Cercetare Arheologică Preventivă La Țichindeal – Biserica „Cuvioasa Paraschiva”

Abstract Țichindeal is first documented in 1350, with later sources attesting an important ecclesiastical role in the early modern period, including references to a wide Greek-Catholic archdeaconry and the construction of a Greek-Catholic church in 1730 (today in ruins). The present report concerns the first archaeological investigation at the Orthodox Church of “St. Paraskeva” (documented in 1791; LMI category A), undertaken as preventive research required prior to conservation or intervention works. The church is a rectangular building with altar, nave, narthex and a western bell tower, enclosed by a c. 2 m high stone wall, and retains painted decoration executed in 1815–1818 (attributed to Nicolae Grecu of Săsăuș) and restored in the 20th century. Fieldwork was carried out over eight days in two stages and included eight trenches positioned both outside and inside the church (S1–S3 and S7 exterior; S4–S6 interior; plus S1A on the enclosure wall). The main objectives were to document foundation depth, construction technique, stratigraphic relationships among the altar, nave, narthex, tower, and vault-support piers, and to assess ground conditions. Stratigraphy is broadly consistent across the sections: modern surfacing and drainage arrangements (concrete slabs, river-stone paving set in sand, gravel backfill) overlie a construction horizon characterized by dark soil with abundant brick fragments and occasional charcoal, interpreted as deposits related to the church’s erection and later repairs. These layers rest on natural deposits of yellow sand, sandy clay with rusty mottling, and locally grey-black waterlogged clay. A key observation is persistent groundwater/pluvial accumulation at foundation level, indicating chronically humid subsoil conditions. Structural evidence suggests that the altar and nave foundations belong to the same construction phase and were set at comparable depths, built of large sandstone/stone and brick bonded with lime mortar rich in sand. By contrast, the bell tower foundation is abutted against the narthex/nave foundations (not interwoven at foundation level), while the superstructure appears tied, implying a substantial western modification predating the narthex paintings. The vault-support piers have shallower, abutted foundations, indicating that the vaulting system may post-date the initial church construction and could be associated with the phase that introduced the bell tower.