Monography of Dumbrăvești commune

8/7/2019 Monography of Dumbrveti commune

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R O M A N I A

PRAHOVA COUNTY

DUMBRAVESTI COMMUNE

Translation from Romanian language

-SYNTHESIS OF MONOGRAPHY-

The Dumbrveti commune is situated in the central side of the Prahova County, 25 kmaway from Ploieti, 6 km away from Plopeni, 19 km away from Slnic and 15 km away from

Vlenii de Munte, being spread out along the county road DJ 102 Plopeni Slnic, having access

to the railway Ploieti Slnic through the three railway stations of the administrative territory:Plopeni Sat, Gavanel, Malaesti.

The connection with the neighbouring communes is provided by:

- Communal Road DC 11 formed from DJ 102 at the exit from the Dumbravesti village andprovides the connection with the Vilcanesti and Cosminele commune;

- the communal road DC 16 which forms from the Dumbrveti village and provides the

access through the component village Sfarleanca and further wih DN 1 A up to the Fget villageof the Gura Vitioarei commune;

- the communal road DC 54 which makes the connection with the Lipanesti commune and

DN 1A Ploieti Vleni.

The Dumbrveti commune was made according to Law 2/1968 by unifying the Malaesti

commune with the Plopeni commune, a commune consisting of 6 villages such as: Plopeni

Village, Gavanel, Dumbrveti, Sfarleanca, Mlietii de Sus, Mlietii de Jos.

Elements of the natural environment

The Dumbrveti commune is situated in the high plain area of Ploieti, containing within itslimits the area of the sub-Carpathian hills in the area of the piedmont plain, the hills of the north

area being afforested.

The villages of the Dumbrveti commune developed on the high terrace of the Varbilaubrook, the Cosmina brook, the right side of the Teleajen River;

The main water course of that area in the Teleajen River, a permanent flow and a bed a little

more curved;Other permanent water courses being: the Varbilau brook, which crosses the commune from

North to South, being the affluent of the Teleajen River, flowing into it on the area of the

Dumbrveti village;

The Cosmina brook with its affluents Misleanca and Golden crosses the commune fromNorth to South, flowing into the Teleajen River on the area of the Plopeni;


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The level of the underground waters measured in the fountains varies between 10 and 50

meters;The drillings made in the area maintained the underground water at the depth of 3,5-4,00

meters with a variable level depending on the rainfalls;

Seismic dataAccording to the Norm P100 92, the domain of the Dumbrveti commune fits in the

seismic calculation area A, the coefficient being Ks = 0.32.

Climatic dataThe main climatic characteristics of the area are the following:

- the average annual temperature of the year: +10 C;- the maximal absolute temperature: +39, 4 C;

- the minimal absolute temperature: -30 C;

- the average temperature of January: -20 C;- the average temperature of July: +20 C;

- average multiannual rainfalls: 600 700 mm;

- maximal frost depth: 0,90 m.

Gettable mineral reserves:Oil, natural gases, coal, salt, river aggregates; Economic activities:At the level of the Dumbrveti commune it functions a number of 79 companies with

various industrial profiles.

The main fields of the agriculture are:Fruit-growing, cereals growing, viticulture, zootechnics. Population, demographic elements:Census year: 1966 1977 1992 1994 1997 2002

Population number: 3706 3980 3695 3680 3965 3885

Administrative territoryThe commune has a surface of 2955 ha, with the following neighborhoods:South Plopeni city

North Varbilau commune

East Gura Vitioarei commune, Magurele and Lipanesti,West Cocorastii Mislii commune, Vilcanesti commune

Total intravilan area: 336 ha

Number of the existing homesteads: 1478Number of the registered houses: 1535

Existing habitable area: 25865 sqm

Habitability index: 7 sqm/person

Average/house habitable area: 16,9/lo./housePersons no./house: 2,5 persons/house The social and cultural situation of the commune is the following:

- Plopeni Village: General School with the forms: I-VIII, kindergarten with two groups,groceries, church + 2 cemeteries;

- Gavanel: grocery

- Dumbrveti: City Hall, Police Department, cultural center, human health center, schoolswith forms I-VIII, kindergarten, postal office, stores, library, digital telephonic exchange with 600

telephone numbers, church, 2 cemeteries;

- Mletii de Jos: General School with the forms: I-IV, kindergarten, stores, church,cemetery;


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- Mletii de Sus: stores, church, cemetery;

- Sfarleanca: General School with the forms: I-IV, kindergarten, stores, church, cemetery; Communal equipment

Water supply:

The villages: Plopeni, Gavanel, Mletii de Jos, Sfarleanca, Dumbrveti;The length of the water distribution network: 26 km,

The water supplying of the houses is made by the influent conduit Valenii de Munte

Movila Vulpii (THREAD I);

The electric power supply of the Dumbrveti commune is made by the national energetic

system by LEA 20 kv, through 11 substations.Telephony The Dumbrveti commune is served by a personal digital telephonic

exchange with 600 telephone numbers, situated in the Dumbrveti village.

On the communes territory there are placed: oil wells and separating parks and crude oil

tanks, the property of SNP Petrom SA branch office of Ploieti Boldeti oil derrick.Historical and natural architecture monuments

A. In compliance with the List of the Historical Monuments approved by the CNMASI in

1992, reconfirmed by CNMI and approved by the Ministry of Culture, with the approval no. 4277-IC-16.07.1997, on the territory of the Dumbrveti commune, in the list of the Archeological

Monuments and Sits, in the Sfarleanca village, in the point La Cetate to the east side of thevillage, there is registered the Romanian Castrum 101 - 118. This is a monument with an

exceptional value, the A value category registered in the list at the 30A096 indicative.B. On the communes territory there are the following objectives with strict protection

regime

Thuja orientalis L- arbor vitae situated in the yard of the property of the named FarmacheAdalciza Vidra Maria in the Dumbrveti village;

- Scarbus domestica L-SCARUS situated in the MOLDOVEANU point of the Mleti

hill, in the Mletii de Jos village.

Traffic organization:

The county road and the communal roads have the following structure:DJ 102 on the territory of the Dumbrveti commune is 9km long, asphalted;DC 16 2km asphalted, 3,7 paved;

DC 54 1 km asphalted;

DC 11 6km asphalted.The other communal roads, 26 km long, are totally paved.


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- HISTORY AND TRUTH -

THE NEOLITHIC HABITATION OF THE ALDENI II TYPE OF THE MLETII

DE JOS (PRAHOVA COUNTY)

With the occasion of some surface archeological researches, on the territory of the Mletii

de Jos village, of the Dumbrveti commune, Prahova county (25 km to the north of Ploieti,towards Slnic) there was discovered a Neolithic habitation, belonging to the bearers of the Aldeni

II cultural aspect. It was situated on the west terrace of the Varbilau River and it was named

Mornel, in the La Rapa point. The terrace is about 300 m long. The edge of the riverside isnotched, forming ten extensions, in the form of some high semicircles, covered with boscages. As

the north side of the riverside is abrupt, the locals named it La Rapa. It turns to the west where

there is a narrow and deep stream, as a border, covered with nig boscages, from the streamsopening rising Rapa.

Near Rapa there is the first extension of the terrace, named La Bughiu, the most northern

one and the highest one, of about 30 m high over the water level, with steep inaccessible riversideson three sides. This is where it is situated the Neolithic habitation. The surface on which there are

spread the habitation rests has an approximately oval form; it is 60 m long and 30 m wide, the land

being in the middle a little bit high because of the human living signs, of the Neolithic age. Fromthis point the ancient habitants had a large view towards south and towards north.

The plough unearthed various pieces of burned rough cast, with various signs of straws. They

are the obvious proof of the plant culture. We remind the various ceramic fragments on whichthere are impresses signs of grains of wheat and several grinding mills, of average dimensions, of

oval longish form, with a blunt side, because of the long time use.

From the ploughing there were also gathered isolated bones of animals (mainly of bovines),proving the cattle breeding.

Another documented occupation was the spinning, proved by the discovery of some

bitronconical spindles (of 3 cm diameter) and some round and perforated shivers. They also

suppose another occupation, namely the weaving.From the tools, there are certified various silex pieces. There was used, as raw material,

especially the brown-yellow silex, probably of the Balkan type.

There are also some grey silex pieces with an origin which is header to precise (it can befrom deposits found on the south of Braov county). We dont exclude the possibility that humans

would have also used local silex, gathered from the bed of the Varbilau River. There were

discovered numerous whole and fragmented blades. There are also several blade segments with

glazed sides. The scrapers are usually worked on specially prepared splinters. As in the case of theblades, there must be mentioned the mierolitic scrapers (of 2 cm long). We mention a perforator,

with a broken spike and glazed margins and a spherical striker. Besides the silex tools, but on a

much reduced scale, there were also used other tools of silicium gritstone, originary from the areaof the Carpathian curbature, which arrived in that aria also by changes.

