The Tumulus 23 from Congaz

In 2022, the National Agency for Archaeology conducted preventive archaeological investigations at Mound no. 23 in Congaz. A portion of this mound had previously been studied in 1973 by Victor Beilecci and Evgenii Iarovoi, revealing six burials and an animal inhumation. The 2022 investigations uncovered six funerary complexes from the early phases of the mound, a stone ring, two crescent-shaped ditches surrounding the primary burial, and two ritual pits. One of the ritual pits contained, in addition to animal bones, a pot made from a mixture of clay and shells. Although stratigraphic data is incomplete due to mantle degradation, the initial construction phases of the mound were identified. Vertical and horizontal stratigraphic analysis indicates that the primary mound was built over Burial no. 10, which was placed in an oval-shaped pit with the deceased in a contracted position on the left side. This burial belongs to the Cernavoda I culture, dating to the late Eneolithic period. Near this burial, two crescent-shaped ditches were excavated, and the base of Mantle I was reinforced with a stone ring. Later, two burials from the early Bronze Age Jivotilovka culture were added to the primary mantle. The construction of Mantles II and III may be associated with these burials. Over time, additional burials and ritual deposits occurred within the mound, attributed to the Yamnaya culture, the Pre-Scythian culture, the Sarmatians, and the late medieval period. In addition to paleoanthropological data from skeletal remains identified in 2022, the article presents information on the dental wear and non-metric traits of Burials 9 and 11 from the Jivotilovka culture. The dental wear analysis indicates a diet based on hard and abrasive foods. Furthermore, specific microfractures and wear patterns suggest that teeth were used for non-masticatory activities. These practices, observed in many prehistoric populations, are known as the "teeth as a third hand" concept, reflecting functional habits characteristic of pastoral communities.