In the early 90s, Gradistei basement area was scanned by a Russian satellite. What was discovered there remains a great mystery, because officially were not released any results. Unofficially, it was said that the Russians had discovered unknown ancient and prehistoric sites in the area.
It is known, however, that was compile a file of these findings, at the Ministry of Public Works and Planning and the Ministry of Culture then , that they decided to carry out some researches. Was a shocking conclusion: the fortifications of the Gradistea area were not only cities arranged on mountain peaks from surrounding , but a huge complex of 200 km square, very compact, which included a military place, one mountain civilian with multiple cores.
Basically, the mountains had been cut and terrace, then arrange in the incredible ensemble. Moreover, on an area of two square kilometers, at a depth of 8 meters, it is a underground place. By 2001, Vasile Dragomir, retired major general who had been part of the research team, told a central newspaper that the Vartoape area had been detected in an area of 4 square kilometers, 75 conical holes of different sizes, and rectangular enclosures, modified by man, which communicate between themselves, but also the plateau above through ancient roads.
From these premises leaving many tunnels to nearby mountains, some, partially collapsed and one tunnel reaches Sarmizegetusa sanctuaries, where have also been detected underground chambers. ” I want to emphasize that after our measurements showed that Vartoape area and near are the most important remains of the complex, including sanctuaries, constructions older than that of Sarmisegetusa ” said then the General.
According to the study mentioned, the underground and overground city from Vartoape as the center of the complex, bigger than one in Sarmisegetusa. As is so remains to confirm future researches, but we have convinced on the existence of tunnels, in the beginning of may when, arrived at Capalna, on a glass of drink, a local told us how some time ago a mountain wall collapsed, revealing a part of the tunnel, that the human could walk upright through, reinforced with wooden rotted beams . Where it was leading, what was at the end of it, no one knows.
Sacred rooms of impressive dimensions, in cutted andesite sanctuaries, the stone that today you create it only with diamond, fortress of limestone blocks carried from tens of kilometers, shaped and perfectly combined, after mysterious techniques, ornaments of gold and silver, thousand coson, stolen from dacian land …
Sarmisegetusa sits on a underground city of the size of Bucharest. In 1993, Romania launch an extensive campaign enhancement of Dacian fortresses from Gradistea without public knowledge. A group of Romanian scientists conducted on site by 1999, a comprehensive study using special equipment to detect buried walls and objects. This way was highlighted that under Sarmisegetusa and under other Dacian cities we know now, there is a huge civil-military architectural complex, compact, with more cores, spread over an area of over 200 square kilometers, rich in gold and with many background of Dacian civilization.
Author of not less than nine-volume of history, of romanian christianity history, drama and fiction, journalist Dumitru Manolache part of gallery of those people that a great chance makes you a joy to meet (as was in my case when, in early post-revolutionary, I entered the whirlpool press). Published in ‘Free Youth’, ‘Day Event’ ‘,’ ‘ Free Romania ‘, ‘ The truth’, ‘ The current’, ‘Bucharest Match’, ‘ World faith’, ” The Guardian’ (where weekly signs the longest and single religious secular press center page of Romania), its thousands of articles, surveys, reports and essays, imbued with journalistic experience of nearly three decades, marked the readers with fingerprint of thoroughly seeker and interpreter of great talent.
Dumitru Manolache researching nearly 20 years the issue of early romanian christianity , activity embodied in the books: ‘Dervent, a gate of romanian christianity’, ‘The gates of Light-Miracles of Dervent’; ‘Wolves Lamb-St. Andrew and protochristianity in romanian space ‘,’ Andrew, wolfs Apostle ‘. And in recognition of the novelty brought to light by the author, this last volume appeared in two editions, the first in Anastasia Publishing and second in Dacic Publishing, went into compulsory bibliography of Theological college in Constanta and Sibiu – purchase this book at Publishing Dacica, see address http://www.dacica.ro .
In 1993, Romania launch an extensive campaign highlighting the Dacian fortresses from Gradistea. A multidisciplinary study conducted at the site revealed that under what is now stripped there is a huge architectural complex, a military complex – civil compact, more cores, spread over an area of 200 square kilometers. This buried city is predacic and is very rich in gold. Romanian specialists have compiled some detailed plans with unstripped underground sites , that they gathered in a file sent to the Ministry of Culture. A copy of the plans came though and illegal treasure seekers who have strong relationships in the political class. Thieves now know exactly where to look.
Oddly, the possibility that Mountains Orastiei be removed from the UNESCO list, goes hand in hand with the already famous scandal of Dacian bracelets. As is known, they have been found in Gradistea sites by treasure thieves and then smuggled out of Romania. They arrived in the United States, where an American collector bona fide, official said that these artifacts are sold on the black market. Later, the Romanian state recovered some of them and started an investigation. Later, names caliber politicians such as Adrian Nastase and Dan Iosif were associated with the disappearance of bracelets. They were suspected to be mediated trafficking in the country of two treasures stolen from the archaeological site Sarmizegetusa ,15 Dacian gold bracelets.
According to some unofficial information, the basement of the Gradistei area was satellite probed by the russians in the early 90s. Russians talking about ancient sites, but also of unknown prehistoric yet in Gradistei area. Corroborating these data with information of ancient writers, who claimed that the Dacians were cutted and built the mountains, the Government asked for finding the truth. Thus, between 1993 and 1999, the area of Dacian fortifications Gradistea were conducted researchrd in several disciplines, to achieve an overall study on the archaeological zone. Research has been initiated by the Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Research. They were intended physical delineation of the fortifications complex by methods other than archaeological excavations, and even developing a strategy for the enhancement of prehistoric buildings from Gradistea.
