Southern Romania: Construction site unveils human settlements dating from Neolithic period

Archaeologists from the Buzău County Museum, in southern Romania, have discovered 31 human settlements on the construction site of a wind farm.

The region where the settlements were discovered was chosen for a new wind farm because of its favorable meteorological conditions, and annual tests were conducted as early as 2010. Construction work began in 2024, and the project is already at an advanced stage. In the end, the Vifor Wind Farm will include a total of 72 wind turbines.

The project required, among other things, an archaeological clearance process, carried out by the Buzău County Museum. Investigations revealed that the Călmățui area has been a flood-prone zone with natural levees and erosion remnants, suitable for human settlement and development since prehistoric times.

"The initial research phase lasted two months and involved over 180 surveys across the entire area. I believe it covered about 3,000 hectares across five localities. We discovered 31 sites with prehistoric settlements up to the first millennium AD, consisting of settlement remains, some very large, especially in the Smeeni, Caragele, and Luciu areas,” said Daniel Costache, Director of the Buzău County Museum, cited by Agerpres.

The settlements consist of former wattle-and-daub dwellings with a wooden structure reinforced with clay. Also found were hundreds of artifacts. Experts say that they indicate sedentary communities engaged in small animal husbandry during the Neolithic period.

“We must imagine that 4,000–5,000 years ago, the Călmățui floodplain was a marshy, flood-prone area ideal for habitation. The area was economically valuable, offering fishing and hunting opportunities, protection during floods, and difficult access in case of conflicts,” Costache added.

Traces of human presence from multiple historical periods have been identified on both banks of the Călmățui stream, beginning with the Eneolithic period and the Gumelnița culture, continuing through the first millennium AD with the Sântana de Mureș culture, and into the Middle Ages. These include ceramic fragments, osteological remains, burnt daub fragments, charcoal traces, and other archaeologically significant features.

"Animal bones provide valuable insights. For example, just as lambs are slaughtered at Easter today, evidence suggests that young sheep and goats were commonly sacrificed in the spring in prehistoric communities. This behavior can be observed throughout Romanian territory. Many traceology studies on animal bone samples discovered in our county confirm this pattern," added Daniel Costache.