The tools of grinded stone are represented by five pieces worked of volcanic tuff. Three of

them are flat, imperforated: a) an almost rectangular little axe, with a curved edge, it has arectangular transversal section with curved corners and a symmetrical longitudinal section; b) a

little chisel kept complete, long, with a plan-complex transversal section and an asymmetrical

longitudinal section; c) a fragmented, narrow and long lance. Two of the stone tools, also made ofvolcanic tuff, are perforated. Of the first piece, a hammer-axe, there was kept a little portion near


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the hole for the fang fixing. The perforation was made only from one side. The hole has a

tronconic form. The second piece, minuscule, was also a hammer-axe, of which there was keptonly the arm with the edge. The hole was made from two sides. It has a bitronconic form, the

connection being made on the small basis.

As special pieces, used for the tattooing or the decoration of the textures, we mention: anentire pantadera, with a short arm and flat at the basis and perforated at the top side.

On the discs front side, the pintadera has a relieved volute. From another pintadera, there

was kept only one part of the disc, also decorated with a volute.

The ceramics is represented by several fragments of vessels of various dimensions, modelledof paste mixed with a large quantity of pounded crocks. There can be distinguished two main

categories: the common use vessels and those of fine paste.

The first category is documented, especially by various jars with curved body. From theseones, we mention those with convex body, accentuated and with short rim, rolled up from the

outside. There are also large vessels, with cylindrical high neck and convex body; then, there are

very large vessels (some of them with 3 cm thick walls), for keeping the food. We also signal thebig deep bowls, with bitronconic form. There were also found some fragments of high cylindrical

supports, with a arched middle side, similar to those of the neighbouring culture area of the

Cucuteni culture. Among the fragments more special we mention a thick fragment, with some big,outstripped apertures. Various vessels had massive ears or little ears vertically perforated.

The vessels in this category were decorated, usually, with slurry, especially with winch,seldom with unorganized with slurry, associated with several niches, made negligently with the

finger along the margin and on the body, with prominences of various forms. We can seldom findthe decoration with incised, parallel, serried, vertical lines, or that formed of relief, short, vertical

strips.

Another fragment of the zoomorphic statuette renders a male animal, with long and slimbody. It lacks the front part; we also mention an animal body with a dull front part. One of the

statuettes draws the attention by that fact that it had a long neck and the front legs fixed on the

body with a little stick. Besides these one, there was also found a little head of horned animal. Onthe neck it has a facet indicating the fact that it was modelled separately from the body. One

fragment represents the front half of a statuette, rending a horned animal with long legs. On the

back it has a crest. In general, the statuettes described are modelled negligently.From the decorations we mention a pendant of burned earth, which is round, conic, flat, with

two holes at the upper side, decorated on the outside cu lines of small pricks.

It is excluded that the piece would represent an earth imitation of the golden pendants.

Until now, the habitation of Mletii de Jos is the most west one of the Aldeni II habitat. Wemust underline the fact that the archaeological materials gathered from the earth surface, of the

station, are rich enough, which allowed us to mention some elements of material culture specific to

the Aldeni II aspect from the region from the north side of Ploieti. We dont exclude thepossibility that habitations of the same type could exist further to the west besides the one

mentioned above.

As the objective was not researched by diggings, we are not in the position to specify the

stratigraphy of its contents (we refer to the layer formed during the Neolithic age). A signregarding a more intense and long standing dwelling seems to be the observation that that land is a

little bit higher than the surrounding fields.

As you can see from those mentioned above, as a habitation type, the objective of Mletii

de Jos is not different from other similar ones of the Buzu County, researched by diggings.

As for the occupations, as it is naturally, the data are still few. The tools, especially the silexones, are various, proving that there were big possibilities to obtain raw material, from that area or

by changes with other farther communities.

The observations made regarding the ceramics are interesting. It is necessary to emphasizethe fact that even if there were researched by diggings some habitations of the Aldeni II type, of


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the hill area of Muntenia, until now there were published too little materials of this kind. By the

number of ceramic fragments presented, our lot is the richest one.As everybody knows, the Aldeni II cultural aspect, found in the territories of the areas of the

Cucuteni and Gumelnita cultures, was formed of the mixture of some elements specific for the two

cultures. Of the observations made until now it results that in some stations, in the ceramics fieldthere are predominant the elements of the Gumelnita type and in others, the elements of the

Cucuteni type. In the complex of Mletii de Jos, some main elements (such as the glasses) are

the Cucuteni type. The elements specific for the Gumelnita culture are few. In the present research

stage, it seems to result that in the area around Teleajen there are predominant the elements of theCucuteni type, to be connected with a strong influence and probably with contacts with the

communities of the South-Eastern Transivania.

We cannot overlook the finding that the ceramic fragments with painted decoration of the

objective researched present some particularities, not found in other similar habitations.

It draws the attention the considerable number of the statuettes, especially the zoomorphicones. From the materials gathered from the surface of the earth, there must be mentioned some

special fragments, dating from the bonze age. We refer to a tronconic deep cup, with short vertical

ear. Its surface is uneven. As a decoration, near the margin, it has a small prominence, elongatedon the horizontal. From the few little ears gathered, we mention one from a little cut of fine paste.

On the upper side of the ear there is a button with a small pastille. The shape of this ear is specificfor the vessels of the Tei culture. This finding makes us assign to the same culture the other

fragments of ears and similar vessels. This is a proof that on the Mornel place or around it therewas a habitation of the Tei type. We underline tha fact that it is the most northern point, known

until now, with such discoveries of the Prahova County.

On the Mornel place there were also found some fragments of rough paste, of high jars,

with curved body, decorated, under the margin, with some relief, alveolar strips, associated,

probably, with prominences. Considering the aspect, these fragments seem to date from the firstIron Age1.

The campaign or archaeological digging the archaeological regionof Mletii de Jos, Dumbrveti commune, Prahova County, year 2003

Mletii de Jos, Dumbrveti commune (Prahova County) Point: La MornelRegion code: 131498.01

Staff: Radian Romus Andreescu (MIMIR) executive, Alin Frnculeasa, Eugen Pavele

(MIAP); UVT students;

This region was researched at the beginning of the 80s by surface researches by E. Coma

and V. Georgescu2. It seems that there were also taken archaeological soundings, as we found

some traces of a little case in sector 1 during the campaign of 2003. In 2002 we began some

systematic researches, within a project that aims at the approach by specific researches of thenorthern area of the Gumelnia3 culture.

Objectives:

- some diggings made in the surface, in order to try to find piles in the surface, but also theoutside areas of the houses, both for the establishment of the type of houses and of their building

type, and of the internal evolution of the habitation.

- the research of some closed piles, in order to observe especially the ceramics, consideringthe fact that the archaeological level is strongly affected by ploughings, as much material appeared

mixed.

- field researches near the region in order to discover other regions, with a view to thedevelopment of a project that would aim at the entire stream of the Vrbilu River.


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- recovering of osteological material, for archaeological and botanic determinations, in the

context in which the in previous campaign we could not recover more than an insignificant

quantity of bones. We wished to see if this is a characteristic of the region or if the earth acidityinfluences this state.

The research also received a salvation character, in the context of the appearance at the

surface, especially in the central area, of some well individualized areas or burned red mincedadobe, which suggests a strong affection of the region by the archaeological works. Also, the

situation of the habitation on the margin of the terrace, in an area where the Vrbilu River has a

curve that determines the accentuated erosion of the terrace, in the terraces breach there can beseen a strong inclination of the layers, towards the water (East), suggesting a strong slipping of the

terrace towards the river bed, which irremediably leads to the destruction of the habitation.

However, the realization of a small sounding in the eastern margin of the terrace at about -3,5 maway from the maximal altitude of the habitation, lead to a discovery at the surface (-30 cm) of an

archaeological pile, characterized by a mass of burned adobe, probably of a house set on fire.

Methodology: because of the reduced funds, but also of the occupation of the land by agriculturalworks, the archaeological researches of the campaign of 2003 consisted in the setting out and the

research of two sectors placed at 0,5 m to the south of SII/2003, parallel with the respective sectionand at 0,5 m to the west of SI/2002. The sectors named conventionally St. 1 and St. 2 from east to

west, have dimensions of 6x6 m, separated one from another by a stratigraphical mark of 0,5 mthick. Over the sectors there is superposed a squaring of 2x2 m. Archaeological discoveries:

The researches of this campaign lead to the identification of some well individualized areas

directly connected to various activities developed within the habitation. There were researchedfour distinct areas:

- an area which covered a big part of St.1, partially St 2 (the eastern side), characterized by

the presence of an important quantity of fragmented ceramics, mostly placed on the horizontal,which suggests the intentional character of this activity, respectively the paving of an area

outside the houses. We mention that in this area there were discovered few bones;

- a possible domestic area, outside the L1/2002, in St 2, the South-Western area,characterized by the presence of ashes, burned wood, bones (the area with the biggest bonequantity), burned minced adobe, very fragmented ceramics;

- the South-Western corner of L. 1/2002 was discovered in St 2, the North-Western area,

characterized by coarse successive junctions. As in the campaign of 2002, we noticed that initiallythere was made a fitting up of the house floor by levelling it with yellow earth of 5-7 cm thick, on

it being made several successive earth coverings, but also an ashes clay gall. In the Western corner

of the pile, but also on the South side we found pole holes with diameters of 15-20 cm.- the most interesting pile appeared in the South-Eastern corner of St. 1. There was

discovered an alignment of tambours (n.n. conventional name) of burned earth, oriented NE-SV,

at the depth of -15-18 cm, spherical on the surface, tronconic in the section (tambour no. 2) with

diameters of 26-44 cm, deepening 20 cm (tambour no. 2), on a distance of over 4,80 m. In thearea of tambours no. 3-5 (superposing them) it can be seen a burned area half built, but which

has not the aspect of a compact mass of burned adobe. By sectioning it we could see the maximal

width of only 5-6 cm, a width determined by the ploughing that affected the pile. Thesetambours were made by introducing the non uniform burned adobe in the holes, the earth being

subsequently pressed, on the superior area being made an earth smoothing. The pile was not

entirely hoed, the conclusions having a preliminary character, and the research would be continuedin the campaign of 2004. There were not found signs of burned wood that could suggest the

presence of a house with wooden framework, suspended on these tambours.

