Hora CIUGUDEAN
(Muzeul National al Unirii, Alba Julia, Romania)
Old mine sites are an integral part of Romania’s cultural heritage and thus should be treated with the same respect as the other remaining features of Europe’s past. Rather than destroying mining features, their preservation offers opportunities for education, appreciation and cultural tourism. In my presentation, I looked specifically at mining sites and prominent features within the striking mining landscape of Bucium valley in western Transylvania. The Bucium valley is closely linked to the Rosia Montana area and they definitely form together a cultural landscape. This is the result of the Roman intervention in the territory over two centuries (2nd – 3rd AD) and the changes experienced in this territory up to our time. Its importance, however, goes beyond the monumental remains of Roman gold mining, as it is the product of historical changes of all types that this exploitation and domination implied. The understanding of the cultural landscape of Bucium area has been considerably enhanced by the interdisciplinary surveys and exploration, currently being undertaken by the Bucium Valley Project. The basis of the project is that the recognition of archaeological mining heritage should be an important aspect of any proactive management strategy for the Romanian archaeological resource. The project has a number of key objectives. These included a decision on the definition of an “archaeological landscape” to be applied in Romania. The project also included an assessment of the extent to which mining landscapes are protected under existing designations in Romania. Case studies of selected archaeological landscapes in the Bucium area were carried out to illustrate potential for proposing a National Park in this region. In the final part of the presentation recommendations regarding heritage management strategies for a sustainable development of the area were made. One of the possible models for heritage management in the field of cultural landscape is European Cultural Paths, a partnership between projects dealing with heritage in five European countries. This project intended to provide a model for co-operation between archaeologists and management in the preservation of cultural landscapes. A pilot Cultural Path has already been promoted in the Rosia Montana – Bucium area, under the name “The Golden Way”( www.drumulaurului.ro). Several physical paths were created and signposted in the landscape, and multilingual full-colour brochures introducing the paths were printed, assisting visitors to learn about the ancient mining sites and monuments that have to be cared for. All information concerning the Bucium Valley Project and the related heritage sites was made available on a Web site (www.buciumland.ro).