Cercetări arheologice în Cetatea Deva. Descoperiri inedite de pe latura de nord a incintei II – Clădirea Cuptoarelor

Sources related to the royal fortress of Deva have been enriched in recent years of archaeological excavations (campaigns in 2008 and 2013) coordinated by Daniela Marcu Istrate. The results of these researches are at the moment only as excavation reports, in manuscript. The subject of this study is the archaeological excavations on the North side of the second precinct of the stronghold. Following the excavations on the North side of the precinct there have been identified ruins of several structures built in different stages of existence of the fortress. Among them was spectacular emergence of a building that on the East side preserves two large kilns. The construction, conventional called Clădirea cuptoarelor, was divided into two approximately equal parts. Western half is divided into two smaller rooms by a thin wall, which was later added. The two rooms in the western half were probably used as warehouses, and the eastern half, where kilns are located, was used as a kitchen. The archaeological material suggests that the building was built in the early 18th century, during which the fortress experienced a period of prosperity due to occupation of the Austrian imperial troops. Throughout the 18th century the building underwent various changes caused by the gradual fall of the fortress in disgrace, thus decreasing the number of soldiers quartered. In the first half of the 19th century the building disappeared from the fortress plans, situation caused by the restoration site initiated by the Emperor Franz I.