Treasures from Ariușd

In the Brașov Depression, 21 kilometres south-west of Sfântu Gheorghe, on the plain on the right bank of the Olt River, lies one of the smallest but also one of the most famous villages in Covasna County, Ariușd. Its fame, above all, is due to the prehistoric settlement of Mount Tyisk, excavated on the outskirts of the former cottars village. One part of the site was excavated between 1907 and 1925 by Dr. Ferenc László, archaeologist of the Székely National Museum, and the others between 1968 and 1985 by the museum's later staff. In archaeological literature, the discovery in Ariușd has become the identifier of the painted pottery culture, the first traces of which were discovered by specialists in this part of the Olt valley.

Even in the 60s and 70s of the last century the inhabitants of this ancient settlement had no problem discussing on the street corner in each other's language the details of cooking lunch, but a 2011 census found only 116 Hungarians among the 519 inhabitants. For the dwindling Hungarian population of the village, the Reformed church and parish, built in the 17th century, are a common support, where Pastor Zsuzsanna Ráduly-Baka has been keeping the spirit of the community alive for a quarter of a century now, almost as a family business. She says there is no better place to serve than this little village.

Samu Csinta