Abstract
          The project application concentrates on defining, elaborating, and testing a habitation pattern in certain space and time. It concentrates on exploiting and developing the national immovable heritage, in its prehistoric variant (Gumelnitza Culture). After more than a century it’s still difficult to describe completely the complexity of the Gumelnitza – Karanovo VI culture. The study focused on the tells (anthropic hills realized by continuous or successive habitation in the same place), considered to be the most important settlements of these communities. The few investigation projects didn't manage to cover the entire problems of a community of more than half a millennium (at least 4550-3900 B.C.).
Older paradigms concerning the cultural, chronological and space evolution of the Gumelnitza culture, didn’t answer properly concerning, in which way, how (much) and when the Gumelnitza communities have evolve in the accepted typological forms.
Gumelnitza culture covers an important temporal segment. Its end marks decisive changes which indicate the beginning of a new era, the Bronze Age. There are no convincing dates concerning this change for the space in the South of the Romanian one. For half a millennium after the supposed extinction of the Gumelnitza communities, the hundreds of settlements belonging to them are inhabited by some dozens belonging to some Eastern communities (Cernavoda I) at least considering the actual investigation stage.
          The project will define and analyze three levels of mental space perception for the Eneolithic Man and community - the settlement, the already-known space and the unknown space.
Evaluating the spreading amplitude of the Gumelnitza settlements and the density, the habitation type and the exact chronological placement can’t be realized only simultaneously or, at least, directly connected, as they are interdependent.
The exact temporal identification of the habitation pattern evolution will have a quadruple interest. There will be taken samples for 14C dating, archaeomagnetism and thermoluminescent. This way it will be realized the first archaeomagnetism curve in Romania for the investigated space and time.
As most of the Gumelnitza archaeological structures are burnt, preserving the magnetic field intensity at the burning moment, they have an important contribution for a chronological evaluation as correct and complete as it can be. Evaluating the ability of the Gumelnitza settlements to offer results, by sampling and processing some probes from the Bucşani (Giurgiu) tell, by some members of the consortium, determined us to elaborate then test an application strategy for the entire culture, on the Romanian territory.
          Gumelnitza buildings, with wall and floors that use plenty of wood offer important sources for 14C datings. Aditionally, osteologic rests are, besides the ceramics, the most numerous in a Gumelnitza habitation.
Furthermore, taking samples for dendrochronologic and thermoluminescent datings not only from the same complexes, but also from the other two, will contribute to establish a chronological scheme as clear and detailed as possible.
Evaluating the cultural and chronological evolution of the Gumelnitza communities will naturally include the „imports” problems that are generally from Cucuteni culture. Punctual analyzes of the ceramic paste (for Cucuteni fragments, not only for local paste samples but also for raw materials from the settlements area) will be the first columns of a very necessary database.           Additionally, they will indicate if the raw materials used for the uncharacteristically ceramics has a local provenience or not.
Interconnecting the maps bases, the databases (complex and complementary, containing archaeological, geomorphologic, geophysical, chemical and topographic information), of the orthophotoplans and all the other interdisciplinary information obtained after the project implementation, will be realized under a large-scale GIS application.
          The information dissemination will have two directions. The first one is linked with the raw dates, included in the online databases, accessible to the large public, and the second one considers, on one hand, participating in national or international conferences and congresses and on the other hand publishing studies, articles and monographic volumes.

Relevance of the project
           The project reunites partners from different investigation fields. As the activities of the partner institutions are complementary, they will create a safer atmosphere considering solutions for the identified problems. The four partners of this new common action are not for the first time in this formula.
           The project application includes exploiting and developing the national immovable heritage, in its prehistoric variant (Eneolithicè, Gumelnitza culture), from complex perspectives. Although the information base is of high quality and quantity, as it happens in other fields, it is improvable all the time.
           Interconnecting the maps bases, the databases (complex and complementary), of the orthophotoplans and all the other interdisciplinary information obtained after the project implementation, will be realized under a large-scale GIS application.

The goal
           The goal of the project is identifying some solutions and creating some complex derivate instruments for the most efficient collaboration on institutional and multi-disciplinary level, on one hand and, on the other hand, to develop methods and technologies that can be applied on a space and temporal scale as large as possible and, last but not least, exploiting and developing the national immovable heritage, in its prehistoric variant.
           After the project implementation we will realize and develop the first archaeomagnetism curve in Romania for an important prehistoric period. This curve could successfully be applied after the end of the project implementation period. We will also define a habitation pattern that was previously supposed but which has never been theoretically described.
           The practical identification of Gumelnitza settlements and their inclusion on the list of historical monuments will enable the protection, on one hand, of the laws and, on the other hand, of attracting a part of the public as large as possible. The educational relevance of this project is sustained not only by its cultural and scientifically implications. The public and, sometimes, even the specialists are deprived of understanding the anthropical evolution of a certain area. Consequences can be noticed most efficiently at the level of the relationship between the local communities and the archaeological heritage discovered in their region. Communities don’t respect the specifically laws because, on one hand, they are not aware of them and, on the other hand, they don’t have sufficient access at the components of the local heritage.