Only from this study, detailing what and where to dig, was to take place the unstripping, restoration, sites conservation and transform the area into a national archaeological reserve, landmark of special importance, with the military protection of the gendarmerie, which was to stop offensive treasure robbers. The results, which have not been officially released, are astounding. The fortifications are not only disparate cities placed on top of mountains, but a compact ensemble, a military-civilian mountain place with more cores, spread over an area of 200 square kilometers. Most of the remains are still covered in ground.
From committee formed were part specialists to detect layers of depth by magnetometry, specialists in hydraulic problems, archaeologists, engineers, architects and professionals in geodesy. What the ancients said was confirmed. The fortifications are very complex and are overlapped in many places, on oldest settlements. To get a picture of how it worked, we give the example of the group consisting of a surveyor and a specialist in magnetometry. Surveyor, the late Major General Vasile Dragomir, (picture) searched the areas of relief that seemed transformed for military utility. The second installed magnetometers and pathed the subsoil profile in the indicated area.
Magnetometer is a device that can radiography and highlights items from the basement to the desired depth of the operator. In this case, the sounding went to a depth of eight meters. This
way were discovered constructions submerged in the ground, and underground premises that have astounded the researchers. According to the study, mega-settlement of Dacian kings is situated on massive Sureanu mountain that descend to the east, north and west in the Transylvanian Plateau, between rivers Sebes and Strei.
“At first we wondered how it was possible for five years Dacians could withstand the onslaught of a huge army, well endowed, as was that of the Romans. Especially because it was led by one of the best strategies that Rome ever had . I found the answer at the spot: the efficient use of land by a military-civilian complex. The Dacians had built first, the mountain, in the north and west, a very longvdefensive wall , because the system was most vulnerable in that direction.
Something like Hadrian’s Wall in Scotland, 170 km long. Inside each height was terraced from the bottom up. Each terrace, with different widths, was defended by walls. Were built atop one or more fortified cities of various sizes. Went so far as each block of a larger urban agglomerations was to turn the device into a own wall . In study, I call “module” each urban agglomeration. The module can be understood as a larger district, spread over several acres of immense fortifications. In this way, a module was defended by several concentrically arranged walls.
Distances from an urban to another are small, usually a few tens of meters. Larger distances from the nucleus to another fortified don’t exceed four kilometers. Each cluster has its homes and sanctuaries as appear at Sarmisegetuza Regia, the known so far. Between these cores exist many terraces with traces of ancient habitation, older than classical Dacian period. Also, civil settlements are found all over the valleys of mountain waters .
All over an area of about 200 square kilometers. The whole area is covered by a web of ancient roads constructed very interesting. One day I spent over half an hour in the rain on such a journey to see what happens. Water flowed from right to left, but not on the road, so well is made the drainage system beneath them. The only flaw of the system of fortifications was neglecting the southeastern side, considering the steep slope of the mountain is an enough natural barrier . This negligence was fatal for Dacians. Emperor Traian trooped right there and then attacked the fortifications from the top down “, told us the late army general Vasile Dragomir.
An underground predacic city. The most important discovery from Orastiei Mountains is the underground premises. In the area called Vartoape, an area of about four square miles there are 75 conical holes of different sizes, some with diameters of up to 70 meters. Devices detected many rectangular chambers communicating with each other as well as rooms of a house. It’s about natural enclosures modified by man. Many of them communicate with the plateau above the ancient roads.
From these premises leaves many tunnels to nearby mountains, some partially collapsed. One can even go to the sanctuaries of Sarmisegetuza Regia, where also were detected some underground facilities. Following measurements showed that in the area Vartoape and the vicinity, is most impressive remains of the complex, including sanctuaries, buildings older than the ones in Sarmisegetuza. According to the study prepared, this underground city and construction of the surface, more numerous than those of Sarmisegetuza Rirector, were the central fortification, ie Dacian kings mega-city center, or who would have been before. Archaeologists in the area were, and are less enthusiastic about this discovery and more restrained in statements.
“On the top of Vartoapele is a vast Dacian settlement, and ironically, rocky, limestone, is full of small caves that sometimes take the appearance of caves. On the small plates at the mouth of some, were found Dacian pottery “, says archaeologist Ioan Glodariu, curator at the Museum of Deva. He believes that the terraces and cities were densely populated in Dacians time. Furthermore, each inhabited terrace was stocked with water, homes, blacksmith workshops, through pipes that got sources from considerable distances. Very interesting is the fact that these were underground water pipe, from place to place, even decanters.
Official maps ended to treasure thieves
The file with the unstripped ancient sites plans, found by special team of researchers has been multiplied in four copies, which were sent to MLPAT, Domus Pro Institute, Ministry of Culture and UNESCO. Alexandru Mironov included cities in UNESCO lists. Was to initiate a broad campaign of excavations and to achieve an exceptional tourist center. But the program was halted and file paper copies of sites have come to treasure thieves. So these thieves manage to go spotted, on a large territory.
The only obstacle in their path is now UNESCO, which is watching Gradistea sites. That’s why is always launching the idea of Romanian origin, that cities will be deleted from the World Heritage. ” Is not removed any objects from the list of UNESCO. This is stupid. Sure someone is trying to sell Sarmisegetuza too. That’s the only explanation “, said Alexandru Mironov. It remains a very important question: who gave the thieves the secret plans of the complex and thus, the Sarmisegetuza treasures plans ?
From further analysis of the data showed that most of the settlements, huge for antiquity, was built before the Dacian period. Moreover, treasures seeked by thieves now, were buried before the classical period of the Dacian civilization. Work certified by common logic: if the romanians conquerors gathered all the gold found at the scene, why are found treasure of tens of pounds in this area?
