every one of Romania’s forty-one counties has its own journal).

In addition to the excavations carried out on sites from all historical epochs, prospecting expeditions have mapped out a detailed archaeological picture of Romania. Nicolăescu-Plopşor (1938, 41–107) and Păunescu (1970, 11–34, 107–148) made notable discoveries concerning the Paleolithic era. Others found implements dating back to the Pebble culture, located in the south of Romania between the Olt and Argeş rivers. Objects made with the Abbevillo-Acheulean technique were found. Clactonian implements were discovered in Oltenia, Muntenia, and northern Moldavia (historical provinces). Mousterian settlements such as the one at Ripiceni, which has been studied in detail, were identified. In caves and on terraces, Aurignacian complexes were found, and evidence of the Gravetian culture was discovered in several zones. Archaeologists also discovered settlements dating back to the archaic Campignian, Swiderian, Romanello Azilian, and Tardenoisian epochs. The northwestern Tardenoisian of Romania was connected with eastern-central Europe, whereas the northeastern is linked with the north Pontic area (Pontus Euxinus is the Black Sea).

Since the mid-twentieth century, aspects of the Neolithic epoch have been studied extensively. Many Neolithic cultures have been found in Romania (Berciu 1961; Comşa, E. 1987), including the previously undiscovered cultures of Cârcea-Gura Baciului (in Oltenia and Transylvania), Starčevo-Criş (in Banat, Oltenia, Moldavia, Muntenia, and Transylvania), and Ciumeşti (in Maramureş). In the area close to Portile de Fier, studies were done of some complexes that did not contain ceramics but had some tools such as little hoes, leading to the conclusion that the people who lived there belonged to a protoneolithic culture. During the Neolithic period, people began using tools made of flint, obsidian, and horn. They were also acquainted with metals (copper and gold). At first they made simple implements, but toward the end of the epoch they were making large copper tools (such as axes), golden figurines, and jewels. They practiced a fertility religion represented by feminine figurines of clay, bone, copper, and gold, and their funeral rite was inhumation (with most corpses placed in the fetal position with or without an accompanying burial inventory).

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Neolithic figurine discovered in Romania

(AAA)

The earliest Neolithic culture was Cârcea-Gura Baciului, which existed in Oltenia from south of the Danube to western Transylvania, followed by the Starčevo-Criş communities, which came from the southwest but spread across almost all of Romania. Both of these cultures were known for their painted ceramics. In the northwest, the Ciumeşti communities used incised decorations on their ceramic vessels. At the end of the early Neolithic period, the Dudeşti culture brought incised ceramics (ladder, net, spiral) from the south into Muntenia and Oltenia. Into northern Moldavia came the communities with linear ceramics (incised lines and graphics that looked like heads of musical notes), spreading into northeastern Muntenia and southern Transylvania. The linear ceramic