Project description
           Identifying a habitation pattern temporally placed as exactly as possible remains one of the most
important goals of prehistoric archaeology.
The first archaeological studies that represented something more than a treasure hunt began at the end of the 19th century in Bulgaria and during WWI in Romania. After more than a century it’s still hard to describe completely the complexity of the Gumelnitza – Karanovo VI culture. Undoubtedly, this situation is due to the communist period, but especially to the lack of a coherent investigation strategy.
           The desire to sound the great settlements organized on numerous levels (generally, on the purpose of retrieving the pieces of artistic value), often doubled by rudimental investigation methods and without inter-disciplinary participation contributed to the excessive fragmentation of an information which was often already incomplete anyway.
The study focused on the tells (anthropic hills realized by continuous or successive habitation in the same place), considered to be the most important settlements of these communities. The Gumelnitza tells represent the first centuries-old concentration of anthropic activity in Europe and an exceptional treasure of information preserved by an activity of intense and repeated construction. The tells represent the result of the first systematic and organized habitation. The few projects of international scientifically cooperation (initiated in the ’80s and the ’90s) didn’t manage to cover the entire problems of a habitation older than half a millennium. They concentrated on the stratigraphical succession of a settlement (Hârşova), or they investigated the punctual evolution of the Neo-Eneolithic habitation on a river’s valley (Teleorman), or they realized the exhaustive investigation of the main settlement and only intended to identify the hinterland settlements (Drama). In addition, the 14C datings don’t consist (except for the tell from Căscioarele Ostrovel and, eventually, more recently, the one from Pietrele) in series that are complete and coherent enough to characterize chronologically as exactly as possible the evolution of the Gumelnitza communities. At this moment we don’t know at all the final evolution period. The extraction, as the proper investigation, didn’t follow a sampling strategy. As for the archaeomagnetic dating, we’re breaking the new ground of it, as such investigations have been realized in a single settlement (Bucşani).
           There have been realized dozens of systematic excavations or soundings that enabled the accumulation of some important information. There have been published hundreds of archaeological reports, there have been realized punctual studies on different series or types of artefacts, there have been characterized different archaeological structures, numerous specialists participated in national or international congresses, conferences or symposiums, revealing for the scientifically community new discoveries or situations, but we have no settlement monograph or synthesis, at least the type of the ones constructed for the North neighbour, Cucuteni culture. Most part of the discovered archaeological materials, except for some of the special pieces, has never been published. Additionally, it is known about the deposition conditions in some museums where don’t even keep an inventory for the
archaeological materials.
           With this project it is intend to make a first step, which is necessary and compulsory, in evaluating the process of studying what the Gumelnitza culture represented for the European prehistory. That’s why we’ll also consider not only discoveries such as Boian-Spanţov, the chronologically and culturally predecessor, but also later Cernavoda I elements.
Evaluating the spreading amplitude of the Gumelnitza settlements and the density, the habitation type and the exact chronological placement can’t be realized only simultaneously or, at least, directly connected, as they are interdependent.
           An important starting point is defining the levels of mental space perception.
1. the settlement
- defining the settlements types and identifying the 0 (zero) importance ones (initially, the
investigation levels will be disjunctive)
2. the known exterior
- identifying and defining the hinterland of every single main settlement
- identifying a possible settlement pattern – the tell(s) and the settlements on a single level
- trying to establish the relationships between the tells of a microzone
and
3. the unknown exterior
           As for the the unknown exterior two aspects will considered at least – (a) the space occupied by other Gumelnitza communities (closer or further) which, one way or another, a community is linked to or/and only through representants and (b) the space occupied by contemporary communities that have different characteristics (e.g. Cucuteni-Tripolie) but their existence is perceived through what arrives in the Gumelnitza area (e.g. Precucuteni and Cucuteni imports).
Besides Cucuteni, the Gumelnitza culture represents a very important moment, not only for the Romanian prehistory, but also for the European one, by its civilization level. Additionally, it covers an important temporal segment – as far as we know at this moment, of more than half a millennium (around 4550-3900 B.C.) The end of the two cultures marks decisive changes which indicate the beginning of a new era, the bronze one. If for the Cucuteni area (including the Tripolie one here) there are obvious marks and links to the subsequent evolution, there are no convincing dates concerning this aspect for the in the Southern Romania space. For half a millennium after the supposed extinction of the Gumelnitza communities, the hundreds of settlements belonging to them are inhabited by some dozens belonging to some Eastern communities, at least considering the actual investigation stage. In other words, for similar time periods (around 500 years) there are attested, on one hand, a numerically impressive population (Gumelnitza) and, on the other, small communities (Cernavoda I), not very well characterized, which replace them, not by assimilation or similar phaenomena, but by physical superposition in the same space.
           A series of new dates (obtained or exploited in the middle ’90s) seem at least to nuance this aspect.
There are, for instance, some classical Gumelnitza communities which adopt Eastern elements or cohabit with populations of this type (Hârşova), there have been discovered Cucuteni B elements of ζ style in a late Gumelnitza settlement (Morteni) and, last but not least, some 14C dates indicate for the end of the Gumelnitza period a totally different interval (Bucşani Pod – 3650-3500 B.C.) from the one estimated by most of the specialists.
           The archaeomagnetism method is much less costly than the others. But, to make it possible, it is absolutely necessary to build a dating curve. Therefore, there is a single solution, doubling the dates extraction from the same complexes, structures or archaeological depositions – for 14C dating on one hand and for measuring the magnetic field intensity and its orientation at the 14C dating, on the other hand.
           As most of the Gumelnitza archaeological structures are burnt, preserving the magnetic field intensity at the burning moment, they have an important contribution for a chronological evaluation as correct and complete as it can be. Besides the platforms, the habitations’ fireplaces, by their massiveness, are proper sources for archaeomagnetism dates. Evaluating the availability of Gumelnitza settlements offer results, by sampling and processing some dates from the tell in Bucşani (Giurgiu) by members of the consortium determined us elaborate and test a strategy of application at the scale of the entire culture, on Romanian territory.
           Gumelnitza buildings, with walls and floors made mostly of wood, represent important sources for 14C dating. Additionally, osteologic rests, which are less contaminable and therefore more suitable for 14C dating are, in addition to ceramics, the most numerous in a Gumelnitza habitation. Furthermore, taking dates for dendrochronological and thermoluminescent dating from the same complexes and from the other two will contribute to establish a chronological scheme as detailed and clear as it can be. Having a coherent and very firm stratigraphic control on the context of the dates, the results will respect their quality.
           The unprecedented archaeomagnetism curve for almost a millennium in the „Romanian” prehistory will successfully enable dating all the other contemporary settlements that preserve burnt or cremated structures.
           As at this moment there are relatively numerous archaeological fields in multi-level Gumelnitza settlements (there are 17 such settlements, like Vităneşti – Teleorman County, Bucşani – Giurgiu County, Mălăieşti – Prahova County, Căscioarele, Măriuţa and Sultana – Călăraşi County, Vlădeni and Borduşani – Ialomiţa County, Luncaviţa – Tulcea County, Hârşova – Constanţa County) among which more than a half belong to the final evolution period (the very one we know less) – this situation sustains our project.
           Additionally, the multi-level character of the Gumelnitza settlements represents an advantage for the vertical sampling of the archaeological deposits like, furthermore, in the case of some cultural micro zones where one or more contemporary communities live in close settlements, an horizontal sampling enables an additional chronologic control.
           Evaluating the cultural-chronologic evolution of the Gumelnitza communities will naturally include the „imports” problematic which are, generally taken from the Cucuteni area to the Gumelnitza one.
           Punctual analyzes of the ceramic paste (not only for Cucuteni fragments, for local paste samples but also raw materials from the settlements’ area) will consist in the first columns of a very necessary database. Additionally, they will indicate (or not) the local provenience of the raw materials used for the ceramics that are not characteristic.

