Project Background The site of Jucu de Sus is located 21km north east of Cluj-Napoca and is situated on the floodplain, 500m north west of the Someşul Mic River. The site was identified and partially excavated in 2007 prior to the construction of the Nokia industrial park (the site is now occupied by a solar farm). The excavation identified a Roman period villa rustica, an 8th century settlement, limited evid...ence for the location of an 11th-12th century settlement, and a cemetery that partially overlay and cut through the walls of the Roman buildings. Fifty-seven inhumation burials were excavated from the cemetery that are thought, on the basis of the associated artefacts (copper alloy and iron earrings), to be associated with the 11th-12th century settlement, although human remains associated with the 8th century settlement have also been identified in the form of thirteen cremation burials, both urned and un-urned, which appeared to be located around the periphery of the inhumation cemetery. It is estimated that around 1000 burials remain to be excavated from the site and it is possible that some of the burials are associated with the 8th-9th century settlement, as well as the Roman villa (Diana, Mester 2013; Illsley 2013; Stanciu 2014). A preliminary analysis has already been undertaken on the inhumation burials, which identified individuals belonging to all age groups from infant to mature adult, and both males and females. A number of pathological conditions were also identified, including dental disease, degenerative joint disease, metabolic disease, infectious disease and trauma (Diana, Meşter 2013). The 2014-16 seasons of excavation recovered the remains of twenty six inhumed individuals and two cremations (Tucker, Stanciu et al. 2015, Tucker, Stanciu et al. 2016, Tucker, Stanciu et al. 2017). The skeletal analysis of these was undertaken during the 2014 to 2016 seasons. The re-analysis of the remains from the 2007 excavation was also continued during the season, alongside the analysis of the individuals excavated during the current season. This report details the work carried out on the site of Jucu de Sus–Râtul boilor (TETAROM III), jud. Cluj, between the 26th June and the 1st August 2017. The Site The aims of the 2017 season, revised since writing of the 2016 site report, were to complete the excavation of squares Z1 and Z2 that had been started in 2016, and also to fully excavate square Z0, the 2×3m area in the north-east of which had already been completely excavated in 2015. The 5m grid squares to the south of the 2015 excavation area were also laid out but no further work was done in this area. As was the case in 2016, on arriving at site, the limits of excavation of squares Z2 and Z1 were clearly visible and these were used to re-mark out these squares and the limits of squares Z0 and the squares to the south of the 2015 excavation area. By the end of the 2017 excavation season, the three grid squares Z0, Z1 and Z2, plus a 1m (E-W) by 2m (N-S) extension into squares Z0 and Z1, and a 1m (E-W) by 4.8m (N-S) extension into squares Y1 and Y2, undertaken to chase possible features, had been completely excavated. Site Narrative The whole area of the excavation was covered in a thin and sparse turf of no more than 2cm. This covered a thin (8-10cm), dark brownish grey, clayey silt topsoil (209). Under the topsoil was a mid greyish brown sandy silt layer (220), with moderate inclusions of moderately sorted gravel, sandstone and tile fragments, and with finds of pottery, animal bone and brick/tile and metal. This layer was identified in 2014 as a Roman occupation layer associated with the villa rustica. All of the excavated features cut through this layer, which was approximately 20cm thick. It was very difficult to see cut-features in this material and therefore all identified features were horizontally truncated to some degree in the course of excavation. In part of the excavation area, this layer overlay a mid brownish grey sandy silt, completely devoid of archaeological material, that probably represents an alluvial layer over the natural, which was composed of loose sand, gravel and pebbles. In other parts of the excavation area, particularly in square Z0, the layer directly overlay the natural. Seventeen cut features were identified during this season, comprising five single inhumation graves, one cremation burial, two pits, five “empty” graves, an inhumation grave excavated in 2007, the extension into Z0 of the 2015 excavation trench, and what may be the corner of a 2007 excavation trench. These features are described below: Inhumation Graves Burial 29 (=Burial 35) (in the centre of square Z1) The west end of the grave cut was originally given the number [210] but large parts of the cut were very uncertain. The cut was more confidently identified at the end of the excavation season when it was given the number [243] and thought to belong to a separate grave. It was a sub-rectangular feature with the west end lost, probably as the result of animal activity, and with rounded corners, sloping sides and an irregular base with an animal burrow in the centre, in which some bone fragments and teeth were found. It