In this campaign there was recovered an important quantity of ceramics, very fragmented.The ceramic vessels totally manually worked, can be divided into three classical categories: coarse,


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semi-fine and fine ceramics. The coarse ceramics is decorated with slurry. We noticed the very

good quality of the fine and semi-fine ceramics. There were discovered several minuscule vesselsin one piece or which can be made in one piece. Very few ceramic fragments are decorated,

generally by incisions, and the painted ones was identified only by some fragments, painted in red

or white.

Together with the ceramic fragments we also discovered stone materials, both cut tools and

ground ones. The silex pieces are in general on blade supports, especially the scrapers. There were

also discovered many discharge rests (splinters), which suggests the fact that the tools were madewithin the habitation, this fact been emphasized also by the discovery of several stone strikers. We

also noticed this year the discovery of an important quantity of stone in the digging, generally river

stones, with flat surfaces, having big dimensions of 20-40 cm long, but also long or sphericalcalcareous rocks of variable dimensions, with diameters up to 40 cm.

The anthropomorphic and zoomorphic plastics are generally fragmentary. We mention an

anthropomorphic statuette of burned earth in semi-sitting position (h: 9,5 cm), and the buttocks arevery realistically modelled. There were also discovered various spoon and ladle handles.

During this campaign also there were made researches on the stream of the Vrbilu River,

being identified new tools of archaeological interest.

1,2 extract of Archaeological notes the Neolithic habitation of the Aldeni II type ofMletii de Sus (Prahova County) by Eugen Comsa and Vasile Georgescu 1983

3, Andreescu Radian Remus, Franculescu Alin, Pavelet Eugen, 2003, Mletii de Jos,

Dumbrveti commune, in the Chronicle, Campaign 2001, A XXXVI of the national session ofarchaeological reports, Covasna, pages 190 191;


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HISTORYS CONTINUITYTHE ROMANIAN CASTRUM OF MLETI

The Romanian castrum of Drajna de Sus is not unique in the Teleajen stream, as it would

have been logical, but it is part of an important Dacian-Roman pile , situated in the region Cmpia

Brsei Cmpia Trei Scaune Oituz Teleajen Buzu Dunrea de Jos;

Among the elements of this pile there is also found a Roman castrum, namely the castrum ofMoara lui Mitru, the Sfrleanca hamlet, Mleti commune (the present Dumbrveti commune)

of the confluence of Teleajen and Vrbilu rivers.

On the upper terrace that separates Teleajen river from Vrbilu river and at a small distance

from the confluence of these two rivers, there is a place named Pe Cetate, a name which is not

registered on any map.

In this place there are found covered over with earth the rests of a Roman castrum.

The terrace on which I said the castrum was placed appears under the form of a piece of land

of about 3 kilometres long, of about one kilometre wide on the territory of the Fundeni village,next to Dealul Scioilor, and as it goes further to the South it becomes more narrow and sharf, at

its origin, near Fundeni, of about 12 metres and to southern extremity of about 10 meters. At itsSouthern end, it detaches by a saddle, popularly named gorge, one part of the edge of the terrace,

giving birth to an insulated plateau, of small dimensions, and with an approximate rhomboidal

shape, as it can be seen on the sketch.

In this region the streams of Teleajen and Vrbilu rivers are crossed by the wide depression

Mislea Podeni, which separates the mass of the area of hillocks, the isolated hills from the North

side of Ploieti, namely the hills, Starting from the West: Baicoi; intea; Gagenl, the hills of theBucovel ricer, - Chiliei Bridge, Galmeia Hill, Dealul Mare, - producing here a very big expansion

of plain land, characterizing the placement of villages, good for agricultural cultures of any kindand easy for communications. This depression opens especially direct communications and veryeasi from West to East, through which the streams of Vrbilu and Teleajen rivers are connected

inside the area of hillocks, on the one side to the West with Pravovei stream and on the other side

to the East with Cicolul Srat stream, and through this stream, and through the Nicovului stream,it connects to the stream of Buzu River, before its exit of the hills region.

Moreover, as the depression makes the heights within it disappear and the plain appear, it

outlines, both to the North and to the South, one chain of heights that borders the depression,constituting two lines of positions with wide views and easy to defend, both for the periods before

the fire arms and for the modern periods; namely, the chain of heights of the North of the

depression oriented towards South and the chain of the heights of South, oriented towards North.

Consequently this depression, on the one hand places at the disposal of the armies inside the

area of the hillocks an operation line from West to East and vice versa, between the streams thatcross the depression, and on the other hand places at the disposal of the armies two defence lines

one in front of the other against the enemies that would have wanted to cross it, either from North

to South or from South to North. This couldnt have been not noticed by the experimented

commandants of the Roman army, who appreciated the military value of this place and who builtthere the castrum we mentioned, in order to take possession of this crossroads and to build a base

for the attack of the position formed by the heights of the North side of the Depression Mislea

Podeni, and in order to take the operations aside towards North.


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Thus we believe that the Dacians occupied and defended the height chain that borders the

streams of the Teleajen and the Vrbilu rivers to the North, by the depression Mislea Podeni,namely the Scioilor Hill between Teleajen and Vrbilu, the Coada Malului Hill of the East side

of Teleajen, and the Malaetilor Hill from the Western side of Vrbilu, which by their relief

constitute a very strong position of defence oriented to South especially for the periods of the coldsteel (without fire).

The position itself of the castrum between Teleajen and Vrbilu and to the South of the

Scioilor Hill, which easy more easy to attack than the other two hills and once conquered this

hill, both streams could have been conquered, reveals us the direction towards which the Romansdirected their main effort with the occasion of the attack that they probably made for the conquest

of the heights chain above mentioned; and, it totally informs us in the same time regarding the

great skill they had in using the land, either for defence and building fortifications or for choosingthe attack directions.

And in order for the ignorant persons in the field of military leadership not to wronglybelieve that we make a modern strategy as attributed to the Dacians and the Romans, we want to

mention that the strategical principles, especially regarding the use of the geographic elements

which are: the big lines of the land (rivers, streams, mountain crests and hill crests, depressions,zone limits), the obstacles, the communications, the covers and the food supply and the various

materials supply, have been and still are the same in all time periods in the leading of wars and thegovernment of countries and populations.

After the conquest of the height chain Coada Malului Scioi Mlesti, the Romans haveprobably stopped for a moment on this line and fortified it, by building the small wall that connects

the crest of the Coada Malului Hill with the margin of the terrace of the West side of Coada

Malului, the crest of the Scaioi Hill, the precipice Coltul de Piatr from the North side ofSfrleanca and then over Vrbilu with the crest of the Mlieti Hill, all together forming a strong

defensive line oriented towards North, on which the Romans could easily stop a Dacical counter-

offensive and on which, taking it as a operation base, they could further continue the offensive upthe Teleajen stream.

Immediately behind the roman wall of Coada Malului there are found the signs of a roman

habitation, placed in the orchards between the Mgurele commune and the Coada Malului hamlet,between the highway and the Teleajen riverside, a habitation full of roman bricks and tiles drawnout by the inhabitants when cultivating the land on their fields.

