A unique exhibition is up at the National Museum of Transylvanian History in Cluj-Napoca of some of the oldest artifacts discovered on the territory of Romania, including the tablets from Tartaria.

These tablets are considered by some specialists to contain the oldest writing in the world, dating back to about 5,500 B.C., which would place them as much older than the famous writings discovered in Summer, which date back to about 3,300 years B.C.

'We tried to exhibit the most important pieces from the collections of the National Museum of Transylvanian History, even if not all of them seem like that, that is, some seem less impressive, but, nevertheless, they have a special story, such as the mammoth jaw, these pieces being extremely rare, such as the tablets from Tartaria,' he said, manager of the Cluj-Napoca History Museum Felix Marcu told AGERPRES.

He said that although many specialists consider them to be the oldest writing in the world, things are still under analysis and debate, because those tablets cannot be dated with Carbon-14, because immediately after their discovery they were burned and treated with acids, as was the procedure in 1961, when they were discovered, which is why carbon-14 dating them is no longer possible now.

'One of the theories says that this is the oldest writing, even before the writings of the East. On this occasion, we did all kinds of analyses, we tried to date them as accurately as possible. Unfortunately, we didn't fully succeed, but we managed to find out much more details about the context in which they were found, so we tried to present them objectively. There is currently no certainty that that is the case, that it is indeed the oldest writing. It is possible, if they are original, that they come from a later context, from a pit, from the site of Tartaria, which comes from a younger level, which is more recent than the writing in Summer. So, it is still a lively debate, further research is being done, I hope we will find out as many details as possible,' Marcu said.

The Tartaria tablets are three Neolithic archaeological artifacts discovered in 1961 in a tomb in the village of Tartaria, Alba County. They are three small clay tablets (two rectangular and one round), with etched marks on one side.

Marcu also presented several other pieces from the exhibition 'Untold Treasures. The History of Transylvania through Objects,' an exhibition mounted by the National Museum of Transylvanian History in Cluj-Napoca.

'We then exhibit - because the exhibition is chronological starting from the Stone Age to the contemporary era - important artifacts from all times, older discoveries, more recent discoveries. The most recent discovery we are exhibiting is a gold hoard recently discovered in the Palatca area, near Cluj. It is under analysis and research. Then, we exhibit other pieces from that period, for example, some discovered in the area where the Polus/Vivo shopping mall was built, where some tombs were discovered also from the Bronze Age, so from about 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, absolutely spectacular.'

Other interesting pieces are from the Dacian and Roman eras discovered mainly in the Orastiei Mountains.

'After that we come to the newer eras, we also pass through the Dacian era, from where some of the most important pieces from the Orastie Mountains in particular are exhibited, such as the vessel on which we find the name of Decebalus, we also see a Dacian sword - an element that is quite rare and almost unique in this area, discoveries in the area of the Orastiei Mountains - a series of objects that show us not only that the Dacians knew the metallurgy of iron, but also knew how to make glass, for example, and are exhibited objects made of glass paste, a tube with which they blew into the glass. Further on, from the Roman era we have some of the most important discovered at Gilau, also near Cluj, a parade mask and an absolutely specially decorated vessel. Then, also integrated with the exhibition is an Egyptian collection that we showcase.'

A series of deliberately deformed skulls, as a demonstration of the social status of the time, are also an attraction for the public.

'At the next level of the exhibition we enter directly into the era of migrations or the post-Roman era, an era from which we have even less data, because there are almost no documents, but discoveries from the Transylvanian area are presented. For example, absolutely special skulls, which are deformed, elongated, precisely to demonstrate the difference in social status. Their skull is deformed from birth. Other ornaments are also presented. From the early medieval era, one of the most spectacular treasures discovered in Transylvania is displayed, the Treasure of the Balta Fortress, discovered in several tombs, which story is presented in videos that we have prepared for each era, to put these pieces in context. We are also showcasing some weaponry, some absolutely spectacular, a crossbow, for example. In addition to them, other household or luxury items, such as ceramics, absolutely special clocks,' according to Marcu. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Marius Septimiu Avram; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)