2 0 ▁by ▁ 6 0 – 7 0   m . ▁The ▁long ▁axis ▁of ▁the ▁m ound ▁has ▁a ▁north - east - west ▁orientation , ▁being ▁parallel ▁with ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁The ▁m ound ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁fl uv ial ▁terra ce , ▁which ▁was ▁separated ▁by ▁a ▁huge ▁mo at ▁surrounding ▁it ▁on ▁all ▁sides , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁the ▁east - s outh - east ▁side . ▁There , ▁a ▁ste ep ▁slope ▁is ▁separ ating ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁terra ce ▁through ▁which ▁the ▁M ure ş ▁flows ▁today . ▁Because ▁of ▁this ▁unique ▁location , ▁the ▁m ound ▁is ▁heavily ▁fort ified , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁yet ▁known ▁whether ▁it ▁was ▁naturally ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁terra ce ▁by ▁an ▁older ▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁or ▁this ▁type ▁of ▁fort ification ▁was ▁done ▁by ▁people , ▁artificial ly . ▁ ▁History ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁site ▁ ▁The ▁earliest ▁research ▁at ▁ Ş an ţ ul ▁Mare ▁was ▁done ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁by ▁I os if ▁H amp el ▁and ▁Flor is ▁Rom er ▁from ▁National ▁Anti qu ities ▁Museum , ▁Budapest ▁and ▁proved ▁the ▁extraordinary ▁importance ▁of ▁the ▁tell . ▁The ▁amateur ▁arch ae ologist ▁Lad is lau ▁D öm öt ör , ▁a ▁painting ▁professor ▁at ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁Ar ad , ▁continued ▁with ▁dig s ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 – 1 9 0 0 , ▁ 1 9 0 1