Rare 14th-Century sunken dwelling discovered in Moldova by archaeologists
A rare 14th-century sunken dwelling has been discovered by archaeologists in the medieval urban settlement of Costești-Gârlea, in the Ialoveni district.
It is the first of its kind to be found at the site, according to the National Archaeological Agency.
The find was made during a routine archaeological survey in the autumn of 2022, carried out along the route of a new fibre optic cable.
The structure, which spans more than 54 square metres and is around 2.5 metres deep, was equipped with a hearth and various interior features. Inside the fill, archaeologists found silver and bronze coins, metal objects, fragments of glass and pottery, and animal bones.
Excavations took place on the left side of the Costești–Zâmbreni road, in what was the northeastern part of the medieval settlement of the Golden Horde, the agency said.
In total, archaeologists identified four features: three household pits and sunken dwelling No. 54, which has a nearly square shape (7.3m x 7.4m) and is oriented north-south.
The discovery is the most significant to date at the stratified site of Costești-Gârlea, the National Archaeological Agency added.