was orientated slightly southwest-northeast, with a length of 1.20m, a width of 0.40m and a surviving depth of 0.05m. The grave fill (211) and (244) was a light brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of rounded pebbles, sandstone and brick/tile fragments. The skull and right femur of the non-adult skeleton were given the number SK212 (Figure 1), and the left femur and lower legs were given the number SK245 (Figure 2). The skeleton was orientated with their head at the west end of the grave and was supine and extended. The absence of the torso and arms may have been partially the result of animal activity. Burial 30 (in the north west of square Z1) The grave cut [213] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, vertical sides, with the west and end ends being very shallow, and a flat base. It was orientated slightly southwest-northeast, with a length of 1.75m, a width of 0.52m and a surviving depth of 0.17m. The grave fill (214) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones and fragments of brick/tile. There was a large tile fragment against the north-west border of the fill that overlay the left arm of the skeleton and may have formed part of a grave lining or cover. The adult skeleton (SK215) was orientated with their head at the west end of the grave and was supine and extended with the arms straight (Figure 3). The absence of the torso may have been partially the result of animal activity. Burial 31 (in the north west of square Z2) The grave cut [221] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, moderately sloping sides and a flat base that was disturbed to the east by animal activity. It was orientated east-west, with a length of 2.21m, a width of 0.90m and a surviving depth of 0.29m. The grave fill (222) was a mid greyish brown sandy silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones and fragments of brick/tile. The only surviving parts of the adult skeleton (SK223) were a skull and some poorly preserved long bones found at the west end of the grave with the rest of the skeleton probably being disturbed and destroyed by animal activity (Figure 4). Burial 32 (in the west part of square Z0) The grave cut [224] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, vertical to near-vertical sides and a base sloping from north to south, being flat at the western end and irregular, coming down onto the natural, at the eastern end (Figure 6). It was orientated very slightly southwest-northeast, with a length of 1.96m, a width of 0.70m and a surviving depth of 0.27m. The north-east corner of the cut was truncated by the extension into Z0 of the 2015 excavation trench [248]. The grave fill (225) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with sub-angular stones and fragments of brick/tile and finds of pottery. The only surviving part of the non-adult skeleton (SK230) was a skull that had been horizontally truncated by modern construction activity (Figure 5). Burial 34 (in the south part of square Z0) The grave cut [236] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, a gently sloping north side and a sharply sloping to vertical west end, and a flat base that sloped from east to west. It was orientated southwest-northeast, with a length of 1.88m, a width of 0.55m and a surviving depth of 0.10m. The south side of the cut was truncated by animal activity. The grave fill (237) was a mid greyish brown clayey silt with inclusions of rounded pebbles and fragments/flecks of brick/tile, and finds of pottery and animal bone. The adolescent skeleton (SK238) was orientated with their head at the west end of the grave and was supine and extended with the arms straight (Figure 8). A copper alloy ring (SF13) was found on a finger of the right hand (Figure 9), and fragments of carved stone beads (SF14) were found in the neck area of the skeleton. During processing of the remains, two rock crystal beads (assigned to SK14), and a copper alloy earring (SF15) were also found. Cremation Grave Burial 33 (in the south part of square Z0) The cut of the cremation grave pit [231] was a sub-rectangular feature, with rounded corners, near vertical sides and a flat base sloping from east to west. It was orientated west-east, with a surviving length of 1.60m, a width of 0.83m and a surviving depth of 0.23m. It had been truncated to the west by a probable 2007 excavation trench [246]. The fill (232) was a dark greyish brown sandy silt with inclusions of rounded and angular stones and finds of pottery. The cremated bone (233) was found in a small area in the centre of the western part of the pit without any evidence for an urn (Figure 7). Pits Pit 216 (in the centre of square Z1) The cut [216] was a sub-oval feature with near vertical to steeply sloping sides and a flat base. It had a north-south length of 0.67m, a west-east width of 0.45m, and a surviving depth of 0.22m. It had been truncated to the east by pit [191] from 2016. The fill (217) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-angular stones and fragments of brick/tile. Pit 218 (in the south-west corner of square Z1) The cut [218] was a sub-rounded feature with steep to moderately sloping sides and a slightly