The Romanian who would have lived 140 years was an oddity for the locals of the village of Săcămaș (Hunedoara), on the edge of which he lived, in a cave hidden in the forest. They reminisce about the man who became a legend and who remains a mystery.
In the middle of the 20th century, on the streets of the village of Săcămaș in Hunedoara, located 20 kilometers from Deva, in the Mureș valley, a completely unusual character, who is believed to have lived 140 years, often appeared.
Those who didn’t know him could easily be disturbed at the sight of Iancu from the cave, an old man with thick hair and a waist-length white beard, with 10-20 centimeter long nails, with an unkempt appearance and dressed in a matching red skirt a scarf of the same color.
Iancu lived in the wild and did not take care of himself at all, he was never seen washing and he only shaved his beard rarely, at the insistence of some locals who helped him with food, the people of the village remember (video
news/image-e/edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1400%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1400w" media="(min-width: 1400px)">news/image-e/edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1000%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1000w" media="(min-width: 1000px)">news/image-e/edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D700%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 700w" media="(min-width: 700px)">news/image-e/edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1400%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1400w" media="(min-width: 1400px)">news/image-e/edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1000%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1000w" media="(min-width: 1000px)">news/image-e/edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D700%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 700w" media="(min-width: 700px)"> Iancu and his grotto. Photo : Daniel Guță
“He was something to be afraid of for those who did not know him, but many people in the village had him in their hearts. It was like a pilgrimage here” remembers Emil Muntean, a local from the village of Săcămaș, who caught him alive in his childhood.
Iancu from the cave, the 140-year-old Romanian
But the strangest thing people found out about Iancu in the cave was his old age.
“He could have been about 120 years old. The praetor’s mother from Ilia’s net had known him when she was young, about 20-25 years old. Then, he was mature, he was over 40 years old. The age difference between the two, which people calculated, showed that Iancu had reached over 100 years, but I don’t know how over 100 years. He didn’t know either. You couldn’t understand what he was saying and he couldn’t hear what you were saying. Since then, Iancu lived a few more years. He died in March 1965, after the teacher Peica, from the village, the one who had taken care of him, died on New Year’s Day” says Emil Muntean.
news/image-9/96560ae6-619b-48bd-befb-b12aec14a999/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1400%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1400w" media="(min-width: 1400px)">news/image-9/96560ae6-619b-48bd-befb-b12aec14a999/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1000%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1000w" media="(min-width: 1000px)">news/image-9/96560ae6-619b-48bd-befb-b12aec14a999/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D700%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 700w" media="(min-width: 700px)">news/image-9/96560ae6-619b-48bd-befb-b12aec14a999/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1400%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1400w" media="(min-width: 1400px)">news/image-9/96560ae6-619b-48bd-befb-b12aec14a999/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1000%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1000w" media="(min-width: 1000px)">news/image-9/96560ae6-619b-48bd-befb-b12aec14a999/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D700%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 700w" media="(min-width: 700px)"> Emil Muntean met Iancu as a child. Photo : Daniel Guță
Other people who knew Iancu claimed that he had reached 140 years old. Professor Ieronim Lazăr reported that the old man had come to the attention of the Security, because he was sheltering in a cave on the edge of the village of Săcămaș and living at the mercy of the locals and feeding on the fruits of the wild. But, over time, he became a curiosity and an “object of study” for doctors, due to his age and his lifestyle.
“Colonel Călugăru, at that time the doctor of the regional security, my friend took out some photographs from his pocket in which who do I see? On the little man from Săcămaş. – the doctor tells me. . The doctor gave me some pictures that the security photographer had taken on the spot, that is, at the cave in the forest where Iancu lived. Since he was a lonely man and of an unknown age, Iancu had been brought to the attention of the Ministry of the Interior, and the personal doctor had to take care of him. Learning that a strange and semi-wild man lives here, the authorities sent him to the Parhon Institute in Bucharest, for geriatric studies. Those from the Institute analyzed his hair and estimated his age at around 140 years old” said professor Ieronim Lazar.
Iancu from the cave, the star of the village
The elderly from the village of Săcămaş remember Iancu lui Dida (Călăbăț) as a completely unusual character.