General Objectif
           Evaluating the Gumelnitza culture evolution, as a very important period of history, by using for the first time all the available dating methods (C14, archaeomagnetism, dendrochronologic and thermoluminescent) as well as the archaeological studies, geophysical, archaeogeological and topographical methods.
           Interconnecting four dating methods for the same structure that sustains the temporal establishment of the evolution, as exact as it can be.

Specific Objectives


           1. Developing the first archaeomagnetism curve in Romanian prehistory.
           2. Relieving the space and temporal distribution (relative and absolute) of all the Gumelnitza settlements in this certain space, also taking into consideration the formation of tells (as particular cases).
           3. Identifying some possible habitation patterns (a community = one tell and other simple settlements?; a community = more tells and other settlements?; more communities = more settlements?) using not only inter-site specific characteristics, but also topographic, geomorphological and landscape elements).
           It also have to be mentioned that a desideratum of prehistoric archaeology remains identifying the moment (on a historical scale) of changing the role of the tell in Gumelnitza ideology, the moment when communities didn’t want (or didn’t consider necessary) to make another tell level. This moment should have been preceded by another one when communities began and continued leaving tells for other simple, open settlements. Although it is not planed to make clear this aspect, it will be sufficient information and theoretical examples so that subsequently, after a compulsory interdisciplinary investigation and defining a coherent investigation strategy, one could obtain an answer or a solution.
           It must be specified that the objectives can’t be separated, they’re not disjunctive, they are absolutely interconnected. That’s why they can’t be interpreted separately, but in a total connection. For instance, to create a sampling base, it is absolutely necessary to evaluate all the Gumelnitza settlements, from different points of view.
           To reach all these general and specific goals there will be considered and respected the 2 (3) and 12 articles of the 206/2004 law, concerning behaviour and ethics aspects during the investigation. It also has to be mentioned that the activities of our proposed project don’t include what is forbidden or restricted by the laws concerning human, animal or environment protection.
           The activities have been structured on five important phases. They are not disjunctive, as one can start before the precedent ends. To give a summary of what will detailed later, the following schema must be mentioned: from (1) the bibliographic evaluation of the present status of the investigation, applying techniques and methods that belong to different scientifically fields, to evaluate, elaborate and apply theoretical patterns, to (2) supporting activities and samplings for dating and analyses, as the evaluation, revaluation and dissemination final phase (4) will be preceded by another, preliminary one (3).
           The first phase will especially concentrate on the bibliographical evaluation (from different points of view), but will also include the evaluation of the potential of checking on the field the published information, the technology elaboration and a system of recording all the types of information. In the meantime we will also launch the project’s website and realize the structure of the operational databases.
           In a directly connection to the first one, it will be initiated and develop the instruments and preliminary documentation base. To realize a case study, an experimental GIS pattern of managing and using all the information will be created. Evaluating on which degree this is applicable on a general level will also enable some additions and corrections (if they will be necessary) at the right time. Creating a preliminary documentation base will consider not only the archaeological, geological information, but also the cartographic and aerophotografic one. In the end of this step, all the databases that are supposed to be realized from the first step will be completed, considering on what degree the information is published and the complete utilization of the new dates held by the consortium’s members. These will be online and enlarged by assimilating new elements obtained by the subsequent project implementation.
           The second phase is meant to develop the project’s content elements and, considering its goals, it will have many complementary components. This is the step when we obtain the cartographic base,
digitalized and vectorized for the entire considered space, using the cartographical maps and the orthophotplans. The coordinates of all the already-known Gumelnitza settlements will also be recorded.
           In the same time supporting archaeological studies will be developed, which are meant to offer supplementary specifications considering confirmation or refutations of some bibliographical information, for stratigraphic, surface and settlements’ characteristic checking and, especially, to obtain some supplementary information that is necessary for a coherent probes extraction without risking some wrong interpretations, according to the sampling strategy that has been established after evaluating the GIS pattern’s applicability degree on a general level.
