Romanian Police recover Dacian artifacts, investigate looting

25 June 2020

Police officers in Alba county, in central Romania, have recovered from one individual more than 155 Dacian artifacts believed to have been looted from archeological sites in southern Transylvania.

The recovered items are worth over RON 100,000 (EUR 20,618), the Alba County Police Inspectorate said.

The artifacts, ranging from silver jewelry and weapons to tools and household items, are thought to have been stolen between 2015 and 2019, by thieves who used metal detectors.

Most of the items have soil and iron oxide deposits on them, “proof of the fact they were taken out of archeological contexts (in situ) and were connected to other items of other makeup, such as iron, burnt clay, bone,” the Alba County Police Inspectorate said.

The items were assessed by specialists from the Cluj-Napoca Archology and Art History Institute, who concluded that they belonged to the National Cultural Patrimony and the Romanian state.

The treasure is one of the largest recovered in the past ten years. It was placed in the custody of the Alba-Iulia Union Museum. The institution will follow through with the steps to list the items in the National Cultural Patrimony and restore it for museum and scientific purposes.

A Police investigation is underway to identify the persons who entered the archeological sites, with metal detectors and without a previous permit, and clarify how the items reached the person from whom they were recovered.

(Photo: ab.politiaromana.ro)

editor@romania-insider.com

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Romanian Police recover Dacian artifacts, investigate looting

25 June 2020

Police officers in Alba county, in central Romania, have recovered from one individual more than 155 Dacian artifacts believed to have been looted from archeological sites in southern Transylvania.

The recovered items are worth over RON 100,000 (EUR 20,618), the Alba County Police Inspectorate said.

The artifacts, ranging from silver jewelry and weapons to tools and household items, are thought to have been stolen between 2015 and 2019, by thieves who used metal detectors.

Most of the items have soil and iron oxide deposits on them, “proof of the fact they were taken out of archeological contexts (in situ) and were connected to other items of other makeup, such as iron, burnt clay, bone,” the Alba County Police Inspectorate said.

The items were assessed by specialists from the Cluj-Napoca Archology and Art History Institute, who concluded that they belonged to the National Cultural Patrimony and the Romanian state.

The treasure is one of the largest recovered in the past ten years. It was placed in the custody of the Alba-Iulia Union Museum. The institution will follow through with the steps to list the items in the National Cultural Patrimony and restore it for museum and scientific purposes.

A Police investigation is underway to identify the persons who entered the archeological sites, with metal detectors and without a previous permit, and clarify how the items reached the person from whom they were recovered.

(Photo: ab.politiaromana.ro)

editor@romania-insider.com

Normal
 

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