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

Simple Summary: Archaeozoological investigation of the horse remains discovered in Alba Iulia-CX 143 complex of the La Tène period reveals the existence of a small-sized male horse (Equus caballus) of 1200–1300 mm in height with slender extremities that died at the age of 7–8 years with no evident paleopathological changes characteristic to horseback riding but showing distinctive elements of bit wear. 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]