The castrum is situated on the terrace, as it can be seen well enough on the sketches.By the falling of the surrounding walls as well as that of the houses walls inside the castrum,

the terraces relief and especially its surface, were modified, as it is shown by level curves on the

sketch.There can be clearly seen the law parts of the surrounding relief of the castrum which

correspond to its sides and gates, as well as the high parts of the castrums corners and those

bordering the Southern and the Eastern gates, which definitely represent the biggest ruins of the

guns existing on those spots.If on the right side and on the left side of the Nirthern gate there are no big ruins, this is

probably because of the fact that the those ruins were drawn out by the inhabitants, in a larger

quantity, as some of they told me, or because of the fact that by their demolition, their filled in thefront moat. After all, the castrum has the shape of a rectangle with the long sides of 180 m each,

and the short ones of 150 m each, having a gate in the North, South and East sides. In the west

side, it seems that the castrum did not have projected a gate, either because the terrace margin onthis side was more abrupt, or because the fact that the situation and the tactical needs did not

require it. Regarding the orientation from South to North that the roman armys operations had in

this region, the castrum was probably oriented towards North too, meaning that it had a gate on theNorth side. This orientation also corresponds to the land from the North side of the castrum, an


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advantageous land both bor starting an attack, being built of the terraces slope on which the

castrum is situated, and for the Castrums defence in cas of attack from the enemy.As the inhabitants say, those who made diggings inside the castrum either in order to plant

grape or to draw out the ruins, in order to be able to plough the area, or to take out the construction

material, this is what they found during these diggings:When there were made the diggings for the cleaning of the place and the planting of grape of

the north-western quarter of the castrum, besides the bricks, the stones, the tiles and the vessel

fragments found, it was noticed that the entire place of grape was crossed by wall foundations, and

even walls in the earth, walls built of stone and brick connected by white lime mortar. Thefoundations of one of the buildings were hoed for 2 m deep from the face of the earth and on the

bottom there was found a fireplace with ashes and coals. Besides this one there could be seen in

one spot, as the character of the digging allowed it, a succession of big stones, holed from onedistance to another and in the holes there were iron pieces fixed by moulded plumb.

In the same place there was found a small bronze statuette representing a gladiator fighting as

well as the scabbard of a stone gladium with two bracelets probably belonging to a statue. Peoplealso say that they found out that inside the castrum there were found one or two wells, where the

Tatars who made the fortress thrown their things which they could not carry when they left these

places.

These two wells seem to have been in the place of the two holes that can be seen at themoment in the Southern half of the castrum.

In 1927, visiting the castrum, I found a piece of brick with the seal of the V Legion ofMacedonia. The inhabitants used to say that in the ground there could be found bricks that seem to

be, some of them, of 1 m long and 0.60 m wide and 2-6 cm thick and others of 20 cm long and 20

cm wide and 6 cm thick, as well as tiles of about 50 cm long and 30 cm wide, and 6 cm thick.In 1927, with the occasion of a trip made with the officers of Regiment 7 Dorobani on the

place of the castrum, the young George Mateescu of the Sfrleanca hamlet presented us a silver

coin found within the castrum during the working of the grape. This coin is a roman silver dinar ofthe years 103 112, a reading after a reproduction in red wax:

Obverse: IMP TRAIANO AUG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P. The laureate head ofTraian to the right;

Reverse: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. A standing concord to the left, holding on the right side

a palm twing and on the left side a crown directed in front.

This coin dates thus immediately of the defeating of the Dacians during the first war afterwhich rian took the title of da-cicus (Paribeni).

The former mayor of the Mlesti commune, the respectable old man Mateiu Dumitru,

(Mateescu Dumitru named Baghiu*) native of the Sfrleanca hamlet and even the owner of apart of the land on which the castrum is situated, made us the following remarks regarding the

thickness of the layer of the rests found in the ground inside the castrum: to the surface there can

be a layer which can be ploughed of 30 40 cm; - then there is a layer of 60 cm of ruins; and

finally under this layer the walls continue in natural ground on a depth of 1 m; so the entirearchaeological layer is about 2 m deep besides the places where there were cellars and where the

layer is much deeper.

And to tell you the truth says the brave old man Stere Diaconu, I was the first who fallowedand broken the fortress first; I found various devilries but I didnt pay any attention to them; the

hell with them; - I thrown them as I found them. Anywhere you plough you must keep well in

your hand the plough handles. And do not try to introduce the plug more than this (and he showsthe measure) because it wont work. Following the plough there come out fragments, rubble,

hollow tiles, and gloves making you wandering what kind of hands did the Tartars have.


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The place in front of the Northern gate is named Pe Podul de Aram. Probably there was a

bridge over the moat before the castrums wall and the stones of which would have been connectedbetween them by bronze cramps.

It is also interesting the name Lacul lui Irimia or La Eleteu given to the place in front

and to the left, meaning to the North West of the copper bridge; some of the inhabitants evensay that they know the time when in the pond there was lots of water. It could have been a

natural pond or a built one or the water could have been gathered in a hole made after the ground

was pulled out for the needs of the castrum.

Considering the fact that around and near the castrum, on the terrace, there cannot be foundany drinkable water source, it is possible that water was brought from the Scioilor Hill by

conduits which, being interrupted by the diggings made during time in the place named La

Eleteu, the water could have continued on flowing and thus the pond formed.

In front of the North side of the castrum and in front of the eastern side of the Southern side,some sides on which the castrums wall do not lean upon the margins of the terrace on which the

castrum is situated, the defensive power of the castrum was strengthened with moats which in front

of the eastern side of the Northern side seam to have been double. Moreover, it can be noticed thatbetween the two moats the land has an intense reddish colour, which would prove the fact that in

this place not only the moat was double but also the castrums wall was doubled by a parapet, built

between the two moats.


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Considering all the probabilities, the Southern side of the castrum seems to have been curvedtowards outside, if this sign was not produced by overturning the central part of the wall towardsoutside.

These are all we can have and we can say about the castrum.

Besides the castrum there were found the following ruins:

On the occasion of the diggings for the railway Ploieti Slnic there were found the

foundations and the lower part of two buildings situated under the margin of the terrace to the

North West of the castrum. These walls were built of stone quarry splinters. Most of the wallswere pulled out by the owner of the place and the material resulted was used to new buildings.

In the meadow from the East side of the castrum, named Lunca Vnt, and under the marginof the terrace there is a channel hoed in the ground named Islazul Ttarilor. The direction and

the position of this channel are those shown on the sketch. It is 200 m long 1,50 m 2,00 m

deep and 2,50 3,00 m wide at the bottom and 5 -6 m wide at the mouth.

This channel is hoed in the body of the second terrace, which I called the middle terrace andwhich contains the Teleajen River in this spot, as compared to the present pond which is hoed in

the body of the lower terrace or in the meadow of Teleajen river.

In the point where the so called Pond of Tatars descends from the middle terrace on the lowerterrace, the place has the height necessary for the building of a mill. Here there are in the ground

stone building foundations.


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On the point named Moara Veche, in contrast to Moara Nou and Moara lui Mitru, there can

be seen the sign of a channel that crosses the middle terrace letting the water of the Pond of Tatarsflow into the Teleajen River. I believe this channel was built by the Romans in order for the water

of the Pond of Tatars to flow into the Teleajen River when the mill needed repairs, which is made

at present for each mill.The importance of this mill installation is obvious and shows us enough that in this place

there was developed a stable roman life.

Old man Alecu, at the moment the oldest man in the village, showed me that in the yard of

his house from the Vrbilu side it is found a hole called La Moara Ttarilor.Besides these obvious signs found around the castrum, researching the lands topography and

the alteration degree of the ground composition by rests of ruins, there are found the followings:

In general the land from the North side of the castrum and within the terrace up to 350 maway has an altered composition, here by pebble mixture, further with brick and tile pieces, here

and there with vessel fragments and more rarely with mortar signs. Especially on the ground

brow from North Eastern side of the castrum, starting even from the margin of the moat there isfound a strong pasture of brick, tile, vessel fragments, mortar and pebble, with an aspect like the

land inside the castrum. At about 350 m far to the North of the castrum it appears again the pasture

but less strong.Nearby the Halta Mleti, in the peoples orchards coming from the Vrbilu River there

can be seen some waste lands and the people say that inside them there are foundations of noblehouses. In the yard of the old tavern of the former mayor Matei Dumitru there was discovered a

basement built of roman brick. One of the bricks of this basement has a hole made especiallybefore the burning where it seems like there was introduced the head of an iron bar.

The signs of roads coming and leaving the castrum are hard to establish as the terrace onwhich the castrum was situated is a filling up diluvian terrace, meaning that its body consists of

diluvian pebble. For this reason, for establishing the directions and the roads with which the

castrum was connected, we can only rely on the gates projected in the surrounding walls of thecastrum, as well as the slopes found in the edges of the terrace on which the castrum is situated and

on which the roads were descending in all the directions, as it can be seen very well on the

sketches.It is hard to say where these roads lead but considering the wide geographical lines of the

region where this castrum is situated I believe we are not wrong when we say that these roads lead:

- One on the Vrbilu stream towards the salt mines of Slnic and towards the riches of the

hill and mountain area of this stream, a road very closely controlled, as it passed nearby thecastrum and it went towards the open plain of the Mislea Podeni depression, right here in front of

the castrum;

- The second road leads up on the Teleajen stream in order to go either on the Drajnei streamto the castrum of Drajna de Sus, and from there over the Vrful lui Craiu Mountain to the Tabla

Butii pass (Tatars Pass) and further on in the Higher Stream of the Buzu river either on the

stream of the Teleajen river through the Boncota (or Boncua) Pass still in the Higher Stream of the

Buzu river or through Plaiul Serban Vod towards the pass of the Sfntul Ilie and Grohotimountains.