           Considering the complexity of some situations, some supplementary investigations will be made – using the georadar (to identify the type and structure of some settlements) and by punctually realizing some topographic raisings (when it’s compulsory to have a scale which is larger than the existing plans) and/or granulometric analyses (when it comes for some contexts that are susceptible of giving information concerning the deliberate rapid tells enlargement).
           On the basis of the information obtained so far, it will be started the sampling process of some probes for C14 and archaeomagnetism dating. In the same step we will also process them, obtaining the dates that are necessary for realizing the base structure of the archaeomagnetism curve.
Besides the already remembered samplings, triple paste analyses will be realized – for imports and for local paste probes – ceramics/clay pieces and local raw materials.
           It is obvious that in the same time the databases will be filled in order to apply the final experimental pattern of managing and using the information on the scale of the entire studied phenomenon.
           The third phase concentrates on the evaluation and preliminary exploitation of all the obtained results and theoretical patterns. They won’t be repeated here, as they are previously detailed or mentioned.
For instance, on the evaluation basis, supplementary samplings and processing for C14 and archaeomagnetism dating will be made in order to cover the “white” parts of the archaeomagnetism curve. Additionally, some probes samplings for dendro and thermoluminescent datings and their processing will be realized.
           There will be enunciated and verified the hypothesis concerning space and temporal evolution of Gumelnitza communities, including here all the already presented elements. We will make preliminary conclusions on the space habitation patterns in the studied space and time. The dissemination will have a special place in this step, although it will be also a preliminary one – there will be edited and published studies concerning the Gumelnitza habitation on four of the most important spreading sectors – on the Danube’s valley, on a valley of a Danube affluent, on the valley of a secondary river and in the Sub Carpathians. There will also be organized reunions inside the students’ specialized meetings (from the two universities that are members of the consortium. A promotion brochure entitled 6000 Years Ago will be edited and published and communications during national and international conferences will be sustained.
           The fourth phase, which represents the final evaluation, exploitation and distinguish, will include, first of all, the finishing of the operational data bases and the completion of a theoretical synthesis on the space and temporal evolution of the Gumelnitza habitation pattern. So, It will be possible that we realize, the complex investigation technology in contemporary settlements.
It must be mentioned that during each phase it will be organized a workshop for evaluating the evolution of the implementation, identifying this way, progressively and continuously, the degree of efficiency of the managerial and technical teams, so that to be able to repair on the fly the unexpected difficulties which could appear from different reasons.
           According to the project application as a whole and the structure of the institutions that are members of the consortium, every one of them has a certain role and responsibility. Detailed information for the phases and activities can be found in the I.7.Annex. We mention here the directions of major implication of each partner. The National Romanian History Museum has the role of leading institution of the project and assumes its implication from all the points of view. Additionally, it will concentrate especially on the archaeological investigation, filling the databases and the C14 datings, as elements and financial implications specific for this project with all the other implications (from evaluating the field and the bibliography to realizing a theoretical synthesis).
           The University of Bucharest will especially take care of everything that is connected to archaeomagnetism, from evaluating the field and the bibliography to realizing and interpreting the archaeomagnetism curve; while the “Al. I. Cuza” University in Iaşi assumes anything is connected to dendro and TL datings, the granulometric and ceramic paste analyses, the georadar investigations.
           The topography section is the responsibility of the Cultural Memory Institute; as well as the database structuration and the GIS information management. The Institute will be assisted by the National Romanian History Museum for scientifical necessities and by the “Al. I. Cuza” University in Iaşi for technical reasons.
           As for the dissemination of the project’s results or their exploitation – as it appears from what has already been written, the role and responsibilities of each partner is almost equal. All the members of the consortium hold copyrights on specific information obtained after the project implementation.
           A number of 3 or 4 settlements belonging to Gumelnitza culture (where the researched have been in progress in the past 10 years and for that reason they are well known), chosen for explaining the preliminary conclusions, followed the covering of the main extension areas for Gumelnitza communities, like Danube Valley (Luncaviţa), its adjacent area (Măriuţa/Vităneşti), an interior river (Bucşani) and the Sub Carpathians (Mălăieşti).
           In resume, the project’s main results are defying a new habitation pattern very well fixed from the chronological point of view and the first archaeomagnetic curve for the Romanian prehistory.

