Archaeological looting in Romania refers to illegal digging and removal of ancient artifacts from

archaeological sites in Romania Romanian archaeology begins in the 19th century. Archaeologists * Alexandru Odobescu (1834—1895) * Grigore Tocilescu (1850–1909) * Vasile Pârvan (1882–1927) * Constantin Daicoviciu (1898–1973) ;living * Gheorghe I. Cantacuzino ( ...

in order to be sold on the

black market A black market is a Secrecy, clandestine Market (economics), market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality, or is not compliant with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services who ...

of antiquities in Western Europe and the United States. Notable among the treasure looted are two dozen

Dacian bracelets The Dacian bracelets are bracelets associated with the ancient people known as the Dacians, a distinct branch of the Thracians. These bracelets were used as ornaments, currency, high rank insignia and votive offerings * For the various functio ...

which were dug up and stolen around 1999–2001 from the archeological site at

Sarmizegetusa Regia Sarmizegetusa Regia (also known as ''Sarmisegetusa'', ''Sarmisegethusa'', ''Sarmisegethuza''; ) was the capital and the most important military, religious and political centre of the Dacians before the wars with the Roman Empire. Built on top ...

. Twelve of which were recovered by the Romanian state and at least another twelve are still missing.

Looting groups

In Romania, unauthorized digs are illegal around the areas designated archeological sites. Some looters use flocks of sheep in order to justify their presence in the area: they camp near the archeological sites and use donkeys to carry their equipment. In 2009, twelve looters (among which Iulian Ceia) were convicted to between 7 and 12 years in jail for looting Dacian bracelets and selling them on the international black market; they have however appealed and the trial is still ongoing. In 2012, four looters (Liviu Darius Baci, Mircea Mihăilă, Florin Sebastian Zvîncă, Romică Hîndorean) were sent to trial for looting from Sarmizegetusa Regia between 1998 and 2009. They looted 3,600 Greek coins (estimated at

€ The euro sign () is the currency sign used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996. It consists of a stylized letter E (or epsilon), crossed by t ...

3,794,550), a necklace (estimated at €100,000) and 35 Roman

denarii The ''denarius'' (; : ''dēnāriī'', ) was the standard Roman silver coin from its introduction in the Second Punic War to the reign of Gordian III (AD 238–244), when it was gradually replaced by the ''antoninianus''. It continued to be mi ...

(from Dâncu Mare).

Artifacts looted

Dacian Gold Bracelets at the National Museum of Romanian History 2011 - 1

Dacian bracelets

The golden bracelets, weighing between 800 and 1200 grams each, were discovered by looters in the Sarmizegetusa Regia Dacian fortress (a UNESCO

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

) in the

Orăștie Mountains Orăștie (; , , , '' Transylvanian Saxon'': Brooss) is a small town and municipality in Hunedoara County, south-western Transylvania, central Romania. History 7th–9th century – On the site of an old swamp was a human settlement, ...

and they were illegally exported. They were recovered by the Romanian authorities from the international market through a collaboration with the German authorities. Koson 79000126

Dacian coins

Following the looting, gold Koson coins have been dispersed around the world, being sold at coin auctions. The Romanian police began an international investigation which resulted in seizures in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

and

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

(2010) and

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

(2011), the source of the two coins seized in the Dublin auction being a New York auction. Such coins have an estimated value of €800 each. The Romanian authorities have so far, recovered 700 gold Kosons and 202 silver Kosons. A treasure containing 3,600 Greek coins (bearing the names of

Lysimachus Lysimachus (; Greek language, Greek: Λυσίμαχος, ''Lysimachos''; c. 360 BC – 281 BC) was a Thessaly, Thessalian officer and Diadochi, successor of Alexander the Great, who in 306 BC, became king of Thrace, Anatolia, Asia Minor and Mace ...

, Pharnakes and

Asander Asander or Asandros (; lived 4th century BC) was the son of Philotas (father of Parmenion), Philotas and brother of Parmenion and Agathon (son of Philotas), Agathon. He was a Ancient Macedonians, Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, a ...

) weighing was looted in August 1998 from the Sarmizegetusa Regia site of Șesu Căprăreței. It was taken illegally out of the country and sold on the Triton III auction (November/December 1999) in the United States. The Romanian authorities recovered only 28 Lysimachus coins. On 21 May 2013, three Lysimachus coins minted on Tomis and

Callatis Mangalia (, ), ancient Callatis (; other historical names: Pangalia, Panglicara, Tomisovara), is a city and a port on the coast of the Black Sea in the south-east of Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The municipality of Mangalia als ...

were recovered from looters among other Roman and medieval coins.

Other artifacts

In 2009, the Romanian authorities recovered from Germany an ancient golden necklace with pendants that has been looted around 2002–2003 from the archeological site of

Dacian fortress of Căpâlna Situated at the top of a steep hill, the Dacian fortress of Căpâlna was built in the second half of the 1st century BC as a military defense, guarding the entrance from the Sebeș Valley to the capital of the Dacian kingdom, Sarmizegetusa Re ...

. The authorities also recovered three royal Dacian iron shields.

References

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Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Archaeology of Romania Crime in Romania Looting in Europe