Three tourists from Tadjikistan under investigation for scratching words on 2,200 year old Dacian stones in Romania
by RoHouse
Three tourists from Tadjikistan under investigation for scratching words on 2,200 year old Dacian stones in Romania
by RoHouse
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**Text translated with DeepL:**
“Three men from Tajikistan are under investigation for destruction after allegedly carving various inscriptions on three of the historic stones inside the Dacian fortress of Sarmizegetusa Regia. In their defence, the tourists claimed they were unaware that it was forbidden to carve on the stones. Police officers have filed a criminal case, writes PressAlert.ro.
The incident took place on Sunday around 12:45 pm. The three Tajik men, employees of a company in Deva, were visiting the Dacian fortress of Sarmizegetusa Regia.
At one point, someone saw them scribbling stones in the fortress and called 112.
Three men from Tajikistan are charged with destruction for allegedly vandalising the stones of the Dacian fortress of Sarmizegetusa Regia. Photo source: collage PressAlert.ro
“Orăștie Municipal Police were notified by the gendarmes of the Grădiște Mountain Post that gendarmes had detected three men of Tajik nationality, suspected of having carved various insignia in the enclosure of the Dacian fortress of Sarmizegetusa Regia. The team that went to the scene identified the three men and established that they (employees of a commercial company in Deva), while they were in the Dacian fortress, scratched three stones located in the fortress (the three men declared that they were in the area as tourists and did not know that they were not allowed to engrave those stones),” announces IPJ Hunedoara.
The police have opened a criminal case against the three men for destruction. The investigation will also establish the amount of the damage.
“The site known as Grădiștea de Munte – Sarmizegetusa Regia (com. Orăștioara de Sus, jud. Hunedoara) is part of the complex of Dacian fortresses in the Orăștiei Mountains. It is the largest settlement known for the Dacian area, being spread on a hill about 4.5 km long. A combination of archaeological data and ancient written sources shows that from the second half of the 1st century BC, the capital of the Dacian kingdom was here (most probably, the first capital of the kingdom founded by Burebista was at Costești – Cetățuie, after which, in the mentioned period, this role was given to Sarmizegetusa Regia). What is certain is that, for almost a century and a half, Grădiștea de Munte – Sarmizegetusa Regia was the main political, religious, economic and military centre of the Dacian world”, says the website of the Dacian fortress Sarmizegetusa Regia.”
What is it with people damaging historic things while they are travelling?