Aiton ( hu, Ajton; german: Eiten) is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in
Cluj County
Cluj County (; german: Kreis Klausenburg, hu, Kolozs megye) is a county ( județ) of Romania, in Transylvania. Its seat ( ro, Oraș reședință de județ) is Cluj-Napoca (german: Klausenburg).
Name
In Hungarian, it is known as ''Kolozs megye ...
,
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
. It is composed of two villages, Aiton and Rediu (''Rőd'').
Geography
Mean altitude: 626 m (2054 ft).
The presence of large deposits of halite and saltwater springs within the perimeter of the commune have been identified.
History
![Milliarum of Aiton, modern copy erected in Turda, Romania in 1993](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Milliarum_of_Aiton%2C_modern_copy_erected_in_Turda%2C_Romania_in_1993.jpg)
Traces of several ancient neolithic settlements (of which
Vinča culture
The Vinča culture (), also known as Turdaș culture or Turdaș–Vinča culture, is a Neolithic archaeological culture of Southeast Europe, dated to the period 5700–4500 BC or 5300–4700/4500 BC.. Named for its type site, Vinča-Belo Brdo ...
from the 4th millennium BC), as well as evidence indicative of the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
, the
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
, the
Roman conquest, and the
Migration Period
The Migration Period was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories by various tribes, and the establishment of the post-Roman ...
, were discovered in the village. Within the surrounding area, a tomb of incineration from the 1st century BC and a rustic villa have also been found; the latter in which a Dacian fruit tree from the 2nd century BC has been discovered.
During the Roman period, the locality was situated on the Roman road of
Potaissa-
Napoca. Initially, a portion of the commune was left uncovered in the yard adjacent to the school, marked by a colonette reproducing the inscription on the milestone of 108. As of 2017, however, the site is covered in waste products. The area was historically the center of a Spanish equestrian unit.
The first documented reference to the village of Aiton with the name ''Villa Ohthunth'' dates back to 1320, and in 1329, the toponym of Ahthon was attributed to the settlement. Since 1456, it appears under the current name of ''Ayton''. In 1658, the locality was burned, following a Turkish and Tatar invasion.
In the 18th century, a milestone named ''Aiton Biliar'' from the Roman period was discovered. This marked a distance on the Potaissa-Napoca. The landmark attests the existence of a road built in 108 AD by the ''cohors I hispanorum miliaria.'' A copy of this landmark is displayed in
Turda
Turda (; hu, Torda, ; german: link=no, Thorenburg; la, Potaissa) is a city in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, from the county seat, Cluj-Napoca, to which it is connected by the Europ ...
, yet another is displayed in front of the school of Aiton.
On the Josephine Map of Transylvania from 1769 to 1773 (section 095), Aiton appears under the name of ''Ajton''. The northern and southeastern parts of the village are marked by "Gericht" and by the sign of two public places of punishment of the delinquents in the medieval period.
Historical monuments
The following objectives of the village of Aiton were included on the list of historical monuments in Cluj County, elaborated further by the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs in 2010.
* The archaeological site from "Suri" (LMI code)
* The archaeological site of "Above the Morrow" (LMI code)
* The archaeological site of the section "Between creeks" (LMI code)
* The vestiges of the Napoca-Potaissa road (LMI code)
* The wooden church (LMI code)
* Reformed Calvinist Church (LMI code)
* The "Sandor Manor" in the village of Aiton is included in the "List of Delisted Historical Monuments", as described by the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs in 2010.
Places of worship
* The ''Reformed Calvinist Church'' from 1598 (Main Street no. 161), with the Romanesque western portal. The church is inscribed on the list of historical monuments in Cluj County (2010).
* The ''Orthodox Wooden Church'' from 1711. The church is inscribed on the list of historical monuments in Cluj County (2010).
* The Wooden Church of Aiton.
Tourist attractions
Among the main tourist attractions and points of interest in the area are as follows:
* The museum with objects from the Roman period (demolished in the meantime).
* The reservation of "Ciolt Forest".
Economy
The predominant occupations of residents involve agriculture and the breeding of livestock.
Demographics
Ethnic demographics of population
Religious demographics of population
The numerical jump in favor of the Orthodox between 1930 and 1992 can be explained by the prohibition of the
Greek Catholic Church The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually.
The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...
in 1948.
Gallery
File: Milliarum_of_Aiton,_modern_copy_erected_in_Turda,_Romania_in_1993.jpg, Miliarul de la Aiton
(copia de la Turda)
File:RO CJ Aiton (8).JPG
File:RO CJ Aiton (11).JPG, Primăria
File:RO CJ Aiton (4).JPG, Căminul cultural
File:RO CJ Biserica ortodoxa din Aiton (1).JPG, Biserica ortodoxă
File:RO CJ Monumentul Eroilor din Aiton (2).JPG, Monumentul Eroilor (detaliu)
File:RO CJ Monumentul Eroilor din Aiton (4).JPG, Monumentul Eroilor (detaliu)
File:RO CJ Biserica greco-catolica din Aiton (6).JPG, Biserica greco-catolică
Notes
References
*''Atlasul localităților județului Cluj'' (Cluj County Localities Atlas), Suncart Publishing House, Cluj-Napoca,
{{CommunesCluj
Communes in Cluj County
Localities in Transylvania