concave base. It had a west-east length of 1.00m, a north-south width of 0.84m and a surviving depth of 0.30m. The eastern side of the cut and the base had probably been disturbed by animal activity. The fill (219) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-angular sandstone fragments, sub-rounded stones and fragments of brick/tile. “Empty” Graves Grave 226 (in the south-east corner of square Z0) The cut [226] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, near vertical sides and a flat base (Figure 10). It was orientated west-east, with a length of 1.82m, a width of 0.78m and a surviving depth of 0.19m. The north-east part of the cut had been truncated by animal activity. The fill (229) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones and fragments of brick/tile. Grave 227 (in the south-east corner of square Z0) The cut [227] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, near vertical sides and a flat to irregular base (Figure 11). It was orientated west-east, with a length of 1.91m, a width of 0.61m and a surviving depth of 0.27m. The fill (228) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones and fragments of brick/tile, and finds of pottery. Grave 234 (in the north-west corner of square Z1) The cut [234] was a sub-oval feature with rounded corners, near vertical sides and a flat base (Figure 12). It was orientated west-east, with a length of 1.09m, a width of 0.53m and a surviving depth of 0.17m. The fill (235) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones. Grave 239 (in the south-west part of square Z1) The cut [239] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, near vertical to steep sides and a flat base (Figure 13). It was orientated west-east, with a length of 1.52m, a width of 0.54m and a surviving depth of 0.16m. The north-east part of the cut had been truncated by animal activity. The fill (240) was a mid greyish brown clayey silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones, and fragments of sandstone and brick/tile. Grave 241 (in the north-west part of square Z1) The cut [241] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, near-vertical sides and a flat base (Figure 14). It was orientated slightly south-west to north-east, with a length of 1.95m, a width of 0.60m and a surviving depth of 0.17m. The west end of the cut was uncertainly defined. The fill (242) was a mid brownish grey sandy silt with inclusions of sub-rounded stones and fragments of sandstone and brick/tile. Other Features 2015 Excavation Trench (in the north-east part of square Z0) The cut [248] was a rectangular feature with square corners. It was orientated west-east, with a surviving length of 3.00m and a width of 2.00m. The feature was not re-excavated but the fill was given the number (249). ?2007 Trench (in the south-west corner of square Z0) The cut [246] was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners. It was orientated south-north, with a surviving length of 1.70m and a surviving width of 1.60m. The feature was not excavated but the fill was given the number (247). 2007 Grave (in the east part of square Z0) This feature was not given context numbers or recorded in detail but was a sub-rectangular feature with rounded corners, steeply sloping sides and a concave base. It was orientated west-east, with a surviving length of approximately 1.2m and a width of approximately 0.8m. The feature was truncated to the east by the 2015 excavation trench. Site summary The revised objectives for the 2017 excavation season, namely to complete the excavation of squares Z1 and Z2 and to excavate square Z0, were fulfilled by the end of the time on site. The five inhumation graves encountered in this season’s excavation, all of which are orientated west-east or southwest-northeast, form part of the previously excavated 11th-12th century cemetery. The copper alloy earring (SF 15) and ring (SF13) found with Burial 34 are very similar in type to those found in previous excavation seasons, although the same individual had also been buried with two rock crystal beads (part of SF14), an artefact type not so far found with any other burial. The graves are all cut through a Roman occupation layer associated with the villa rustica, which is situated approximately 5m to the west of the trench. The one cremation burial was also similar to some of those found in 2007, although urned cremation burials have so far been more common. The location of the cremations from this season and 2016 in relation to the inhumation burials from this season still suggests that the cremations roughly define the western edge of the later inhumation cemetery, although some inhumation burials were made further west. Unlike previous seasons, a number of “grave-like” features that did not contain any human remains were identified and excavated this season. During excavation it was found that the base of these features, as well as the base of a number of the inhumation graves in this area of the cemetery that were relatively poorly preserved (Burials 12, 16, 29, 30, 32) directly overlay the gravel and stone natural. It is therefore very likely that the acidic nature of this natural has resulted in