Forest Engineer Marius IRIMIA on archaeological heritage and identity tourism at FERM 2025 | “Cucuteni, a people who left us a treasure and an impressive legacy.”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Thematic Panel:
Culture and Regional Identity – Tradition, Innovation, and Social Cohesion
Speaker:
MARIUS IRIMIA – Forest Engineer, Neamț County
Discussion Topic:
“Cucuteni and Archaeological Heritage – Anchors for Identity Tourism”
During Panel 10 of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova 2025, titled “Culture and Regional Identity – Tradition, Innovation, and Social Cohesion,” forest engineer Marius Irimia presented a unique project, “Cucuteni – Origins,” which highlights archaeological heritage as a pillar for developing regional identity and tourism.
Although his specialization is forestry, his passion for history and heritage has turned him into a true collector of memories, using a metal detector to uncover artifacts that inspired the reconstruction of an authentic Cucuteni settlement.
The Regional Economic Forum Moldova brings together political leaders, investors, experts, and representatives of local and central administrations to create a strategic development framework. In this context, projects that valorize cultural heritage become essential for promoting tourism, education, and strengthening community identity.
Discovery and Fascination with Cucuteni
“Cucuteni is a people who lived in the territories of Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine seven thousand years ago. A great people who left us a treasure and an impressive legacy,” emphasized Marius Irimia, noting how striking he found the heritage discovered at the archaeological sites.
The engineer presented authentic objects displayed at the Cucuteni Museum in Piatra Neamț, such as a cross-handled axe discovered using his metal detector.
“Seeing an object behind a display case is one thing, holding it in your hand is another. Then I asked myself a million questions: what kind of people existed seven thousand years ago? And how did they manage to create these objects?” explained Irimia, noting that this curiosity was the starting point of his project.
Reconstructing the Cucuteni Settlement: Tradition and Pragmatic Logic
“At my core, I am a forest engineer with a pragmatic, logical, and mathematical mindset,” said Irimia, showing how he applied his technical knowledge to reconstruct a Neolithic settlement. The sketches presented at the panel include defensive ditches, embankments, palisades, ritual areas, and five workshop-style dwellings, each with its function: pottery, weaving, stone and bone processing.
The first reconstructed workshop will be the potter’s, the artisan who cemented Cucuteni culture through ceramics, while other workshops will allow visitors to experience the creation of objects from stone, bone, and clay.
“Every settlement had at least one potter. This project will allow children and teenagers to understand how pottery was made and experience the life of the Cucuteni people,” Irimia added.
Social and Educational Aspect
The project places strong emphasis on non-formal education and community involvement. The engineer highlighted the current state of the archaeological sites:
“The fields are full of Cucuteni ceramics, but people no longer protect these objects. They dig in the sites and destroy information irreversibly.”
Through organizing workshops and involving volunteers, the project will give children hands-on experiences: handling authentic materials, understanding the construction of dwellings with wood, clay, stone, and rope, and participating in the reconstruction of a Neolithic-type settlement.
“Children are our future, and they must carry forward this heritage,” Irimia emphasized.
Cultural, Tourism, and Economic Impact
“As far as I know, in the Romanian Moldova area there is no similar project – a living, open-air museum where you can see, touch, and feel life from six to seven thousand years ago,” declared forest engineer Marius Irimia.
The project aims to become an attraction for local, national, and international tourists, contributing to longer stays and a diversified tourism offer.
The initiative will generate direct and indirect jobs, support local businesses and artists, and host themed events, conferences, and small concerts adapted to the Cucuteni era.
“I want local events to be promoted in the area and for communities to be involved, as they represent an essential link in the project.”
Sustainability and Regional Identity
Marius Irimia emphasized the sustainable nature of Cucuteni culture:
“Everything was recycled, and they had a great love for nature. Cucuteni should be a regional identity because we have so much information and can draw inspiration from this culture.”
The project he promotes thus represents a strategic model for valorizing historical heritage and strengthening regional identity by integrating tradition into modernity.
Conclusion
Marius Irimia’s intervention at Panel 10 of the Regional Economic Forum Moldova 2025 concretely demonstrated how archaeological heritage can drive identity tourism and cultural education. The project “Cucuteni – Origins” combines personal passion, community involvement, and non-formal education to create authentic, multisensory experiences designed to preserve and valorize the Cucuteni legacy.
The panel “Culture and Regional Identity – Tradition, Innovation, and Social Cohesion” provided the ideal framework for this presentation, bringing together experts, investors, and decision-makers interested in integrating cultural heritage into the economic and tourism development of Moldova. The Regional Economic Forum Moldova 2025 highlighted that innovative projects leveraging tradition and local identity can become sustainable engines for regional growth, tourism stimulation, and social cohesion.
