In a Romanian forest near the hill of Măgura Călanului, an unexpected discovery has revealed a unique set of iron tools that belonged to and were used by a Dacian stonemason more than 2,000 years ago, before the Roman conquest. The find, published in the journal Prachistorische Zeitschrift, provides information about how Dacian artisans worked and their connection to the Greco-Roman world.

During the summer of 2022, a local resident came across a set of corroded metal objects near an old limestone quarry. The tools, which appeared to have been deliberately hidden at the base of a tree, were handed over to the Corvin Castle Museum in Hunedoara. What at first seemed like simple old iron pieces turned out to be a complete stonemasonry tool kit, the first of its kind found in pre-Roman Dacia and one of the most complete from European antiquity.

The set includes 15 iron tools weighing a total of nearly 11 kilograms. Among them are double-headed picks, some pyramid-shaped while others have teeth on one end, something not seen in Greek or Roman tools. These picks were used to strike and shape stone.

stonemason took kit dacian pre-roman
The Măgura Călanului quarry, the site of the find. Credit: Aurora Pețan

There are also chisels and pointers used to carve and refine stone blocks, very similar to those used today. A specially shaped hammer and a small anvil used to sharpen the tools at the worksite can be considered something like a portable sharpener. There are even stone-splitting wedges of various sizes, which were used to create controlled fractures in the rock.

Since no two tools are alike, researchers believe they belonged to a single craftsman, possibly a master stonemason leading a work team. Some of these tools are similar to those used by Greeks and Romans, while others are unique, demonstrating Dacian inventiveness.

The stonemason’s tool kit from Măgura Călanului is an extraordinary find, both for the set as a whole and for each individual tool. Stonemason’s tools are rare in archaeological contexts, and are usually only found damaged, abandoned, or deliberately hidden along with other tools, often in quarries or construction sites where they were used, the researchers say. They add that complete tool kits are even rarer, and the one from Măgura Călanului has the potential to be the most varied and complete stonemason’s kit discovered to date, as it contains 15 distinct pieces, each one unique.

stonemason took kit dacian pre-roman
Detail of one of the pieces. Credit: Aurora Pețan

A unique limestone was extracted from the Măgura Călanului quarry, which was then transported more than 25 kilometers over steep mountain trails, and used to build the majestic walls and towers of the Dacian fortresses, such as those at Sarmizegetusa Regia, now recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The entire quarry, covering more than 30 hectares, is filled with tool marks, semi-finished blocks, and stone debris—signs that it was hastily abandoned, leaving work unfinished, likely due to the Roman conquest in 102 CE. Thanks to modern technology such as LiDAR, scientists have been able to map its extent and complexity.

Why Were the Tools Hidden?

The study suggests the kit may have been hidden during a time of crisis, perhaps precisely when the Romans invaded the region. Another possibility is that the stonemason left them there to avoid carrying the heavy tools daily. Whatever the reason, he was never able to return for them.

Although certain tools show clear Roman influences, the research indicates that the kit more likely belonged to a Dacian stonemason. The quarry appears to have been inactive during the Roman era, and the design of certain tools does not match known Roman patterns. Additionally, the use of carved stone architecture ceased in the area after the Roman conquest, suggesting an earlier origin.

The discovery at Măgura Călanului deepens our understanding of stonemasonry in Dacia and calls into question previous hypotheses about quarry construction and exploitation in this region. It also raises questions about the origins of these tools and the circumstances that led to their preservation in such a complete state, the researchers conclude, and they hope that future research may reveal a connection between these tools and the tool marks on the quarry faces and stones, potentially confirming their use at the site and providing information about the specific techniques employed in Dacian stonework.

SOURCES

Pețan, Aurora. “A stonemason’s toolkit from the pre-Roman limestone quarry at Măgura Călanului (Romania)” Praehistorische Zeitschrift, 2025. doi.org/10.1515/pz-2025-2011

  • Share on:

Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Follow LBV Magazine on Google News