SWOT
Strengths – (i) archaeological excavations (systematical, sondages, soil samplings) have been realized,
(ii) 14C datings, generally punctual, have been realized, (iii) imports have been found in the most
researched sites, (iv) there is an already constituted basic team of the Consortium, formed of qualified
personnel, (v) the scientific potential of the space is much more generous and allows an extraordinary
development of pluri and interdisciplinary research.
Weakness – (i) there isn’t a comparison model so far
Opportunities – (i) socio-economic – the local communities, (ii) legislative (general and specific, after
Romania’s adherence to European Union), (iii) European priorities for interdisciplinary studies, (iv) the
public property of valleys (according to the Romanian laws), (v) local administration availability for such projects.
Threats – (i) the qualification changing, emigration or decease of one leader team.

Project impact

           The initiation of this project considered a quadruple impact - not only on the scientifical community, on the local administrations and investments, on the public interested in this topic but also on protecting the national cultural heritage. The enormous quantity of information that will result after the project will be initiated is organized in databases, digitally stored and accessible to anyone interested. The first synthesis of the cultural and chronological evolution of the human communities from a certain space, for more than half a millenium, will be accompanied by an archaeomagnetism curve. Subsequently, this could be decisively used to characterize from the same points of view other Eneolithical spaces and communities. The resulting information will certainly represent the base for some MA and PhD works, especially by geology graduate students. This will bring in Romania the possibility to put the basis of a scientifically activity that has been ignored for a long time - archaeogeology or geoarchaeology.
           Never the less, as evaluating the entire immovable cultural Gumelnita heritage, there will be created conditions to introduce more or less recent dates in area or General Urban Plans. This way an important step will be made concerning their protection and there will be created the premises to constitute the necessary documentation, for those that don't have this status, of historical monuments, no matter if they belong to the A or B category. The protection offered by these two elements will eliminate (or at least will reduce significantly) the brutal interventions of the public or private investors who often defend themselves by declaring they didn't know the real situation on the field. There are many situations when bulldozers destroy totally or partially Gumelnita tells.
           And, last but not least, this project will have a special impact on a segment of the large public, interested in different aspects of archaeology, as many cultural products will be accessible to them. We had positive results as we tested (not only) the school children's disposition for archaeology, by organizing events like the Open Gates.

