rython from Poroina (Mehedinți County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​










*Dacian silver Treasure from Peretu* (Teleorman County), 5th century BCE


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Peretu (Teleorman County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr




National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Peretu (Teleorman County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Peretu (Teleorman County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Peretu (Teleorman County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Peretu (Teleorman County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

*Dacian silver Treasure from Sâncrăieni* (Harghita County), 1st century BCE - 1st century CE


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Sâncrăieni (Harghita County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Sâncrăieni (Harghita County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Sâncrăieni (Harghita County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian silver treasure from Sâncrăieni (Harghita County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​










*Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmisegetusa Regia* 


National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmisegetusa Regia (Hunedoara County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr





National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmisegetusa Regia (Hunedoara County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Dacian gold bracelets from Sarmisegetusa Regia (Hunedoara County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​













*Other Dacian silver Treasures* from Surcea (Covasna, Coada Malului (Prahova) and Bucharest - Herăstrău. The last ones depict some real person and as they belonged to Burebista's time and the area were his capital was, some historians supposed they might depict him. 


National History Museum Bucharest by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

*Roman and later discoveries*


National History Museum Bucharest - Roman gold artefacts by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

*Gothic Treasure from Pietroasele* 


National History Museum Bucharest - Gothic Treasure from Pietroasele by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Gothic Treasure from Pietroasele by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Gothic Treasure from Pietroasele by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Gothic Treasure from Pietroasele by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​












*Gepid Treasures 1 and 2 from Apahida* (Cluj County), 5th century CE, gold and silver. 


National History Museum Bucharest by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Gepid Treasures 1 and 2 from Apahida (Cluj County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr



National History Museum Bucharest - Gepid Treasures 1 and 2 from Apahida (Cluj County) by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​







*Fibulae from Migration period*. The first is from Coșoveni (Dolj County), dates from 7th century and belonged probably to Slavs. The second is from Someșeni (Cluj County), dates from 5th century and belonged to Gepids.


National History Museum Bucharest by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr


National History Museum Bucharest by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## PRIMEVAL (Oct 4, 2011)

I forgot this one:




In left part of the show case there are some discoveries from Transylvania (7th century BCE) and one from Tăușeu (Bihor County) from 10th century BCE




In the middle panel and the entire right part is the big* Treasure from Hinova* (Mehedinți County), 5 kg :nuts: of gold from 12th century BCE. 



Is the biggest prehistorical gold treasure from Romania and one of the biggest in the world (to my knowledge, only the one in Varna, Bulgaria is bigger).



National History Museum Bucharest - by CARPATHIANLAND, on Flickr​


----------



## CornelM (Jun 23, 2013)




----------



## CornelM (Jun 23, 2013)

Images of Sibiu in South Transylvania


----------

