Raport arheologic: Covasna/comuna: or. Covasna/județul: Covasna/punct: Cetatea Zânelor (2003)

The Dacian fortress, called by the locals “Cetatea Zânelor” (the Fairies’ Fortress) or the Fortress Mountain (elevation 960 m) is located between Pârâul Cetății and Pârâul Mișca and is surrounded from three sides by higher peaks that protected it. The west and north-west sides of the mountain go down into Covasna Valley and are widely open to the lower region. On this side, but also to the south, one can see several terraces (four of them fortified, while several smaller ones do not have any traces of fortification) cut into stone and fitted out in Antiquity. The north-east and east sides of the mountain are steep and sometimes even vertical, almost impossible to climb. The excavations conducted so far focused on the fortifications and the stages of its development. The year 2003 witnessed the completion of several sectors started during the previous years (named S 1 on Terrace I, S 7, A-B-C and S 18 on Terrace II) and the opening of a new section, S7D very close to S 7C. The archaeological finds include hand or wheel-made clay vessels; adornment and luxury items; Hellenistic and Republican Roman silver coins, clay and stone tools; iron artifacts. A rich palaeo-fauna was found. In conclusion, one can say the construction works on the fortress began during the 2nd century B.C. (probably in the second half). So far, we know that, in that period, there was a curtain wall on terrace 3 and a bastion and access gate on terrace 2. At some point, probably during Burebista’s rule, the fortress was torn down. Rebuilding it included rethinking its defense structures. This excavation also failed to find items proving the fortress was used again after the Roman conquest. Cetatea dacică, denumită de localnici Cetatea Zânelor sau Muntele Cetății (cota 960 m), situată între Pârâul Cetății și Pârâul Mișca, este înconjurată din trei părți de piscuri mai înalte care-i asigurau protecția, atât în fața inamicului, cât și a vicisitudinilor naturii.