- The third road, down on the Teleajen stream towards the Danube This road can be noticed

on the field between the Boldeti commune and the Lipneti commune passing by a hole namedby the inhabitants Puul Ttarilor.

- The fourth road lead probably towards the East, through Podeni towards the stream of the

Cricov River and from there through the stream of the Nicov river into the stream of the Buzuriver.

- And finally the fifth road also probably toward the West, towards the oil zone Butenari

Cmpina Bicoi intea and towards the stream of the Prahova River.


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In order to finish the description of the roman habitation of this place, we only have left to

talk about those found on the portion detached by the so called gorge, from the body of the terraceon which it is found the castrum, and which appears, as I said before, in the form of an isolated

plateau with rhomboidal perimeter.

There are actual signs that allow us believe that the habitation around the castrum alsoextended on this plateau, this plateau being used together with the nearby castrum, on a common

defence.

Up on the isolated plateau, the ground has a much altered constitution and is mixed with

brick, tile fragments, vessel fragments and pebble, as well as the land from the North side of thecastrum. And the people say that in the ground there is money.

A particularity of the topography of this place consists of the fact that the road from the

fortress, after descending the edge from the gorge of the castrum, climbs in the same sinuous wayon the isolated plateau from South. Also this plateau has in its Southern side a very wide slope

projected in the edge, a slope that starts from the basis of the edge and lasts until the middle of the

plateau, where there was found the carved building stone.A last very interesting detail is the statement made to be by the mills owner, that, on the

occasion of the diggings he made to pull out the building stone he also found a brick written with

figures as those of the clock which he has no longer in his possession. 1

1. Extract of the work the Roman castrum of Malaesti of Prahova County by colonelConstantin Zogorit 1940

The history of Dumbravesti commune begins with the archaeological discoveries made

accidentally or occasionally.

The age of these territories is given by the unwritten sources attesting the presence of thehuman being in the Dumbravesti zone, the oldest proof of habitation consisting of the Neolithic

habitation discovered in the La Rapa point of the Malaestii de Jos village, with an age of over

6000 years.The most valuable archaeological discovery of the IV V centuries B.C. is the golden helmet

of Cotofenesti, a hamlet which belonged to the former Malaesti commune. The golden helmet was

found during the autumn of 1927 by the child of Traian Simion, born on the 29.07.1913, the son ofAlexandru Simion, who died at the end of 1941, in the Timosevka locality, being a lance corporalin the Romanian army, the 24th battalion of the mountain corps.

One afternoon of august 1927, four children between 12 and 14 years, were climbing on the

Buduiului stream of the Malaiesti hill, behind the flock of sheep and goats driving them to pasture

on the highest peak of the Malaiesti hill. The names of these boys were: Chitu V. grigore, 14 years

old, simion A Traia, also 14 years old, Roman Dumitru, 13 years old and Vrabioiu P. Ilie, 12years old. Arrived in the ursoaia Mare blind alley, the boys let the cattle pasture, as they played

near the fountain of Dobresc. One moment, Traian simion, seeing that the animals were not

nereby anymore, immediately went to look for them, towards Coama Schitului, he arrived inDrumul Piscului that goes towards the peak of the hill towards Cuibul Corbului. Looking for

the goats, Traian Simion sees on the edge of the road something shiny. To find out what that washe took the knife and started drilling the ground. He pulled out a kind of hat of yellow metal, as afireman helmet, he cleaned it as he could with the knife and then he put it on his head and he

started screaming to the other three boys come on here, guys, I found a treasure!. Going

home, Alexandru Simion, the father of Traian, understanding that it was something valuable, took

the helmet and hided it under the bed. The next day in the morning he put it in a bag and went toPloieti. He had here a former companion with whom he fought against the Germans, in

Marasesti, in the First World War. This one was the merchant Ion Marinescu Moreanu who had a

wine warehouse, in Cuza Voda Square no. 8, where today it is built the OMNIA store. Thebuying of the helmet of 860 g of golden was made by Moreanu, who gave to alexandru Simion an

advance payment of 15000 lei, he he had to pay him subsequently the difference of 35000 lei.


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During the spring of 1929, the priest of the village, Gheorghe Marinescu and the teacher Mihai

Vasilache found out from the children in the school that other children had found a golden helmet

on the Malaiesti hill and that some of them took pieces of it. The police soldier of the commune

also found out about this situation, during this time Alexandru Simion had made someimprovements in his homestead of the Cotofenesti village. His fellow citizens were wondering

where does he have money as he is a poor man?, but the money was from the golden helmet

sold to Moreanu of Ploieti. On 14.04.1929, the priest and the teacher accompanied by the policesoldier found other 6 pieces of the same helmet. These pieces were given to the prosecutors office

together with the statement of the father of the child who found the helmet. The prosecutors officeof Prahova filed the documents to the Headquarters of the Police of Ploieti under no. 6887,ordering to research the house and the wine warehouse of Ion Marinescu Moreanu. But a kind

policeman informed Moreanu that there will be made a housesearch to him as it is believed that he

bought a golden helmet of great historical value. Moreanu, finding out about the housesearch,

immediately went to Bucharest by train together with the golden helmet. He went straight to theantique museum and handed over the valuable piece to the legal ones receiving a reward

certificate. After Moreanu handed over the golden helmet, to the National antique Museum of

Bucharest, the professor Ion Andriesescu, the director of the museum, went to the Cotofenestihamlet and during several days made researches and diggings on the spot where there was found

the helmet but he did not find anything. Regarding the helmet, the following remarks are made:

that this piece dates from the period of the Thracians and the Scythians and it seems like it wascarried by the chief of a tribe. The decorative elements on it: a warrior, animals all over him, and

in the forehead two eyes with wings. The present remarks say: the Thracian golden helmet of

Poiana Cotofenesti, V century B.C.

VRABIOIU P ILIE(picture made in 1978)


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The professor Constantin Moisil says: - the golden helmet of Cotofenesti has a form totally

different from the other antique helmets. It is a golden cap with seven parallel rows of conicalbuttons, on the inferior margin it has a frame of spiral pointed lines, which border four plates

covered with sculptures. The front one represents two eyes, with double curved eyebrows,

inspiring fear. The back one, separated into two registers, presents in the superior register fantasticpeople, with legs in the shape of snakes, and in the inferior one, fantastic animals following one

another.

The two lateral plates represent sacrifice scenes, priests wearing tiaras. These representations

clear us the nature of the golden helmet, it is not a helmet for fighting, but a precious tiara used tothe big religious ceremonies. Its execution of thin and fragile golden plate shows that it was meant

for peaceful utilization, not war ones. The conception and the artistic execution of the sculptural

representation on the helmet are the same as the Scythian monuments of Agighiol.For the Romanian country, the golden helmet of Cotofenesti constitutes not only an

archaeological piece of first rank, the valuable thing of the national antique museum but also an

extraordinary cultural vestige of the far past of our country and of the habitations of the Malaiestihill.

During the period of the establishment of the feudal relations, and the constitution of the firstRomanian formations before the state, the inhabitants develop a rich economic, social and political

activity. In a study regarding the famous Posada from 1330 when Carol Robert de Anjun lost his

seal in the battle with Basarab I, the lamented professor Dl. Sarandescu of Breaza does not excludethe hypothesis that this Posada can be not necessarily on the stream of the Olt River but on the

stream of Prahova river or on the stream of Teleajen River, arguments connected to the fact that

Targsorul, an old commercial centre, is certified from the period of time of Mircea cel Batran in1413, and the big voivode Mihai Viteazul organized his military camp also in the famous forests of

Vlasiei not far away from Ciobanesti (the nowadays Malaiesti and Dumbravesti), it is not

important if we agree or not with this points of view, but we can certainly say that Mihai Viteazul

who governed various villages also governed in the Prahova county the villages and the estates ofBaicoi, Cocorastii Mislii, Piscani, Plopeni, and subsequently in Ploieti, where he also had a

princely Court.


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The position of the Plopeni and Ciobanesti village in the connection point of the Teleajen

River with the Varbilau River, which is the same with the road of Teleajen and the road of Sarii, itappears the first mention of the commercial road in 1421, the year of the commercial treaty

concluded between the voivode Dan the 2nd with the people of Braov. In the letter of Jupan Albu

of 1431, to the people of Braov, it was requested to let the roads free, so that the people can carryany merchandize to Braov and from Braov.

Among the written documents attesting the existence of the habitations of the stream of

Varbilau River, and of the Slanic River it dates from 1429, when the voivode Dan the 2 nd

strengthens the government of the Ciobanesti and the Poienile Varbilaului villages of certainaristocrats.

In 1476, in a document given by Vlad Tepes, the people of Braov were informed of the fact

that the roads were free for them anywhere on Rucar, Prahova, teleajen, and the stream of BuzuRiver.

In March 1532, in the document written by Tudor logophete in the Targoviste Castle, it

appears the mention GOLD a toponymic name found also on this date in Malaiesti village.The action of Mihai Viteazul of strengthening of the prestige of the Romanian Countries

produced new hopes for the inhabitants of the habitations of the stream of Varbilau, especially

because during the preparations for the action in Transilvania, the voivode remained mostly on theterritory of Prahova.