Despite his advanced age, he was not hunched over, but moved with the help of a hoe tail. He collected willow branches from which he made spoons and cups for the locals and decorated them, and the locals rewarded him with food. Some gave him money, but the old man did not know their value, so he was left without them – says Emil Muntean.
news%2Fimage-2%2F2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A37.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%221c4b7e7d-ca81-4484-a9be-7e64e7b272cf%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%22e6985615ceac93d94569fe4c024625c551b7daa5%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A906%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(14).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1079877%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-1%2F1c4b7e7d-ca81-4484-a9be-7e64e7b272cf%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(14)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A38.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-1%2F1c4b7e7d-ca81-4484-a9be-7e64e7b272cf%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A36.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%2234ab1eed-06ba-4e69-8eec-4271d2e3fda6%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%22f4c06deb5afcf3ae1ad9f9add5a754df4ad53713%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A908%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(12).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1548668%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-3%2F34ab1eed-06ba-4e69-8eec-4271d2e3fda6%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(12)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A37.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-3%2F34ab1eed-06ba-4e69-8eec-4271d2e3fda6%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A33.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%229d9845fd-e754-4ad7-9b65-367e4611820d%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%229d59c9c773d73ebd69c65cda953e04f76c33ea16%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A907%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(8).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A954241%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-9%2F9d9845fd-e754-4ad7-9b65-367e4611820d%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(8)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A34.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-9%2F9d9845fd-e754-4ad7-9b65-367e4611820d%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A34.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%2220f4b18bf5c5aad388ea264d2125b6d016237aca%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A907%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(10).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1243679%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-8%2F848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(10)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A36.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-8%2F848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A34.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22e9fe807a-a680-4831-b58c-ba9bccd52960%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%22564fb1deee4c156b9334a96a42eb8c70bd2d4b24%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A907%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(9).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1373114%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-e%2Fe9fe807a-a680-4831-b58c-ba9bccd52960%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(9)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A36.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-e%2Fe9fe807a-a680-4831-b58c-ba9bccd52960%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A35.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%222f2a5f6d-9ed4-4d04-aa06-570390d5cb77%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%22101e078ac027776461858f421662e648c240114c%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A908%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(11).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1009409%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-2%2F2f2a5f6d-9ed4-4d04-aa06-570390d5cb77%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(11)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A36.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-2%2F2f2a5f6d-9ed4-4d04-aa06-570390d5cb77%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A32.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22dec9eabf-9bcf-4b88-b9f5-090de04b9afe%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%220e86101a292ac7adaab08fa8bc758f7a5c2f4975%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A908%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(5).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1208421%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-d%2Fdec9eabf-9bcf-4b88-b9f5-090de04b9afe%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(5)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A33.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-d%2Fdec9eabf-9bcf-4b88-b9f5-090de04b9afe%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A32.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%2252f0915d-d145-487a-9ed4-c83ee0e86603%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%2210c5e2309114563139d134e3cd183e03a92a0f87%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A907%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(7).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1458446%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-5%2F52f0915d-d145-487a-9ed4-c83ee0e86603%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(7)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A34.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-5%2F52f0915d-d145-487a-9ed4-c83ee0e86603%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A32.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22378a3acf-8006-48fa-9f05-4bbea7da2945%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%224a25601a138e6b141d116e4db4ff1f93fbc7c06f%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A906%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(6).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1443812%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-3%2F378a3acf-8006-48fa-9f05-4bbea7da2945%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(6)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A33.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-3%2F378a3acf-8006-48fa-9f05-4bbea7da2945%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A31.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%226b855852-63bf-4ce5-b93d-d3174e3514a3%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%22254f0fe95e9ddc45c8e4ce586b300111562ad52c%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A967%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(4).JPG%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1423874%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-6%2F6b855852-63bf-4ce5-b93d-d3174e3514a3%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(4)%20JPG%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A32.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-6%2F6b855852-63bf-4ce5-b93d-d3174e3514a3%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A30.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%221dfdec36-aad5-4fd6-84f7-de27c15ec9ae%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%227d5eb8824fd2efa67665e825e6596956a855ceb1%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A967%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(2).JPG%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A824024%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-1%2F1dfdec36-aad5-4fd6-84f7-de27c15ec9ae%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(2)%20JPG%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A31.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-1%2F1dfdec36-aad5-4fd6-84f7-de27c15ec9ae%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A30.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22608c0027-4d9e-4c42-9971-72a148dc46db%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%226d0eaf48350f589d9f8efc09aae39a3f483ee364%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A967%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(3).JPG%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A1186141%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-6%2F608c0027-4d9e-4c42-9971-72a148dc46db%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(3)%20JPG%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A31.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-6%2F608c0027-4d9e-4c42-9971-72a148dc46db%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%2C%7B%22animated%22%3A0%2C%22created_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A30.000Z%22%2C%22created_by%22%3A149%2C%22entity_type%22%3A%22media%22%2C%22extension%22%3A%22jpeg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22edb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0%22%2C%22origin_duration%22%3Anull%2C%22origin_hash%22%3A%22b32e60da90fe7c8941cd093d8ad371d3feebc78c%22%2C%22origin_height%22%3A907%2C%22origin_name%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20.%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(1).jpg%22%2C%22origin_size%22%3A320710%2C%22origin_width%22%3A1450%2C%22path%22%3A%22image-e%2Fedb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22prevent_prune%22%3A0%2C%22published%22%3A0%2C%22restrict_domains%22%3Anull%2C%22status%22%3A%22ready%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Locul%20unde%20a%20tr%C4%83it%20iancu%20din%20Sacamas%20%20%20Foto%20Daniel%20Gu%C8%9B%C4%83%20(1)%20jpg%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22updated_at%22%3A%222023-03-17T16%3A28%3A31.000Z%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.adh.reperio.
