Safety practices in the La Tène period. Artefacts associated with keeping safety from Transylvania

Throughout history, individuals have been concerned about collective or self-protection, to secure private or public properties and the community through various actions. Violations of these protections, customs, and individual or collective needs, depending on society, culture and temporal context, could be classified as criminality. Protective measures taken by individuals against criminal activity and efforts to define the private space or ownership in antiquity can be discerned by analysing literary, iconographic and archaeological sources. In this study were analysed 33 artefacts associated with maintaining the privacy or security of properties and goods. In this category were included 11 keys, seven components of locking mechanisms, 13 components of storage furniture or doors and two shackles. The artefacts were found in La Tène contexts across Transylvania. The analysis of the artefacts can provide information about security practices adopted by the community or preferences for a particular type of object. Furthermore, it could provide insights about the interactions of indigenous population with other regions through various channels, including the mobility of craftsmen, individuals, or technologies, as well as through different politicaleconomic mechanisms. Some examples can be the agreements between local chieftains and the Roman Empire, often involving exchanges of gifts or offering tributes and stipends.