Borduşani, Borduşani Parish, Ialomiţa County
Point: Popină
Cod RAN : 92998.01
The settlement is also mentioned under the name of Popina Mare,
being situated at approx. 2.5 km NE of the village in Balta Ialomiţei
and at approx. 800 m from the shore of the Danube’s branch,
Borcea. In fact, the monument is presented under the form of two
adjacent tells, each of them with different sizes.
The great tell, (tell I), with a height of 15.4 m., has an oval form with
the basis diameters of approx. 150 x80 m.
The small tell, (tell II), situated S from the first, also has an oval form,
with the basis diameters of approx. 50x30 m and a height of 8-9 m.
between the two anthropic formations there is today a saddling
partially affected by the access road to the first of them where was
built the forest canton.
Sometime, in the interwar period, on both tells were built ice cellars
which apparently functioned also after the last war. The one on the
tell I was placed in its central-West area, affecting a surface with
dimensions of at least 20x10 m. the dimensions are relative because,
being abandoned when the archaeological researches begun, it was
filled with dirt and thus it was difficult to tell the exact dimensions.
After world war two, on this tell, in its South area, was built a forest
canton, to which added in the central area a series of other annex
constructions destined to sheltering animals and different provisions.
To these add other temporary annexes, which even today affect the
site. On the W side, at the base of the tell, were made other such
constructions which had the same consequences. Probably during
the construction of the permanent buildings which exist on the tell, on
the N and NW side, at its base, functioned a clay quarry which, at its
turn, produced considerable destructions.
The tell II, was 60% destroyed by the ice cellars we mentioned,
which were placed on its central area.
The destruction of the two tells was completed by the using of the
access road to the forest canton and which in the case of T. I affect
the S and E sides.
Researches history
In time the tell got the attention of many specialists. Thus there
mentioned the periegesis researches made by Gr. Florescu, Vl.
Dumitrescu, (in the interwar period) and I. Barnea, (1962),
then in 1980 by S. Marinescu-Bîlcu, Al. Bolomey, N. Conovici and M.
Neagu.
Following an occurrence development, we can say that systematic
diggings were subsequently initiated by a team led by S. Marinescu-
Bîlcu, in which took part Gh. Trohani and Gh. Matei, to whom from
1987 added D. N. Popovici. In the period 1992-1997 took part at the
diggings also R. Andreescu and Fl. Vlad, (these two since 1990), C.
Bem, V. Voinea, C. Miu, V. Parnic, (at the beginning as students).
Subsequently, as students also, or not, participated A. Ilie, A. Păun, I.
Torcică, A. Frînculeasa, to mention only a couple of them.
From the perspective of the digging conception, we may differentiate
two stages. The first lasted until 1993, being marked by the surface
digging, controlled by a grid grate of 2x2 m and mainly made by
altimetric bashaw.
The surface that could be researched in the actual field conditions
was the N side of T. I. Initially, here, in order to gain a stratigraphic
control, was charted a control section (E-W oriented, with dimensions
of 46 x 2 m), which practically sectioned at the S limit the area which
was possible to be researched, namely the space free of
constructions or installing. Due to the lack of workers, the researches
were interrupted for a couple of years, being resumed in 1986.
The available surface being too wide compared to the possibilities of
the moment, the E area was delimited, codified Sα.
Starting with 1996 begun the research of the W area, also codified Sβ,
between the two being spared Sγ which was 4 m wide, with the
intention to preserve a supplementary profile, perpendicular on the
magistral profile of the researched area. In time we observed that due
to the climacteric conditions and to the characteristics of the
archaeological sediment, the mark was destroying gradually and was
thus decided its integration in the researched area. In order to achieve
a better stratigraphic correlation and to attempt a better studying of
the possible spatial relations, the digging focused on the last two
surfaces so that to get to the digging at the same level, in stratigraphic
connection with Sα.
From 1996 until today, the research was guided on these surfaces
with the purpose of correlating as stratigraphy the entire surface.
Starting with 1993 on this site was applied the same digging
conception as the one materialized on the site from Hârşova-tell.