Activities

1^st stage

           The evaluation of preliminary bibliography and of potential regarding checking information, as well as the realization of instruments and preliminary documentary base necessary for research and preliminary endowment with infrastructure

General activities

           Evaluation of the actual research stage through the bibliographical resources regarding the studied issues (preliminary evaluation of the bibliographical resources regarding all sites belonging to Gumelnita culture systematically excavated from Walachia, Dobrogea, Southern Moldova and Bulgaria, in what concerns ¹⁴C dating from the studied space and time, as well as the issues of relative and absolute chronology or related to paleo-magnetism researches in Romania and Bulgaria).

           Launching the consortium’s website – the building of its structure and operational data bases (on-line).

           Evaluation of the real potential regarding the checking in field of bibliographical information and that of interdisciplinary investigation of Gumelnita sites (punctually).

           Elaborating the technology and realization of the system for recording all types of information/data (geological, geographical, archaeological) and creation of the GIS experimental application for the management and use of information (study case for one or many sites) – layers, geo-referential information, geographical coordinates (GPS), bibliographical links, etc.

           Organizing a workshop for evaluation of the 1^st stage of implementation.

2^nd stage

Final bibliographical evaluation and development of project’s content elements, as well as infrastructure endowment

General activities

           Evaluation of the actual research stage through the bibliographical resources regarding the studied issues (preliminary evaluation of the bibliographical resources in what concerns all sites belonging to Gumelnita culture systematically excavated from Walachia, Dobrogea, Southern Moldova, Bulgaria and Ukraine, regarding the circulation of different types of row materials or not ceramic artifacts).

           Evaluation of the real potential regarding the checking in field of bibliographical information regarding the location and geo-morphological characteristics of the sites belonging to Gumelniţa culture.

           Development and updating of all data bases – for Gumelniţa sites (from the geological, geographical and archaeological point of view), for ¹⁴C data for the researched space and period, with extensions for the Northern (Precucuteni-Cucuteni) and Eastern (Sălcuţa etc.) area, for “imports” towards and from Gumelniţa communities.

           Realization of punctual aerial photographs (which complete and detail the ortophoto-plans) and their mapping, realization of archaeological excavations as support and building the sampling base for verifications, realization of geo-radar prospecting for identification of sites type and structure (punctually), as well as coordinates register and punctual topographical surveys (A group).

           Collection and processing of paleo-magnetism samples and their verification by ¹⁴C dating (A group).

           Realization of aggregate-grading analysis for several samples, and of triple-analysis for paste (A group).

           Updating of data bases with further information obtained from support-archaeological excavations and from processing all samples, as well as the realization of the final model of management and use for information at the scale of the whole studied phenomenon, for the information known so far.

           Organizing a workshop for evaluation of the 2^nd stage of implementation.
MNIR


3^rd stage

Intermediary evaluation and preliminary verification of obtained results and theoretical models


General activities

           Development and permanent update of all mentioned data bases (update with all information obtained by the project’s implementation) - archaeology, pluridisciplinary research, analysis forms, paleo-magnetism, geomorphology.
MNIR

           Realization of punctual aerial photographs (which complete and detail the ortophoto-plans) and their mapping, realization of archaeological excavations as support and building the sampling base for verifications, realization of geo-radar prospecting for identification of sites type and structure (punctually), as well as coordinates register and punctual topographical surveys (B group).

           Creating the paleo-magnetic curve’s base structure for the studied space and period.

           Collection and processing of paleo-magnetism samples and their verification by ¹⁴C dating (B group).

           Realization of aggregate-grading analysis for several samples, and of triple-analysis for paste (B group).

           Updating of data bases with further information obtained from support-archaeological excavations and from processing all samples, as well as the realization of the final model of management and use for information at the scale of the whole studied phenomenon, for the information known sp far.

           Partial dissemination of project’s results at a national and international level.

           Organizing a workshop for evaluation of the 3^rd stage of implementation.


4^th stage

Final evaluation, promotion and dissemination

General activities

           Realization of punctual aerial photographs (which complete and detail the ortophoto-plans) and their mapping, realization of archaeological excavations as support and creation of the sampling base for verifications (C group).

           Identification of “white” segments from the paleo-magnetism curve and its filling in.

