The appearance of Celts in Transylvania can be traced to the later La Tène period (c. 4th century BCE).Excavation of the great La Tène necropolis at Apahida, Cluj County, by Ștefan Kovács at the turn of the 20th century revealed the first evidence of Celtic culture in Romania. The 3rd–2nd century BCE site is remarkable for its cremation burials and chiefly wheel-made funeral vessels.
A historical timeline of the Celts of Transylvania can be derived from archaeological finds at La Tène, but there are almost no ancient records that allow reconstruction of political events in the area. The Celts exercised politico-military rule over Transylvania between the 4th and 2nd century BCE and brought with them a more advanced iron-working technology. They were also responsible for the spread of the potter's wheel into a much wider area than the one they occupied.