Even since 1659 Mihai Viteazul summoned the country army of the Reds and the riders inthe instruction centre of Gherghita, the instruction of the army for passing in Transilvania being

made nearby Ploieti, Targoviste, Buzau, Gherghita, Floresti and Brasov.The main army forces began on the 04.10.15999 of Ploiesti; most of the historians believe

that the army went through Braov, then on the stream of Teleajen River, on the stream of Drajnei

River, on the stream of of Zeletin River, up to the Buzu River, then on the stream of this river upto Transilvania; the voivode with part of his soldiers went over the mountains on the 05.10.1599

says P P Panaitescu on the shepherds roads. But their shortest road was Serban Voda slope says

Constantin Savulescu placed on the nowadays Bertea commune.The same road was used by Radu Serban for the passing of his army on July 1611, in the

fight with Gabriel Batori in Braov.

On 1624, July 24th

, by the wish of God, I, Alex VV and voivode of all the land of Ugro-Walachia, the son of Radu Voivod, I myself gave this order to Popa Vilsan with the sons ofdumitru and Neacsa and Stana and their sons to be their estate in CIOBANESTI, Saac county.

The disagreements between the freeholders that possessed the estates on the Teleajen River

and on the Varbilau River on the 7.04.1665 came to an agreement, divided the fathoms, pointingout the part of each of them with top boundary stones, dividing first the fathoms of the hermitage

near the limit of Malaeasca, connecting each estate to the other and each fathom was registered in

the surveying sheet.Even with the settlement made in 1665, various aristocrats occupy by force a part of the

freeholders estates.

On 1681, April 23rd, the priest Vlad of the Coslegi village, priest in Varbilau, bought from

Dobra, the wife of deacon Vasile of Fundeni and from her sons 2 grape acres in theCiobanestilor hill with her house and aedicules for the price of 39 thalers.

The priest Vlad builds at Ciobanesti an hermitage dedicated to the Mithropoly of the

Romanian Country, with all its fortune, after the death of the priest Vlad, the Mithropoly of theRomanian Country passes the hermitage of Ciobanesti to the Zamfira monastery.

On 1693, May 29th, - Dragomir of Fundeni sells to priest Vlad 40 fathoms of the estate in the

Sfarleanca borderOn 1694, April 28th the Judgement Book Constantin Brancoveanu V. v decides after the

judgement that priest Vlad should own the grapes of the Ciobanesti hill, bought from Stoica of

Bereboiesti,


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On 1697, June 25th Deed by which Sima and his brothers, Dumitran and Stan, sell to priest

Vlad an acre of grape and an acre of fallow on the Bucov hill for the price of 37 thalers.In 1702, May 25th, - Vlad Izgorea of Poienile Varbilau sells to priest Vlad 2 and a half acres

of grape with cellar place, on the Ciobanesti hill for the price of 17 thalers.

On 1703, June 26th, - Deed by which priest Vlad of Ciobanesti assigned to the Mithropoly ofBucharest the wooden hermitage of Ciobanesti and his entire fortune.

On 1706, July 18th, - priest Valeanu requests the establishment of the top boundary stones for

620 fathoms, estate borders belonging to the hermitage. there were made part of the hermitage,

estates of Stanciuleasa, on half, 402 fathoms, along the Teleajen river, up to the margin of thestream of the Radai River, they also chosen an estate near 218 fathoms, which is entirely part of

the hermitage, 620 fathoms. And this long estate, goes together with that on the border, in the

Radai stream, which extends up to the stream of Runcu river.On 1709, September 6 - Deed by which Dragomir of Fundeni sells his part of the estate

between Teleajen and Varbilau (Malul Vinetii) to his uncle or the monk Bogoslav, to the priest

Vlad of Ciobanesti.On 1710, December 12th, mister Serban Cantacuzino judges the cause and gives to Stanciul

the part of Visa, bought before him by Matei Stolnicul, voivodal book for the estate of Moranelu

(Malaestii).On 1734, April 10th Stana the wife of priest Vlad of Slanic, daughter of Radu Piticu

Bodcescu of Stefesti, sells to the bailiff of Izvoare a place of 45 fathoms of the Stefesti village,down side of Valea Glodului, with 11 thalers, am estate bought from the sons of Vlad Virjoghie.

The document of June 6th, 1741 the judgement book by which Alecsie vel clucer ZaMargine (a village disappeared belonging to the Malaescii commune) deputy ot South Saac,

strengthens to Constantin Sin Gheorghe, prefect of Bucharest, a grape on the Cuib, inherited from

his mother and which his uncle Dima had sold while he was in foreign countries.On 1750, May 22nd, Deed by which Radu the logophete of Stilpul sells to priest Vlad a place,

as well as half of those in front of the houses.

On 1752, January 21st the testimony of several peasants of Ciobanesti regarding the giftmade by the priest Vlad to the hermitage and its assignment to the Mithropoly of the Romanian

Country.

On 1752, January 24th

the book of the mithropolite priest Neofit to the aristocrats by whichStefan Egumenul of the Ciobanesti hermitage is obliged to pay the rent.

The document of 1780 mentions the fact that several freeholders of the Teisani village owned

properties in the Malaesciilor Hill on which there were planted grapes and press houses and wine

cellars for keeping the wine produced.On August 6th, 1780 - Deed by which I tanase Turcu ot teisani gave my deed to my uncle

Patru Turcu for three large baulks and a smaller one of grape, the part of the nun, in Malaescii to

hold them and to make a sarindar for the monks.On 1797, June 12th Anaphora Dear Lord, pious abbot of the saint monastery Valenii, of

South Saac, chir Gherasim complained to your Highness saying that the saint monastery has an

estate in South Saac, named Valea Stalpului, both inalienable as well as other places blocked by

gift and purchase, and this estate they say borders on two other frontiers, namely: Stanciuleascaand Malaiasca. After his claim, the Divan bailiff, on Your Highnesss order, brought it before us,

in front of Stavar zet Popa Cernat I with Voinea and with Constantin, the Stilpeni freeholders,

being bailiffs also to other participators of there, whom, asking them what they had to say on therequest of the abbot, they showed us the claim they made to His Highness, by which they show

that they had an inheritance estate named Stilpenii and Stanciuneasa and Malaieasca and within its

borders there was also the saint monastery Valenii, buyers with deeds.On 1797, November 18th, - South Saac it is mentioned Tanase should own a baulk of grape

of Malaestii, which he received from his uncle Ion free of charge on the conscription of 1757,

April 20th from the judgement, it was decided: Tanase remains in peace and peaceful and to own


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everything as there were owned until now registered in the countys register - / ss / Nicolae

Archivist.

Sima the Parish Clerk sin Stoica Isbasa ot Valenii with his son and his grand children from

his daughter selles to Pana the prefect sin Soare his cousin and to the priest Vlad zet to Dragomir,his cousin, his part of the estate of the Ciobanesc border, next to Malaescii, an estate which

descends from Balan Bugheanu, for the price of 37 thalers year 1801, September 25th.

Nicolae Protopopescu of Valenii is called on September 19th, the next year, to appear together

with Tudorache of Malaescii in the cause he has for debt August 15th, 1845.Ionita and Tudor Vrabioiu of Malaescii show to the countys leadership that, due to the fact

that Nae Nicolau of Valenii did not do his duty as bailiff, they abolished him and they request to

the leadership to oblige him to give them back all the documents handed to him May 22nd, 1849.On 1851, August 15th the proof We the undersigned, inhabitants of Valenii I of the

Malaescii village, give this document to the logophete Nicolae Protopopescu and to the mother of

Alexandru sin Gh. Pana, to be known that Marin Arsene and Dumitrascu Blidaru have been theiradscripts since they took the possession of the Ciobanesti estate and until now, paying the tax for

the property as usual. This is true and for confirmation we signed with the finger; And those of us

who are educated, we signed in writing, asking the villages representatives to put the seal of thevillage, besides our signatures, for confirmation. I Vilsan sin Stan Paraschivoiu I, Ghinea

Istratoiu, certify I, Mateiu Mazilu, certify I, Soare sin Dumitru, certify I, Mateiu sin IonitaVraboiu, certify I, Mateiu Fasole, certify Malaescii, I know they were adscripts, I Ionita

Sumitrescu know they were adscripts. Writer of the statement of the above mentioned persons Z. C. Mazilu.

In the first half of the XIX century there took place several social disturbances in the region,

also influenced by the hammers and the maglas of the salt-mines of Slanic, who even since 1813have revolted. An important moment of the fight against the discontents was the revolution of

1848 which, as we know, was leaded by Nicolae Balcescu. In the county there activated several

propaganda commissioners among the leader being the teachers David Almasan, Ion GherasimGorjanu, I D Petrescu etc.