           Collection and processing of paleo-magnetism samples and their verification by ¹⁴C dating (C group), as well as collection and processing of dendro and TL samples.

           Realization of a hand-out for a geo-archaeology optional course within UB-FGG curriculum.

           Formulating and checking the hypotheses, as well as elaborating and publishing the studies regarding the studied issues.

           Final dissemination of the project’s main results, as well as participating at international conferences and congresses.

           Organizing a workshop for evaluation the whole period of project’s implementation.

 

Management of the project. Description of the consortium
 

           The Consortium consists in four institutions:

           - The National Romanian History Museum (MNIR)
           - Bucharest University (UB)
           - Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University (UAIC)
           - Institute of the Cultural Memory (CIMEC)

           The consortium includes special representants of the Romanian scientifical investigation, from different fields, that complete the project. Therefore, MNIR is one of the most important cultural operators in Romanian archaeological investigation field. It leads the most important national programs of preventive archaeology - Alburnus Maior, since 2001, and Autostrada Transilvania (Transylvania Mottorway), since 2004. In the same context MNIR realizes every year dozens of preventive archaeological investigations MNIR also manages the largest collection of archaeological pieces, as it is the direct beneficiary of numerous systematic investigations or prime partner in many national scientifically projects.
           Besides, MNIR has international partnerships in some scientifically projects - the Romanian-French collaboration on the Hârşova tell (with the French Ministry of Culture and Francophone, since 1993), Southern Romania Archaeological Project (with Cardiff University, since 1997), Pietrele Archaeological Project (with the German Archaeology Institute, in 2004-2005), it has been partner in a multinational cultural project – M.U.S.E.U.M. (2002-2006), in a trilateral collaboration (with France and Czech Republic, since 2006).
           As for the national activity, MNIR was leader or partner of five CERES projects, coordinated five AFCN projects and participated in projects organized by CNCSIS, MEC and Ministery of Transports.
           Besides, it coordinates two complex projects with PNCDI-2 financing – ROMANIT and STRATEG.
           MNIR also has an important accounting activity, as every year it has dozens of contractors and is secondary credit manager for all the archaeologic fields in Romania financed by the Ministry of Cults and Culture.
           As for the Bucharest University, especially the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, it has to be said that this is the single Romanian specialized institution that realized archaeomagnetic studies for the investigated period. Besides the Institute of Systemic Archaeology Alba Iulia, it is the single institution that practices archaeomagnetism. It also participates in numerous national and international projects.
           The “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Iaşi is leader and partner of numerous national and international projects, after successfully ending others. The creation of the Platform for Archaeological Formation and Interdisciplinary Investigation – Arheoinvest, which is actually a real consortium, was due to the specialized personnel from the Iaşi University.
           CIMEC – The Institute for Cultural Memory is a unique national institution, which has as purpose: digitalizing, evidence and research of national, cultural heritage, the making and administration of national data bases for cultural movable, archaeological, religious heritage and theatre performances, national reference data bases regarding museums, heritage institutions, specialists, and events etc, the coordination in elaborating methodologies, data standards and adequate documentary instruments (authority files, terminological thesauri, user guides), the making of digital libraries and archives. CIMEC has participated in many research projects financed by the Ministry of Education (e.g. Study for Romania’s electronic Museum, 1997), in present being implied in three research project financed by the Ministry of Education CEEX Program (CETERS, DIGIARH, SEISMIST). CIMEC has participated at six European projects (part of Culture 2000, FP 5, FP 6 European Programs) and at two regional projects (FASTI ONLINE, in progress, coordinated by the International Association of Classical Archaeology and Cultural Heritage - Community-Citizen, financed by the Art and Culture Regional Program, “Cultural polities – development and implementation” component of the Foundations for a Open Society Network). In present CIMEC is partner in three European projects (European Landscapes/Culture2000, AMA/EPOCH/FP 6, European Digital Library). CIMEC is member of EPOCH NoE European Network for Excellency Research for processing the opened cultural heritage and of COST A27 – LANDMARK research European network.
           From every partner, as also from MNIR, participate in this project proposed for financing numerous specialists that have experience not only in the integrated scientifically investigation, but also in developing numerous projects or programs (as they stressed in their CV).
           The themes of this project's application will create the premises for the consortium's participation in common international projects and programs. These will be, on one hand, in the field of Eneolithical chronology and, on the other hand, in evaluating and studying the Eneolithical habitations' dynamics.
           The consortium will be a viable partner for future European projects.
The project manager, PhD Radian-Romus Andreescu, has a very reach experience not only in the specific scientifically studies, but also in developing international projects and programs. He has been member or leader of a series of national or European projects – The Romanian–French collaboration – The Neo- Eneolithical tell from Hârşova, The Romanian-British project of investigating the neo- Eneolithicalhabitation on Teleorman’s valley - Southern Romania Archaeological Project, Leonardo da Vinci Program - MU.S.EU.M (Multimedia System for European Museum), The research program The Beginnings of European Civilization. The Neo-Eneolithic at the Lower Danube.
           The project manager will be closely assisted by the project responsible, PhD Cătălin Bem, from the institution that leads the project, on one hand; by partners' representants, on the other - PhD Cristian Panaiotu (leader of the archaeomagnetism laboratory from UB), prof. PhD. Nicolae Ursulescu (UAIC), PhD student Carmen Bem (CIMEC). Besides the monthly meetings of the representatives, there will be organized workshops with large participation (most of the people physically and intellectually engaged in this project). These will be organized considering the established activities and the eventual problems that could appear during the project development. As there will be a project website (sustained and managed by the MNIR server) that will contain an internal forum, it will facilitate communication between partners, by representatives and members of the scientifically teams and, additionally, will ensure the necessary transparency for a proper implementation. The managerial implementation team (which will be consisted, naturally, before the final project application) will organize, on one hand, common monthly meetings and trimestrial or with other certain frequency, on the other hand, with large participation, including most of the members engaged in this project.

