Corvins' Castle - history

The area of Hunedoara is represented by archaeological discoveries that cover all historical periods, the idea to research the surroundings of castle becoming the target of all research teams.

The Paleolithic is represented by recent discoveries in

Gradina Castelului (Castle’s Garden), Creasta din fata turnului Neboisa (The Comb from the front of Neboisa Tower), Buituri, Valea Seaca (Dry Valley), and by Nandru - Pestera Curata si Pestera Spurcata. Artefacts discovered here complete the archeological panel of this period.

The Neolithic and the Eneolithic have been carefully studied in Hunedoara:

(Castle’s Garden), Cimitirul Reformat (the Protestant Cemetery), Zlasti - Gruniul lui Mos, Nandru - La Dos, Cerisor - Pestera Cauce (Cauce Cave) si Pestera no. 1 (Great Cave). These periods of time are rich in artifacts, placing Hunedoara at the interference of vast cultural areas.

The Bronze Age communities in Hunedoara occupied extended unfortified habitats,

on banks of rivers and their affluent or living temporary in caves or grottos (Hunedoara Gradina Castelului, Cimitirul Reformat, Cerisor - Pestera Cauce and Pestera no. 1 (Pestera Mare). The bronze metallurgy developed spectacularly at the end of the Bronze Age and reached its peak in the first phase of the next historical stage, the Hallstatt.

The Basarabi culture (middle Hallstatt) is characterized some exceptional discoveries (sanctuaries, houses, ditches) in the area surrounding the castle (Gradina Castelului, Cimitirul Reformat, Dealul Sanpetru). This chronological moment is considered as one of cultural homogenization on wide areas, phenomenon which precedes the early Dacian age.

The Dacian age of the 2^nd century BC and the 1st century AD is very well represented Hunedoara: Gradina Castelului, Platou, Cimitirul Reformat. To these are added the accidental discoveries of some coins’ thesaurus (named Hunedoara A and Hunedoara B, the latest containing coins which could be dated up to the 4th century AD) as well as the biggest thesaurus of ornaments and coins known in the pre-roman Dacia, the one at Cerbãl, dated in the 2^ndcentury BC-1^st century AD.

The Roman age is significantly represented in our region, due to the iron ore resources exploited from the iron mines in Ghelari and Teliuc and to the marble resources of Alun quarry. These discoveries are completed by the existence of some civil settlements, necropolis and guard posts (Hunedoara – Triaj, Dealul Sînpetru, Cimitirul Reformat)

The beginning of the Middle Ages is characterized by the ground fortification on the Sînpetru Hill. This fortress of oval shape is located to the interference between Cerna River and Zlasti Stream and closes the access to the rich iron ore areas of Poiana Ruscã Mountains, probably being built in connection with the center of the medieval county of Hunedoara. Generally is admitted that the fortress’ upper operational limit is contemporaneous with the second half of the 13th century. Older archeological research discovered a necropolis nearby the fortress, in the place called Dealul Comorii (Treasure Hill) (Kincses-hegy in hungarian), dated in the 11th century. Vestiges of a civil settlement were recently identified at Hunedoara –the location Grãdina Castelului (the Castle’s Garden).