In the entire county of Prahova the administrators of the villages changed, as prefect was

appointed by the order of Nicolae Golescu, I D Negulici, prefect appointed by the order 3753 ofthe Minister of Home Affairs, sent to Malaesti under the notification 4337 dated June the 1st 1848requesting the inhabitants according to the desire of the Interim Government - - - that during the

current year he should observe the mutual obligations according to the old decisions, until the

enforcement of the new lawsOn the occasion of these special events of 1848, several villagers of Malaesti enlisted in the

National Guard /Guardia Nationala, used to patrol the village in order to provide the public order.

Moreover, in August, Nae the leader of the village Malaestii along with Ion Rotaru, SanduRotaru and Herea Hircea, urged the inhabitants to disobeyance and revolt.

The administrator Campu reported with the notification 4613 to the administrator of the

county of Prahova, that as a result of the order received under 1939 traveled to the estate of

Malaestii to settle down the conflict between the villagers and the estate's administrator, thepeasants had found out about the dissolution of feudal obligations during the revolution, refusing

the performance of the agricultural works on the estate of Malaestii. By August 28th 1848 the

conflict was not ended, for such reason Sotir Papadopolu, the administrator of the estate addressesto the Lieutenant Domnesti a new complaint showing that up to the present the inhabitants have

fulfilled the agreed obligations, but most of them refuse to work, arguing that the masters have

dissolved the compulsory service. The peasants refused to pay their cash duties, the loans takenduring the winter, both with zapis and catastih.

Though the news were difficulty spread, the peasants of Malaestii, Zanoaga, Sfarleanca,

were aware that in Ploiesti, the peasants raised to battle, that the ones in Valeni had left with thecountry's flag in order to support the revolution.


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The peak of the revolution of 1848 in Prahova was attained on the days of 7, 8 September

when in the presence of huge masses of people the Organic Regulation had been burnt out.The following years, though difficult years, represented years during which the fight for

national ideals, the unity and the independence would not cease. It is to be noticed that the peasants

of Malaesti were aware of their choices for delegates and deputies in the Ad-hoc assembly andelection assembly.

In 1856, when the union committees were established, the first village meetings were

organized. The newspaper Concordia of April the 26th 1857, that appeared also in the county of

Prahova, accurately described the situation and the desire of unity of the villagers.The inhabitants of Malaiesti went in two directions and contributed in the Union of the

Principates and of the reforms during the age of Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

Firstly the inhabitants of the village Malaestii waited for the elections communities ofploughmen consisting in approximately 25000 ploughmen. Their representative was Ene

Cojocaru from Filipestii de Padure, the one elected in 1848 in the Ownership Commission. Still in

1857 in the first part had been clarified the issues related to the elections for the Ad-hoc assemblyand the Town Assembly, while during the second part the lists for electors have been finalized.

In the rural part, 14 places had been allotted for the Town Assembly.

In the county of Prahova the board consisted in 6 persons, the district's administrator, twomagistrates and three citizens with right for voting in elections.

The elections for the Ad-hoc assembly were organized from 7 to 16 September 1857. Thefirst days were in Dumbravesti, Malaesti and Plopeni .

In the elections, 16268 peasants took part in the county of Prahova who elected 536 delegatesfrom 268 villages.

On January the 5th 1859, Alexandu Ioan Cuza had been elected Ruler of Moldavia, on

January the 24th 1859 being elected also Ruler of Walachia /Tara Romaneasca, the news of hiselection filled in with joy the hearts of all Romanians.

In the evening of January the 24th 1959 the joy spread in the entire county of Prahova, the

crown manifested by patriotic songs, meetings and discussions.On the travel of Alexandru Ioan Cuza to Bucharest, he stopped for the night in Ploiesti. The

inhabitants of the village of Malaiesti contributed in the reception of Alexandru Ioan Cuza and on

February the 7th 1859, the rulers stayed in Ploiesti for one night and promised to return for theorganization of the military camp of Floresti, in the spring of 1859.

The events that took part shortly after the merging of the Romanian Principates had been the

conquering of the independence on May the 9th 1877.

If, until now the inhabitants of the village Malaestii contributed more or less in theachievement of secular wishes, the independence brought in front of the history the soldier

Grigore Ion.

Romania, by the voice of Prince Carol I, put on the throne on May the 10th 1866 tried toavoid the war, approaching the diplomacy way finding that there is no need for a strong, free and

independent state in the Balcans.

The Russian Turkish war, prepared and started by Russia determined us to sign the

agreements of Livadia and Bucharest establishing that Romania gets into war for conquering theindependence.

From Prahova, the highly important area of Romania, emerged lots of heroes of our nation in

the war for independence and unity of 1877 1878.The most famous military units of Prahova that acted in 1877 are : the Military unit 7

Dorobanti and Battalion 2 Hunters

The peasant Grigore Ion in the village of Malaesti, village Dumbravesti, born on June the 5th1850 has been recruited in the pedestrian army and allotted to the battalion II Hunters.

In the spring of 1871, by the mid March, when the snow was still laid on the hills, aged

around 21, the son of Ion and Ilinca Olteanu of the village Dumbravesti, left with his bag on hisshoulder, containing a few boiled eggs, ham, smoked prunes, nuts and a piece of boiled polenta,


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that would suffice for two days, until Ploiesti and then to Bucharest, and to fulfill his duty for the

country. The 4 years of military service with the hunters, difficulty passed, the officers and themilitary superiors being demanding in preparing for battle their soldiers. In 1875, Grigore Ion is

discharged; with the same rank they entered the Battalion II Hunters, i.e. soldier.

It is true that he was not very educated; he barely knew how to write his name that he hadlearned from the teacher Matache Radulescu, in 1860. One year after his discharged he joined a

woman for life, the daughter Olteanu in the village of Dumbravesti.

But the happiness of his home did not last for long, because meanwhile the situation of the

countries in the Balcanic peninsula became more and more pressing, due to the Turkish Empireleadership. In the evening of April the 1st 1877, the ministry of war sent a telegraphic order to the

territorial divisions leaders, instructing them to call all the reserves of the permanent army,

keeping all troops prepared, to put them in motion upon the first order.The division IV, under the ruling of the general Gheorghe Manu, of which the IInd batallion

Hunters was part of, on 9/21 May left the town of Oltenita and directed to Bucharest, where he got

on May 10/22. On 13/25 May, the troops of these divisions had been reviewed by the ruler Carol,on the high hill of Cotroceni.

On the right flank of the carefully arranged troops were the Battalion II Hunters, considered

elite troops both from the point of uniforms and pedestrian arms.Out of the units forming the IVth division, the battalion II Hunters has been temporarily

retained in Bucharest for the garrison service, until this service has been entrusted to the CityGuard. The beautiful uniform of the Hunters and their wisdom made him worthy of such honor.

During the stay of the Battalion II Hunters in Bucharest, the Russian Emperor Alexandru II visitedour capital.

The Batallion II Hunters started from Bucharest to Corabia on June 17/29, Friday, at dawn

and reached the destination on June 26th /July the 8th , on the second Sunday in the evening, afternine walking days.

The first battle for conquering the reinforcement of Plevna, had been run by the Russians

with a few units of the IXth body, that had suffered great losses in the two battles and had beenbeaten and obliged by the Turkish troops to withdraw. Eventually, the great Russian major state,

had his army in a desperate condition, fearing that Osman Pasa shall experience a certain victory,

addressed to the ruler Carol the following telegram:

TO HIS HIGHNESS RULER CAROL AT POIANA:

Help us. Cross the Danube wherever you want, as you wish but come quickly to help us.

The Turkish are ruining us, the Christian cause is at a loss

When the ruler Carol received this worrying telegram he did not expect to regulate the

mutual relations between the two armies, but he ordered the Ivth division, on June 20th / August1st to cross at Nicopoli and head for Plevna;

On the other hand, the chairman of the Council of Ministers IC Bratianu, went to the quarter

of the Emperor Alexandru and great Duke Nicolae.

The same day, the IInd battalion Hunters was sent to Nicopoli and the next day, after havingcrossed the Danube, was sent to reinforce the troops at Muselin Selo, to Plevna, from the heights

behind the village Saicova.


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On July the 27th /August 8th, the battalion II Hunters, the Front regiment 7 and an artillery

troop, formed the avant-garde of the IVth division, heading from Saicova to Kapriva and

occupying the position at Brislani.On August 5/17, the avant-garde of the IVth division under the command of the kernel

Grigore Cantili is heading from Brislani to Calisovatu.

On August 27th, when the redan of Grivitei enters into the possession of the Romanians, the

Battalion II Hunters was in the IInd line.

In three days, the brave hunters of Ploiesti were on the first line;According to the order of the day, under number 54 of August the 29th 1877, given at

Verbita, a town located 8 km North East of Plevna order that on August the 30th /September 11thput in motion the army to enter in the history of famous battles of Grivita for conquering Plevna in

Bulgaria, the order being signed by the general Cernat, the commander of the active army.

