[Bonetools] wrapped astragalus

[Sandra Olsen]

Dear Alice:
Is there a contact person for this site who I could speak to, because I saw
that they have a very nice bronze stirrup (sorry, it isn't bone!).
Cheers,
Sandi


On 9/10/07 8:31 AM, "h13017cho at helka.iif.hu" <h13017cho at helka.iif.hu> wrote:

> To get the knuckle bones rolling. I am assuming this is a cattle astragalus.
> Was the 
> astragalus in a closed context with many other astragalii and were these also
> from cattle? 
> This bronze band looks a bit like a sword blade or am I seeing things? Anyway,
> there are a 
> few of examples of caprinae astragalii copied in bronze from the late bronze
> age on but I do 
> not think the aim would have been the same since this bronze band actually
> obsures the 
> shape of the bone rather than enhancing its formal properties in a new and
> valuable raw 
> material in the copies. I believe there are also examples of black on red
> painted pottery 
> astragalii from this period in Classical Greece (I am sure I have seen one at
> the British 
> museum) so we know that this skeletal part had special significance related to
> fate or chance 
> or good luck in this time period. There are even  examples of Roman period
> anchors in the 
> Tell Dor museum with little raised relief astragalii on them. So, there is no
> doubt this skeletal
> element had particular significance relating to its apotropaic properties but
> the secret of 
> interpretation must also lie with what they used to wrap around it. It is hard
> to believe this 
> object has any practical significance or was simply half-finished. I am
> curious what the rest of
> the group has to say.
> 
> Alice
> 
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