the destruction of large parts of the skeletal remains in the inhumation graves, and all of the skeletal remains in these “grave-like” features. The stone and gravel natural was also identified as being very close to the surface in square A0 (excavated in 2015), which may partly explain why no graves were identified in this area. The identification this season of a grave excavated in 2007 that would have extended into square A0 may also indicate that more graves in this area have already been excavated. There were no post-holes identified this season that may relate to those previously excavated or to any structures within the cemetery. The small pit [216] was truncated to the east by the pit [191] that contained the burial of the horse skull and pedal phalanges, excavated in 2016, and if this feature is to be identified as belonging to the 8th-9th century cemetery, pit [216] may be Roman in date and related to the villa rustica. The larger pit [218] is of an uncertain date and it is possible that it may have been completely formed by animal activity. Potential for 2018 excavation season - Squares C1 and C2 were only partially excavated in 2014 and 2016, so the excavation of these should be completed, along with square C0, in which no excavation, apart from a very small area in the north-west corner excavated in 2014, has been undertaken. - A narrow test trench should be excavated to the west of square Z2 in order to identify the full extent of the 2007 excavation trench to the north of the current excavations and to identify the eastern edge of the 2007 trench for the villa rustica. Human Skeletal Analyses Summary At the time of this publication, 27/30 of the skeletal remains from the inhumation graves have been analysed, and several avenues of further research are underway. To date, of the remains excavated under the AGE # of Individuals Infant (<1 year) 3 Child (<12 years) 6 Adolescent (13-18) 2 Young-Young Middle Adults (19-35) 8 Middle-Middle Older Adults (36-45) 3 Older Adult (46+) 3 General Adult (Indeterminable) 2 The average stature of the individuals excavated is 165 cm for the males and 151.4 cm for the females. Several types of disease and trauma were recorded in the human skeletal remains, with many skeletons exhibiting numerous concurring conditions. In the 27 individuals of mixed age and gender were 10 individuals with joint disease, 14 individuals with dental disease, 14 individuals showing signs of metabolic disease, 11 instances of congenital disease, 13 individuals with signs of active or healing infections, 2 individuals with neoplastic disease, and 10 individuals showing trauma. Various strands of further analyses have commenced from these initial results. Archaeoparasitological analyses of the non-adults are currently being undertaken by a researcher at Durham University (UK) to discover the types of parasites, if any, the young people at Jucu would have experienced. The femur of Burial 2 shows an active infection at the time of death and was analysed by researchers from Transylvania Bioarchaeology and Teesside University (UK). Elemental Scanning Electron Microscopy shows a series of incremental cut marks, possibly made with an iron instrument, just perpendicular to the infectious lesion (Filipek et al. 2017). Approximately 70% of the male skeletal remains show similar patterns of spinal trauma, indicating the changes are likely mechanical (Tschinkel et al. 2016; Blevins et al. 2016). A further cluster analysis of intracemetery structure was performed and found that males with the injuries were grouped together, apart from females and non-adults (Blevins et al. 2018; in prep). Cremation Analyses The 4 cremations excavated under the current project, as well as the previous contents of the cremation burials have been analysed for a general age category (non-adult or adult) as well as an estimated burn temperature. Teesside University (UK) has volunteered to analyse these cremated remains for colour, in order to indicate a more accurate indication of the temperatures the remains were burned at; and elemental analyses to discover the contents of the pyre. These analyses are due to commence in 2018 and results will be available for presentation and publication sometime in 2019. As more skeletal analyses are undertaken, a larger view of health and disease in Transylvania will begin to develop. Additionally, skeletons from the previous 2007 excavations are being reanalysed to be incorporated into the larger data set as a number of errors were discovered from the Diana and Mester 2013 publication. Potential for the future of the project: The aim of the project is to serve as an international teaching excavation with a view to publish multiple articles and a monograph after the end of the excavation and post-excavation analyses. Ideally, the project will carry out works until the research team agrees that the no further progress can be made. In 2019, we hope to open an adjacent area of excavation for a more complete understanding of the associated settlement, but our primary goal at the moment is to obtain radiocarbon dates for the human and faunal remains of the site to assess the periods of diachronicity.