The battalion II Hunters, without a commander, the major Alexandru Candiano Popescuhas been appointed in command. His desire to command the IInd battalion Hunters without

commander has been met at 8 in the morning of the day of August 30 / September 11 and at 12

hours, even on the day of the assault he was introduced to the troop by the kernel Grigore

Boranescu.Right after his introduction the major Candianu Popescu held an inflamed speech:

OFFICERS, SUB-OFFICERS, CORPORALS AND SOLDIERSIn a great day, but a day of danger, I was appointed your commander. I am proud of the trustof my superiors, their trust inme is grounded on my trust in you. There are ages since the

Romanians have not seen a more beautiful day than today; in front of us there is the pagan enemy,

and next to us there are the Russians, allies that have faith in the cross just as us. And we arefighting with courage, so that the world could see that we are worthy of our ancestors, that we are

true fighters, of a country fighting for defending our homes and its independence.


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TUESDAY, AUGUST 30th , 1877MAJOR ALEX. CANDIANO POPESCU SPEAKS TO THE SOLDIERS OF THE

IIND BATTALION HUNTERS, BEFORE THE START OF THE BATTLE FORCONQUERING THE REDOUBT GRIVITA

Do not be afraid of death, soldiers! To me happiness means dying today, for I am fighting for

the law and for our beloved Ruler, our high and heroic leader. Do not be afraid of death, soldiers,

cause the fate has written a name on each bullet; wherever you hide, if you are doomed to die at abullet, it will find you; one can stand in a rain of bullets, and not be touched, unless you are

doomed to die of bullet.

You, soldiers of the Battalion Hunters, have been the first during peace, be the first duringwar. Do not forget that many of you, besides being Romanians, you are from Ploiesti; therefore the

glory of this town depends on you. With trust in God and in our fate, with a strong will and heart

we meet our fate and duty on the battlefield. If we are to die, we shall be remembered by ourpeople to whom we assure the life by the our blood and if we are to survive, we shall be awarded

and honored by the country

The attack has been set for 3 in the afternoon, the Battalion II Hunters had several attempts

for conquering the redoubt Grivita but it had suffered huge losses due to the Turkish battery

located on the road.The soldiers, exhausted, damaged by the enemys fire had gathered around the flag, strongly

defended by the flag or corporal Lovin Costache. The others were in front of the enemy redoubtwhen the officers thrown themselves in the middle of the soldiers shouting Ahead, children! The

Christian God is stronger than the Pagan God, the Turkish are laughing at us and take our redoubt.

Do not give up, children!As a result of the attack of the Battalion II Hunters on the redoubt Grivita, the soldiers get

into it and a life and death battle is conducted .


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TUESDAY, AUGUST 30TH 1877BATTALION II HUNTERS ATTACK THE REDOUBT GRIVITA

A part of Turks surrendered, a part fled to Plevnita with the leader of the redoubt, colonel

Sevfet. But they admitted later that they fled not for fearing death, but for not losing their lives for

nothing, cause the other dies in vain, ordered by Sevfet to fight to death.

The Turkish flag had to be taken to Plevnita, the ones in charge to its protection removed it

earlier, before the redoubt was occupied by the hunters. And it was then that the Turkish flag

holder was striving in the crowd, keeping away from the Russians standing in his way, they closedits way, and he turned with the face to the Romanians.

The flag was folded on a stick not to be seen and recognized by anyone.

While keep running, the Turkish flag holder stumbled and fallen on the ground. During this

time the flag unfolded.

The soldier Grigore Ion seeing the Turk at the ground with the flag of the redoubt, ran to himand shot him. The Turk, a strong man, 40 years of age was not touched, he stood up and strongly

grasped the hunter putting him on the in the mud.

But when he was preparing to shoot, Grigore Ion, a short man, quickly raised and stick the

bayonet in his chest.


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The Turk felt he was going to die and kept his flag at his chest, Grigore Ioan other two Turksgot on him to bring back the flag, but fortunately the sergeant Stan Gheorghe and the corporal Nica

Vasile, both of the Battalion II Hunters, come to help the Romanian soldier. They put the Turks at

the ground and the flag is conquered by Grigore Ion, in reserve glotas as he was called, in thevillage of Malaesti village Dumbravesti, Prahova. The soldier Grigore Ion, besides the flag got his

hunter hat hit by three bullets and the tuft broken in two by the 4th bullet.

GRIVITA 30th AUGUST 1877THE ATTACK OF THE SECOND BATTALION OF HUNTERS

THE SOLDIER GRIGORE ION FIGHTS TO CONQUER THE TURKISH FLAG


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THE THREE BRAVE MENTHE SERGEANT STAN GHEORGHE

THE CORPORAL NICA VASILE AND THE SOLDIER GRIGORE IONTHE CONQUEROR OF THE TURKISH FLAG FROM GRIVITA

The soldier Grigore Ion did not only fight with the Turks for the flag's redoubt, but after hehad conquered it he had also had to fight with a captain who wanted to snatch the flag fromsoldier's hands.

Withstanding, the soldier Grigore Ion was so strongly hit with the hilt of the sword in his

chest by the captain, that he fell down, but still holding closely the flag with his hands.

The captain's name was Negoescu Petre and he was leading the third company from the 16 th

regiment of Dorobanti.

According to the poet George Cosbuc, it was a big flag made of green silk, with golden

tassels and with golden edges.In its center there was the symbol of the Turkish law, the Moon having the form of a reaping-

hook, sewn with golden threads and surrounded by Turkish letters representing quotations from

Mohammed's bible, all of them made of gold. It was an old flag, and once you saw the unweavenedges, you could conclude that it had been carried in many wars.

Grigore Ion, a simple soldier from the second batallion of Hunters, a peasant living in the

hamlet Dumbravesti, the commune Malaesti, Prahova, won laurels in the memorable day of 30 th

August 1877. His name was praised by all Romanian and Russian soldiers, from the Russian tsarand the Romanian leader to the last soldier fighting in the trenches, and even the whole country

found out and cherished the two Romanian names of the soldier: Grigore Ion.

For us, the Romanians, Grivita led to the definitive autonomy as a nation, while for theOttoman Empire, it meant the beginning of its collapse.

At 1st September 1877, the commander of the fourth division ordered to the major Candiano

Popescu to go with the Turkish flag and the three brave men to Poradim, the sovereign's


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headquarters, where King Carol accompanied by the Great Duke Nicholas of Russia, the

commander of the Russian army, received them.According to the soldierly custom, the major and the three brave men put down the flag in

front of the sovereign's feet, who, very touched, said: This flag is the bridge that you pass, not to

earn my esteem, because you have always had it, but to get to my heart.

THE TURKISH FLAG IS PRESENTED TO THE KING CAROL I ANDTO THE RUSSIAN TSAR, ALEXANDER II, BY THE SOLDIER GRIGORE ION

After that, the soldiers were decorated with military honours, and the sovereign ordered to

the conquerors to present the flag, the following day, to Alexander II of Russia.

When the presentation took place, there were many Russian troops; after having looked tothe flag, the tsar looked at the soldier Grigore Ion and observing his hat pierced by three bullets,

came closer, took it in his hands, and deeply touched, he addressed to Carol:Eminence, the hat

has the same value with the flag, and after requesting for permission from the Romanian leader,he decorated this three brave men with Saint George's cross.

According to the order released by the king Carol in 5 th September 1877, the flag will be laid

in the Romanian arsenal.

After signing the peace treaty, the sergeant Grigore Ion turned back to his native place, andon the strength of the patent n 2039 of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he received a small lifetime

allowance (12 lei/month). He was decorated with the most important and famous military honours

and medals that were confered to the troop for the Romanian Independence War.He was the only Romanian soldier who was decorated by the Russian tsar Alexander II with

Saint George's cross.


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THE THREE BRAVES, AFTER 25 YEARS SINCE THE WARTHE HEROES WITH CHESTS FULL OF DECORATIONS

THE SERGEANT GRIGORE ION BETWEEN THE SERGEANT STANGHEORGHE AND THE CARPORAL NICA VASILE

In December 1911 upon the initiative of the newspaper Universul, a list of public

subscription opened in order to help the brave sergeant Grigore Ion.Thanks to this subscription, was collected the sum of 20.000 lei, that was handed over tothe hero. At the same time, the newspaper Universul built him a house in the small villageDumbravesti, next to the parental house on a plateau from where the look hugs all the valleyVarbilaului TowardsSlanic and that of Telejenului towards Ploiesti.


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THE HOUSE BUILT BY THE NEWSPAPER UNIVERSUL BY PUBLICSUBSCRIPTION IN 1911,

IN THE VILLAGE DUMBRAVESTI PRAHOVA FOR THE HERO SERGEANTGRIGORE ION

The hero Sergeant Grigore Ion, called Buriasu the veteran of the national independencewar from 1877, closed his eyes, according to the death certificate no 35, of September the22nd, 1915, on September the 19th at about 6 o-clock in the afternoon, in his house from thesmall village Dumbravesti, widower at the age of 65 years old, worker, born and resident inthe commune Malaesti, son of the deceased Ion Burias.


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THE HERO SERGEANT GRIGORE IONCAME TO HIS OLD AGES BUT WITH HIS CHEST FULL OF DECORATIONS

Monography of Dumbrăvești commune

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