TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage Founded in February 2015, Transylvania Alive is a not for profit association that promotes the cultural heritage of Romania. The founder, Eric De Sena, is an American archaeologist who taught in Rome, Italy, at John Cabot University, Loyola University Chicago’s Rome Center and Saint Mary’s College Rome Program and served a term as Director the American Research Center in Sofia. De Sena co-directed the Porolissum Forum Project with Alexandru Matei and Robert Wanner (2004-2011).
The website www.transylvania-alive.com will become available in April 2015.
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage The Mission of Transylvania Alive is: •to contribute toward the understanding, presentation, and preservation of cultural heritage sites in Romania, from prehistory through the 19th century; •to organize educational experiences concerning the cultural heritage of Romania; •to promote cultural tourism in Romania In order to accomplish its mission, Transylvania Alive: •collaborates with government authorities, academic institutes and professionals to enhance and raise greater awareness of cultural heritage sites in Romania; •collaborates with government authorities, academic institutes and professionals on projects, such as exhibitions, workshops and volunteer events, that highlight the cultural heritage of Romania; •organizes educational experiences in Romania, such as academic excursions, archaeological excavations, and preservation and ethnographic projects, for students and the public; •maintains a website, publishes on-line and printed materials, produces videos and multimedia projects
The website www.transylvania-alive.com will become available in April 2015.
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage Agrij Valley Survey (AVS) The Agrij Valley Survey (AVS) is a collaboration between scholars of the Salaj County Museum of History and Art and the NGO, Transylvania Alive. The AVS is aimed at documenting archaeological sites within an area of ca. 325 km2 in Salaj County, Romania, and investigating some of the key sites by means of geophysical techniques and/or archaeological excavation. The Romanian and American team of scholars is interested in elucidating how the Agrij Valley was exploited and settled between the Mesolithic era (6th mill. BC) and the period of Rom창nia Mare (1918-1940). The AVS springs from the Porolissum Forum Project, 2004-2011.
The Agrij Valley with headwaters near Bucium and mouth near Jibou
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage AVS: Dacian-Roman Excavations at Magura Moigradului, June 25 – August 2, 2015 The dominant geologic feature of Moigrad, 11 km east of Zalau (Salaj County), is a volcanic intrusion, termed magura. Dacian and pre-Dacian cultures occupied the magura as early as ca. 3000 BC for settlement, ritual and burial. In the early Roman period, 2nd c. AD, when Porolissum was established, a timber fortress was constructed on the magura.
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage AVS: Dacian-Roman Excavations at Magura Moigradului, June 25 – August 2, 2015 Archaeologists Horea Pop, Ioan Bejinariu and Sanda Bacuet-Crisan, and others have revealed a wealth of archaeological evidence for Copper-, Bronze-, and Iron Age cultures on the Magura Moigradului. Of nearly 250 features excavated since 1958, at least 45 relate to the Roman period, 5 are prehistoric, and 191 are Dacian. The vast majority of the Dacian features are ritual pits, while there is also ample evidence for pottery manufacture.
Dacian dwelling
Dacian burial
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage AVS: Dacian-Roman Excavations at Magura Moigradului, June 25 – August 2, 2015 In summer 2015, the AVS will excavate an area of the Magura Moigradului, where traces of a 2nd century AD Roman timber fortress have been identified overlying Dacian features. The excavations and Field School are led by Dr. Horea Pop and Dr. Daniel Deac of the Salaj County Museum and Prof. Eric De Sena of Transylvania Alive. Adjacent to the Roman city of Porolissum, the Magura Moigradului was occcupied by pre-Dacian and Dacian populations beginning ca. 3000 BC. Dr. Pop and colleagues have excavated many settlement, ritual and funerary features on the Magura, including dwellings, bronze hoards, and burials. This site also hosts a medieval phase (12th-15th century).
