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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / La Tène Horse Remains from Alba Iulia CX 143 Complex: A Who...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2024; 14(11); 1624; doi: 10.3390/ani14111624

La Tène Horse Remains from Alba Iulia CX 143 Complex: A Whole Story to Tell.

Abstract: The present paper deals with the archaeozoological investigation carried out on a horse skeleton discovered in a Late Iron Age La Tène tomb (coded CX 143) in Alba Iulia, Romania. The paper presents all the results of the investigation, with a description of finds, adding a detailed assessment of the dentition with some interesting conclusions on the usage of a horse bit and the possible consequences of this use. The morphological features of the horse indicate a 7-8-year-old male individual, with a recalculated height of 1200-1300 mm. What is also stressed in the investigated sample is the lack of the characteristic pathological lesions typical for horseback riding but showing distinctive elements of bit wear. A comparative perspective over the few findings from the same period is provided to ensure the framing of the identified individual into the much larger historical context.
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Publication Date: 2024-05-30 PubMed ID: 38891671PubMed Central: PMC11171263DOI: 10.3390/ani14111624Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study investigates the horse skeleton found in a Late Iron Age La Tène tomb (CX 143) in Alba Iulia, Romania.
  • It analyzes the horse’s physical features, dental wear, and evidence of bit use to shed light on its role and treatment in that historical period.

Background and Context

  • The La Tène culture represents the later Iron Age in Europe, roughly from 450 BC to the Roman conquest, known for its distinctive art and societal structures.
  • The horse skeleton was discovered in a tomb, indicating the animal had cultural or ritual significance.
  • Archaeozoological analysis helps understand the relationship between humans and animals, including practices such as riding or sacrifice.

Methods and Examination

  • The horse skeleton was studied in detail, focusing on morphology (physical characteristics) and dentition (teeth).
  • Age and sex of the horse were estimated through skeletal features: it was identified as a male, approximately 7-8 years old.
  • Bone measurements enabled an estimate of the horse’s height, recalculated to be around 1200-1300 mm at the withers.
  • The dental assessment included detailed inspection for evidence of bit wear, which occurs from the use of a bridle and bit in horse riding.
  • Pathological lesions on bones that are common in riding horses—such as certain stress-related changes—were specifically checked.

Findings

  • The horse showed distinctive signs of bit wear on teeth, suggesting it was controlled with a bit during its life.
  • Interestingly, it lacked the typical bone lesions associated with mounting or extensive riding, indicating possible limited or specialized use.
  • The combination of signs suggests that the horse was used with a bit but may not have been ridden intensively or in ways that produce common riding-related bone changes.
  • The morphology and wear patterns provide evidence to understand not only the individual’s life but also broader cultural practices regarding horse usage in the La Tène period.

Comparative Analysis and Historical Significance

  • The study compares this horse to other La Tène period equine remains, which are rare, to situate the findings in a broader archaeological and historical perspective.
  • The results contribute to knowledge on horse husbandry, use, and symbolic meaning in Late Iron Age Europe.
  • Such evidence assists in interpreting the social or ritual context of the tomb contents, including whether horses served as mounts, status symbols, or ritual animals.
  • The absence of riding lesions but presence of bit wear may indicate different riding styles, or roles such as draught work, ceremonial use, or leading rather than high-intensity riding.

Conclusions

  • The horse from tomb CX 143 at Alba Iulia provides a “whole story” by linking physical evidence with cultural practices of the La Tène culture.
  • The research highlights the importance of detailed archaeozoological and dental analysis to infer animal usage and human-animal interactions in the past.
  • The findings enrich the limited dataset of Late Iron Age horses, shedding light on their life, use, and treatment in this region of Europe.

Cite This Article

APA
Gudea AI, Bârcă V, Irimie A, Martonos CO, Socaciu A. (2024). La Tène Horse Remains from Alba Iulia CX 143 Complex: A Whole Story to Tell. Animals (Basel), 14(11), 1624. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111624

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 11
PII: 1624

Researcher Affiliations

Gudea, Alexandru Ion
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Bârcă, Vitalie
  • Institute of Archaeology and History of Arts Cluj-Napoca, Romanian Academy, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Irimie, Alexandra
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Martonos, Cristian Olimpiu
  • School of Veterinary Medicine St. Kitts & Nevis, Ross University, Basseterre P.O. Box 334, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Socaciu, Antonia
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Grant Funding

  • National Research Development Projects to Finance Excellence (PFE)-14 (ID 546) / Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Martonos CO, Gudea AI, Rawlins G, Stan FG, Lațiu C, Dezdrobitu CC. Morphological, Morphometrical and Radiological Features of the Pelvic Limb Skeleton in African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus) from Saint Kitts and Nevis Islands.. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 14;15(2).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15020209pubmed: 39858211google scholar: lookup
  2. Gudea A, Stan FG, Irimie A, Mârza S, Martonos CO, Gal A. A Paleopathological Find on a La Tène Horse Skeleton Discovered in Rescue Archaeological Diggings in the Area of the Olympic Pool, Alba Iulia (CX 143 Pit).. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 13;14(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14121775pubmed: 38929394google scholar: lookup
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