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Basarabi Cave Complex

Romania / Constanta / Basarabi /
 museum, place with historical importance, archaeological site, interesting place, historic ruins, cave church/monastery

Basarabi-Murfatlar archaeological site lies at a distance of 15 km from the Black Sea coast, on the right bank of what was Carasu Valley, now Danube-Black Sea Canal. It consists of rooms and galleries, being carved into a chalk hill located near the chalk quarry extraction of Bessarabia. It was discovered on June 11, 1957, following expansion works of chalk mining areas. This complex, housed in the researchers' opinion, the first church and the first huts of a monastery, of Romania.

Churches and galleries carved into the chalk hill from Basarabi-Murfatlar is on the northwest slope of the hill Tibisirul at a distance of several dozen meters from the Danube - Black Sea and in the vicinity of the great wave of rock. It is assumed that the original use of the complex Basarabi-Murfatlar was closely linked to the existence of this wave of stone fragments preserved as many of the crest of the wave are chalk, whose origin can be in old career. The dating site was made based on an inscription in the church nave indication B4 leat 6500, which means the year 992.

The site is a historic monument code LMI CT-I-was-02 585.

History of discovery

VIKINGS or another population?
Many appear cuts which seem to have no connection with Christianity. Countless galloping horses, deer, dragons weave, poultry, riders rarely the reason gnats or labyrinth. Also discovered were several runic inscriptions letters. Although there have been only partially translated by a Bulgarian scientist who assigns proto-Bulgarians (Asians) have caused significant problems with runic inscriptions historians. It must be said that runic alphabets were more in that period. Besides Scandinavian runes, the most known and used until the Middle Ages, in the Caucasus and Central Asia there were various runic alphabets used by the Goths, Bulgarians, Pechenegs, Varangians, Russians, Hungarians.

The complex was discovered on the afternoon of June 11, 1957. They attempted to extend the operating chalk career modern west, making shots in sterile layer that covered massif. The result of these shootings was the collapse of part of the sterile layer over the church B1, which is the highest level of the complex, thus revealing entry. In the summer of that year, the Institute of Archaeology in Bucharest and Dobrogea Regional Museum led archaeological excavations, releasing sterile layer around the church B1 and separating it from the rest of the modern career. The team was made up of Ion yard Barnea (responsible) and Virgil Bilciurescu, Petre Diaconu Adrian Radulescu Radu Florescu (members). As a result of these inquiries were discovered at the home or church NNE of B1, room C (C1 and C2), galleries and housing is located SSV them. Were taken releveur of inscriptions and drawings found by that date, the overall plan was drawn and topographic sections were made. Pottery, household items, objects carved from chalk and even whole sections cut from the chalk walls were transported to the Regional Museum of Archeology Museum Dobrogea and Bucharest. Also, a shed was raised to protect the entrance to the church B1, which store facade an inscription that date. Basarabi-Murfatlar complex immediately became a topic of interest, affecting tourists present writings on the walls and the crowd E were affected by bad weather in the crash of an arcade.

On 1 September 1960, the site was taken over by Basarab Department of Historic Monuments, which opened a site restoration part of the complex known at that time. Steps have been taken to insulate the rest of his career and complex to remove water leakage. In parallel with these operations, conservation of monuments, Department of Historic Monuments has performed in collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology in Bucharest, research excavations. It started to release sterile layer in front of the church B1 (direction S-N) and the Boards C (SE-NW), thus revealing the existence of "massive peninsula". Massif was jettisoned from the upper side, first being unveiled church B2. It was then discovered the upper opening of the manifold H, which was lowered in the middle (B3) and the lower (B4). The campaign ended on December 15, 1960.

In 1961, monuments were taken over by the Institute of Archaeology, is again leading the polls and degajându churches B3 and B4, because between August 1 and December 28, 1961 yard again be led by Department of Historical Monuments. After two campaigns in 1961 were unearthed surface dwellings built on sterile filling a small cemetery related, hearths, pottery as well as 10 skeletons of humans and animals.

During the 1962 campaign, they were released two basins chalk quarry, on whose walls were discovered crosses. On this occasion they were identified four apartments and two placed on the surface of chalk filler career. Unfortunately, neither one of these homes are not extant today. The only evidence of excavations of 1962 are pictures of iron tools found on that occasion (six axes and shovels, a flint, an iron nail and three knives). Consolidation and conservation work continued but were eventually discontinued for lack of funds.

The current status of the complex is one of the speedy deterioration. Since there were only the walls of the galleries is shrunk, and in churches B1, B3 and B4, C1 and chamber walls fall off. Construction of protection has not been completed, it covers a quarter of the complex (the SV) and breathable.

Romanian Website: art-historia.blogspot.ro/2008/12/cariera-de-creta-de-la...
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Coordinates:   44°10'3"N   28°24'16"E
This article was last modified 8 years ago