The Kisalian Graves are a series of burial sites located in the Northern part of the Upemba Depression, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ceramic materials and radiocarbon dating of the graves allow archaeologists to form a chrono-cultural sequence, further dividing the region's Iron Age into distinct phases.
[1] The grave goods found in the burial sites strongly suggest long-distance trade, metallurgy, social hierarchy, and symbolism within the Kisalian phases.
The first instance of political complexity occurred during the Early Kisalian phase, indicated by an anvil and ceremonial axe found in one of the burial sites.
The Kisalian phase saw a rapid increase in population growth, as shown by the significant number of burial sites.
Analysis of the remains found in the Kisalian Graves suggests that the population of the time was relatively young, with a significant proportion of individuals under 30.