The fortress of Cladova, east of the mouth of the creek Cladova in Mureş River, is placed on the top of a hill. The medieval fortress uses an older earth and wood Dacian fortification. Several medieval workshops, a stone church and two superposed cemeteries were found inside the fortress of Cladova. The dating of the worshop no. 3, situated north of the church, is possible on the basis of pottery, a silver ring and a coin issued during the reign of Bernhard II of Carinthia (1202-1254). Both the metal inventory (of copper, bronze, iron and silver) and artefacts typical for the female dress (spindle-whorl, beads, hair link) suggest the fact that the worshop played at the same time the role of a house, used not only by the craftman, but also a woman, too. Although it is obvious that at least some of the craftsmen from the fortress recovered or bought destroyed items or ancient objects, out of use, it is interesting that after the workshop was abandoned, no one came to collect the metal remained there. Most likely, the fortress remained unhabited for a while, and those who returned there did so after quite a long time. Most likely, those who settled in the workshop have never returned, for various reasons which may be no more than supposed, probably due to the Mongol invasion of 1240-1241.
Keywords: workshop, fortress, weapons, tools, jewelleries, coin.
Revista Arheologică, serie nouă, vol. XI, nr. 1-2, 2015, p. 123-142