The archaeological site from PIETROASA MICĂ-GRUIU DĂRII

The site is located on the southeastern slope of the Istrița Massif, on a dominant promontory, with good visibility over the Romanian Plain. The amphitheater, which opens onto the slope of Istria and covers part of the neighboring plain, includes a significant number of archaeological sites from several historical periods. Near the Gruiu Dării site, approx. 2 km southwest, the famous Cloșca treasure with the Golden Cubs was discovered, and approx. 4 km south are the Roman fort and baths at Pietroasele.

The plateau, located at an altitude of 534 m, has relatively steep slopes on three sides, being more easily accessible from the west. To the north and south of the main plateau, two terraces are preserved (Terrace 1 and 2) where, during research, archaeological remains were discovered.

Archaeological research carried out during 31 campaigns has highlighted the existence of an impressive stratigraphy which, in the northern part of the site, exceeds 3 m in thickness.

The stratigraphic succession attests to the presence of human communities throughout several historical periods:

• Neolithic settlement - Starčevo-Criş culture (6th millennium BC)
• Eneolithic settlement - Cucuteni culture (4th millennium BC)
• Bronze Age settlement - Schnekenberg and Monteoru cultures (3rd-2nd mill. BC)
• unfortified Getic settlement (4th-3rd centuries BC)
• Geto-Dacian fortified settlement (citadel) (1st century BC)
• sacred, fortified, Geto-Dacian enclosure (1st century BC)

For the Dacian era, the evolution of housing at Gruiu Dării has a remarkable dynamic in terms of the type of site. For the period of the IV-II centuries BC, we have documented an unfortified settlement, in the 1 BC a fortress with walls with parapets and emplekton of Hellenistic influence, because in the 1 BC the place turned into a sacred enclosure, where the Dacians made deposits that appeared in the form of mounds of earth and stones with stone rings at the base. Inside them, numerous artifacts appear (ceramic vessels, tools, weapons, ornaments, coins, even burnt fragments from the walls of some houses).

The complexity of the archaeological remains and the long periods of habitation recommend the Gruiu Dării site as a key site for the prehistory and antiquity of the northern area of ​​Muntenia.