news %2Fimage-e%2Fedb36522-c278-42eb-84a2-1c015dbe26c0%2Findex.jpeg%22%2C%22video_raw%22%3Anull%7D%5D%7D%2C%22id%22%3A%22FvEQm7Czoq%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22imageGallery%22%2C%22lines%22%3A10%2C%22linesAbove%22%3A125%2C%22index%22%3A16%2C%22paragraphsAbove%22%3A11%2C%22percentage%22%3A0.7861635220125787%2C%22linesBellow%22%3A34%7D" data-context="%7B%22parentBlockColumnCount%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3A0%2C%22type%22%3A%22store%2Freadable%22%7D%2C%22parentBlockBackgroundColor%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22store%2Freadable%22%7D%7D" data-component="EditorImageGallery">
news/image-2/2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1136%26h%3D800%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1136w" media="(min-width: 1136px)">news/image-2/2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D800%26h%3D560%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 800w" media="(min-width: 800px)">news/image-2/2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D500%26h%3D350%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 500w" media="(min-width: 500px)">news/image-2/2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1136%26h%3D800%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1136w" media="(min-width: 1136px)">news/image-2/2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D800%26h%3D560%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 800w" media="(min-width: 800px)">news/image-2/2c90439e-5f84-4bb1-be58-5b724099b9ed/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D500%26h%3D350%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 500w" media="(min-width: 500px)"> Image 1/14: Photo Daniel Guță (13) jpg
His neighbor, Angela, remembers that Iancu used to walk around the village in a red skirt, which he sometimes lifted to make the villagers laugh.
Despite the wildness in which he lived and his refusal to take care of himself, his strange demeanor, the man had become a beloved character among the villagers. Some brought him food, but the old man preferred to eat sorrel, flowers and berries. Some winters he lived in a teacher’s house in the village, but often he preferred to stay in his cave in the forest, where he warmed himself by sleeping on the ashes scattered on the flagstones.
“In the cave there were two stone slabs that he heated in turn and slept on them. At the entrance to the cave there was a wooden door through which the air entered, but no wolves could enter. Iancu had not cut his nails and they had grown like claws. The forest administration forced him to wear a red scarf on his head so as not to be confused with game.” recounted Ieronim Lazar.
news/image-8/848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1400%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1400w" media="(min-width: 1400px)">news/image-8/848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1000%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 1000w" media="(min-width: 1000px)">news/image-8/848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D700%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Dwebp 700w" media="(min-width: 700px)">news/image-8/848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1400%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1400w" media="(min-width: 1400px)">news/image-8/848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D1000%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 1000w" media="(min-width: 1000px)">news/image-8/848c34bd-5de5-404f-b540-fda056399751/index.jpeg?p=a%3D1%26co%3D1.05%26w%3D700%26h%3D750%26r%3Dcontain%26f%3Djpeg 700w" media="(min-width: 700px)"> Iancu’s grotto. Photo : Daniel Guță
In the almost seven decades since its tenant left it forever, the cave carved into the soft limestone of the hillside, in a sheltered place between the villages of Săcămaş and Dumbrăvița, has been partially preserved. It was blocked by the alluvium brought by the stream that passes in front of it and by landslides of earth and stones. The remains of an old path can be seen on the river bank, as can the small plateau around the grotto.
