Ibida, Curtina X

At the time we initiated research works in the Curtina X sector of the Ibida site (Slava Rusă, Tulcea County) in 2007, the fundamental objective was precisely to prepare the ground for “tackling” the junction point between the two major components of the Ibida fortification complex: the main fortress and the annex fortification. The particular situations encountered in the Curtina X area led us to postpone the intervention on the hilltop fortification until 2021.
Accordingly, during the 2021 campaign, we advanced the research along Curtina X up to the point we considered most suitable for identifying the intersection between the two fortifications. We thus laid out trench SF 1, oriented north–south, with initial dimensions of 4 × 16 m, which was progressively extended in order to investigate the structural elements identified in each campaign: the access gate from the main fortification into the annex fortification, Tower I, the western stretches of the enclosure, as well as the northern segments, etc.

Among the most significant results obtained in this research sector, including those from the 2025 campaign, we mention: the identification of the junction point between the two enclosures, demonstrating that they are not the result of a unified project; the stratigraphic investigation of the interior of Tower I, aimed at reconstructing the chronological development of occupation in this sector of the Ibida complex, as well as establishing the chronological relationship between the Ibida fortress and the annex fortification; the identification of clear connections between the layout of the structural elements in the Curtina X area and those of the hilltop fortification, demonstrating that the late reconstructions in the area, particularly those of the 6th century, led to a reconfiguration of the function of this part of the Ibida fortification complex. Future research will undoubtedly contribute to clarifying other aspects that remain, for now, unresolved.