The Ministry of Culture is monitoring the progress of research and conservation efforts regarding a Roman child's sarcophagus, discovered intact in Constanta, to ensure that this exceptional find can be studied and showcased under appropriate conditions.

'A Roman sarcophagus discovered intact in Constanta reveals the story of a child who lived nearly two millennia ago. Inside the tomb, archaeologists found toys, ornaments, and traces of flowers placed there at the time of the burial. The discovery, made during a preventive archaeological investigation conducted by the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constanta and authorized by the Ministry of Culture, offers insight into the lives, rituals, and emotional bonds of the inhabitants of ancient Tomis,' the Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday.

According to the cited source, the significance of the discovery lies not only in the age of the sarcophagus or the objects found within it, but also in the exceptional state of preservation of certain organic materials; textiles, wood, hair, and plant remains may offer rare insights into the funerary practices of the communities in Roman Tomis.

According to researcher Constantin Bajenaru, this discovery is currently unique within the funerary archaeology of Tomis and serves as an important source for understanding the burial rituals and practices of this West Pontic metropolis during the Roman period.

'Future interdisciplinary research may provide additional information regarding the funerary treatment applied to the child, the materials used, and the significance of the objects placed in the grave. Pending the completion of the analyses, interpretations concerning these rituals remain preliminary,' the ministry stated.

A major challenge now lies in the conservation of the extremely fragile materials recovered from the sarcophagus.

The National History and Archaeology Museum of Constanta has initiated steps toward collaboration with the National Museum of Bukovina and the 'Moldova' National Museum Complex in Iasi, institutions that possess experience in the conservation and restoration of archaeological heritage.

Specialists are set to assess the condition of the textile materials and the wooden coffin in order to determine the necessary interventions; this collaboration is also significant given the limited specialized resources available to the restoration laboratories.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the story of the sarcophagus in Constanta also illustrates why preventive archaeological research is essential in a city built over the remains of an ancient civilization; the discovery was the result of implementing procedures for the protection of archaeological heritage.


The plot of land at 4 Artileriei Street belongs to an individual and is the subject of a building project. Since the site is located within the 'Necropolis of the Ancient City of Tomis' archaeological site, which is included in the List of Historical Monuments, the Constanta County Directorate for Culture has requested that a preventive archaeological investigation be carried out before the construction project is approved.

'This sequence of stages illustrates the role of legal procedures in heritage protection: urban development must take into account the remains lying underground, and archaeological research allows for their documentation and protection before they are affected by construction work. In cities like Constanta, where ancient history often lies just a few meters below the current street level, any intervention on the land can yield new information about the communities that once lived here,' the ministry emphasized.

The sarcophagus was identified within an area located at the northern edge of the Roman-period necropolises of Tomis, near the old road to Histria.

The preventive archaeological investigation was carried out by a team from the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constan?a, under the scientific supervision of researcher Constantin Bajenaru, alongside archaeologists Catalin Mircea Nopcea, Ana Cristina Hamat-Georgescu, and Stefan Daniel Palamiuc.

On October 22, researchers informed the museum management about the discovery of the sarcophagus, which appeared to be intact. Due to weather conditions, work was temporarily interrupted and resumed on October 26.

A few days later, the sarcophagus was unearthed and transported to the museum's Central Archaeological Depot. There, in the presence of a team of archaeologists, conservators, and restorers, it was opened under controlled conditions.

Inside, archaeologists identified the remains of a child estimated to be between 1 and 3 years old. The skeleton, measuring approximately 63 centimeters in length, appears to have been well-preserved; numerous strands of hair were even discovered in the area of the skull.

The body had been wrapped in a textile material, in a manner suggesting a process akin to mummification. Additionally, remnants of a wooden coffin, constructed using joinery without the use of nails, were also preserved.

The preliminary funerary assemblage includes two clay toys, representing a rooster and a horse on wheels, both bearing traces of paint, two bronze bracelets, two bronze *bullae* (small amulets worn in the Roman world, especially by children, to protect them from evil spirits), a gold plaque with incised magical signs, and a bone button.


Among the most fragile and moving pieces of evidence, however, are the plant-based remains: textile and plant elements folded into cubes and strung onto a support, likely made of wood, along with fragments of plant stems and a piece of textile cord, which might have been used to maneuver the little horse on wheels.

The discovery is considered by specialists to be exceptional for the funerary archaeology of Roman Tomis; furthermore, investigations in the same area have led to the discovery of pits dating from the Bronze Age, which confirms the historical complexity of this site, the Ministry of Culture's statement further explains. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu;EN - writing by: Catalin Cristian Trandafir)