Sacrifice Horse Remains from Late Bronze-Early Iron Age of South Moldova: A Study of Dental and Limb Bone Morphology

Abstract

The article describes dental and postcranial remains of ancient domestic horses of various individual ages from the archaeological monuments of Belozerla Culture Novosiolovca-1 and Olanesti (Southern Moldova). Upper cheek teeth of the horses under study are characterized by relatively long and variable in shape protocone. Single preserved metacarpal and metatarsal bones from Novosiolovca-1 are quite elongated and slender, showing a close resemblance to the mean measurement values of horse remains from Late Bronze age and Early Iron Age from Southeast Europe. Phalanxes of the horses from Novosiolovca-1 and Olanesti are comparatively slender and elongated. Generally, the postcranial measurements of the horses under study correspond to the semi-thin legged type with average height in withers (144-136 cm). One of horse individuals from Novosiolovca-1 shows a specific wear of second upper molar caused by a snaffle bit.