           Financial, material and human resources
           The members of CHRONOS Consortium have important personnel resources and equipments to reach the proposed goals, as the personnel and endowments list indicate. All those that will be directly implied in this project have the necessary qualifications, obtained after university and/or doctoral studies or, afterwards, from participations in trainings (this refers especially to the members from the Iaşi University).
           The effects of the equipments’ physical usage will naturally be multiplied by the moral wear which sometimes is more important. That’s why during the first step we want to complete or replace some of them. Assuring the infrastructure is sometimes essential. The implications transforming the fix laboratories from the Iaşi ground floor into mobile laboratories, by creating the auto laboratory, are extremely important for the project’s efficiency.
           Besides the probe processing realized by two members of the Consortium – the Bucharest and Iaşi Universities – an important role, as some expenses specific for this project, have those that will lead to 14C dating. Before choosing the probes’ destination it will be considered not only the price but also the processing quickness. At this very moment the choice is Poznan in Poland and Lunds in Sweden. The external shifting’s that are covered by the budget will also consider this segment of activities. A certain part of the documentation, as far as the Gumelnitza phenomenon doesn’t end at the Romanian boundaries, hints some museums and specialized institutions from Bulgaria and Ukraine, as experience gathered by some international teams that investigate the same phenomenon indicates Cardiff as principal target.
           As there are more field teams (archaeological, geological or mixed) there have been structured not only the shifting budget (from transport to daily payment, from Olt to the Sea), but also the personnel expenses (which, in this context, include two important steps – preparing the gathering and the dates processing). Considering some activities’ simultaneity, to which will specifically participate one or more partners, there have been deducted the expenses on steps and activities. An average field participation of the teams is 3 months/year/person. There are some extremes, depending on the specific characteristics, the maximum one for archaeological investigations (from journeys to field data recordings).
           In the actual situation, of editing the project application, all the expenses are proportional to the work volume and the personal contribution of each partner (including here, of course, the leading institution).
           Detailing the budget calculations will lead to a maximum possible proportionality.
           It also must be mentioned that, under the actual circumstances, the steps of the proposed project’s implementation can’t last more than 10 months/year. Assuring a pause after the intellectual and physical effort is absolutely necessary after a period of constant maximal implication.

 

The National Romanian History Museum
Radian Andreescu – director de proiect
Cătălin Bem – responsabil de proiect
Corina Borş
Alexandru Ciornei
Paul Damian
Emil Dumitraşcu
Alin Frânculeasa
Cătălin Lazăr
Florea Mihai
Cristian Micu
Katia Moldoveanu
Cătălin Nicolae
Eugen Paraschiv
Valentin Parnic
Gabriel Vasile


Bucharest University
Cristian Panaiotu – responsabil de proiect
Cristina Corban
Cristian Necula
Cristina Panaiotu

Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University
Vasile Cotiugă – responsabil de proiect
Andrei Asăndulesei
Radu Balaur
Ştefan Caliniuc
Ana Creţu
Sandu Ion
Cristian Nicu
Felix Tencariu
Nicolae Ursulescu
Bogdan Venedict



Institute of the Cultural Memory
Carmen Bem – responsabil de proiect
Vasile Andrei
Dan Matei
Cosmin Miu
Irina Oberlander-Târnoveanu
Codruţ Onofrei
Bogdan Şandric
Ionuţ Şandric