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage AVS: Dacian-Roman Excavations at Magura Moigradului, June 25 – August 2, 2015 Field School students will learn all essential on-site techniques, including excavation, drawing, use of a total station, and artifact/ecofact recovery and processing. Students will be met by team leaders in Cluj-Napoca on Thursday, June 25 and will be accompanied back to Cluj-Napoca on August 2. The 5-week excavation season is enhanced by a series of field trips in western Transylvania and Maramures. Students will be housed in a hotel in the city of Zalau, 11 km from Moigrad and Porolissum. The cost of the Field School is $1800 (USD), which includes lodging, most meals, all project-related ground transportation, and instruction. Interested students should contact Prof. De Sena at ericcdesena@gmail.com
Porolissum was the largest Roman military center in hierarchy of fortresses and watchtowers of Dacia Porolissensis. Secondary foretresses at Tihau, Romita, Romanasi, and Bucium Line of vision across 20 miles of the limes and 16 miles toward Simleu Silvaniei (largest north Dacian settlement).
Porolissum Forum Project (Matei and De Sena 2004, 2006-2010) (De Sena and Wanner 2011) Objectives: • Urban Topography: study the development and function of spaces in Forum • Elucidate aspects of daily life in Porolissum during Roman and post-Roman times – farming, community relations, trade • Relationship with Barbaricum • Cultural/educational exchange Romania/North America – archaeological field school
Preliminary results Five broad phases of construction and usage: • early Roman timber/earth phase, ca. AD 105/6-150’s • Antonine stone phase, ca. AD 150’s (lg. structures around a courtyard) • Severan stone phase, ca. AD 193-235 (lg. structures around a courtyard) and modifications ca. AD 235-260’s • Late Roman phase , ca. AD 260’s-271 (secondary use of structures) • Secondary use, abandon and spoliation, 4th-20th c. AD
Phase 1: “timber/earth phase” – Trajan/Hadrian • Evidence of wooden structures, pits and drainage channels surrounded by large agger /vallum system • Consistent with a fortress • Abandoned during reign of Antoninus Pius
Phase 2: Antonine stone phase Public square or other function? Massive architecture (90 cm thick) on north and west sides of courtyard; single construction campaign Function not determined: largest building on north; long building on west; small structure with praefurnium at SW; traces of colonnades.
Phase 3: Severan stone phase
Renovations to some buildings; systematic dismantling of some buildings; major addition on east side; surrounding walls. Courtyard measures ca. 40 x 26 m. with colonnades verified on north, south and west sides. Direct relation to change in city’s status? municipium Septimium Porolissensis.
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Phase 3: Severan stone phase
• The northernmost structure restored, but plan generally maintained; ca. 35 x 17 m; large field of hypocaust pillars as well as smaller areas with hypocaust; basilica? • Nicely preserved section of colonnade with a drain and column bases. Semi-circular basin (fountain?) protrudes into courtyard
Phase 3: Severan stone phase
East side hosts bath complex. • Extensive use of hypocaust pillars • Trench 3 revealed evidence of praefurnium; • Trench 27 revealed a caldarium with basin. • Trenches 25 and 26 helped identify dimensions, ca. 100 x 60 Roman feet. • Large brick cistern ca. 60 m to south (possibly one of several).
Phase 4: Late Roman period (third quarter of 3rd c.) Crude concrete walls within Severan structures; Re-use of elements such as columns Hearths and post holes
Phase 4: Late Roman period (third quarter of 3rd c.)
Area 22, alone, revealed three late Roman hearths
Alumni of the Porolissum Forum Project 2011 Team, Cohors VII Porolissensis - Advanced Students: Jonathan Dupree (Florida State University), Alexandria Elliot (Marquette University), Mark Gradoni (Hood College), Elyse Waters (John Cabot University); Field School Participants: Alec Brown (Harvard University), Micayla Burrows (John Cabot University), Matthieu Ferron (Free University, Brussels), Karina Foof (Brasov, Romania), Chandler French (Reed College), Caitlin Ignasiak (University of Wisconson - Eau Claire), Rachel Lawrence (University of Evansville), Shelby Magilton (University of Calgary), Elizabeth Maltby (Saint Mary's College), Naseem Raad (University of California, Davis), Charlie Yow (University of Chicago) 2010 Team, Cohors VI Porolissensis - Advanced Students: Lauren Earl (University of Maryland), Dara Keller (University of Ottawa), Ashley Stewart (Auburn University), Sean Troyer (Bowdoin University); Field School Participants: Christopher Anderson (University of Alaska, Anchorage), Vera Dolezalkova (University of Prague), Alexandria Elliot (Marquette University), Zenobia Homan (Durham University), Colleen Homer (John Cabot University), Nicholas Lashway (Oberlin College), Kelci Martinsen (Wilfrid Laurier University), Charles Northrop (John Cabot University), Elyse Waters (John Cabot University) 2009 Team, Cohors V Porolissensis - Advanced Students: Valerie Charboneau (University Ottowa), Erin Colshan (California State Polytechnic University, Pomona), Dara Keller (University of Ottawa), Annie Lane(Monmouth College); Field School Participants: Bridget Alex (Dartmouth College), Brian Conrad (University of Pennsylvania), Jonathan Dupree (Florida State University), Lauren Earl (University of Maryland), Mark Gradoni (University of Maryland), Ashley Stewart (Auburn University), Sean Troyer (Bowdoin University) 2008 Team, Cohors IV Porolissensis - Advanced Student: Ray Perret (University at Buffalo, SUNY); Field School Participants: Valerie Charbonneau (University of Ottawa), Erin Colshan (California State University), Derek Huff (Monmouth College), Dara Keller (University of Ottawa), Elizabeth Kondratenko (Saint Mary's College), Leigh Anne Lane (Monmouth College), Carolyn Last (Illinois State University), Carolyn Maltby (Saint Mary's College), Elizabeth McFadden (University of New Hampshire), Charlie Noell (Loyola University Chicago), Siobhan Marie Privitera (Monash University), Donald Trinite (Monmouth College)
Alumni of the Porolissum Forum Project (continued) 2007 Team, Cohors III Porolissensis - Field School Participants: Terence Christian (Vanderbilt University), Matthew Gordon (Tufts University), Brad Hendricks (College of New Jersey), Ellis Hudes (Bucknell University), Rebecca Lannie (University of Aukland). Seth Leitner (Monmouth College), Melissa Medich (Ball State University), Alexandra O'Connell (Trinity College Dublin), Ray Perret (University of Pittsburg), Jessica Stallings (John Cabot University), Jessica Young (West Virginia University) 2006 TEAM, COHORS II POROLISSENSIS - Archaeology Assistants: Daniel Moore (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), Gregory Tucker (University of Southampton, U.K.), Robert Wanner (University of Leicester, U.K.), Daniel Weiss (University of Virginia); Field School Participants: Rawdon Bergquist (Carleton College), Emanuela Bocancea (University of Alberta), Xose Lui Hermoso Buxan (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela), Diana Ciornei (Vanderbilt University), Geoffrey Haymes (University of Colorado), Margaret Hunt (University of Colorado), Danielle Jahn (University of Florida, Gainsville), Sarah Johnson (Smith College), Meghan McCandless (Saint Mary's College), Chuck Norris (Carnegie Institute of Technology), Lee Norris (University of Maine), Cathleen O'Very (Loyola University Chicago), Michael Woolf (Loyola University Chicago) 2004 Team, Cohors I Porolissensis - Field School Participants: Stephanie Barrante (Salve Regina University), Christopher Blanchette (Salve Regina University), Margaret McIntyre (Wake Forest University)
TRANSYLVANIA ALIVE: Association for Cultural Heritage In addition to the summer 2015 archaeological field school at Magura Moigradului, Transylvania Alive organizes educational excursions in the region, collaborates with museums on temporary exhibitions and works with government authorities on site enhancement projects in Romania. In the near future we will undertake multimedia projects with the aim of promoting cultural tourism. For more information, contact Eric De Sena at ericcdesena@gmail.com
The website www.transylvania-alive.com will become available in April 2015.