[Bonetools] Magdalenian pointed tools, unknown function

[Alice Choyke]

Dear Marloes,
    The amazing thing about your picture number 2 showing the ranges of
shapes and sizes is the similarity to what is forund on the earlies
Neolithic Koros cultrue sites in Hungary. The double pointed tools occzur in
otherplaces and times of course but this is the period withthe greatest
variety produced on both ribs and ling bone diaphyses. Apparently thisidea
is being constantly reinvented.

Alice

On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 7:16 PM, Marloes Rijkelijkhuizen <
marloesrijkelijkhuizen at hotmail.com> wrote:

> These remind me of the double pointed rods found in the Netherlands (and
> probably elsewhere too), but these are made of bone and dated in the early
> middle ages.. Possible functions that are mentioned are: for spinning, for
> weaving or as a kind of fish hooks. Some show sign of waer and many shapes
> and sizes occur, some are decorated.
>
> All the best, Marloes
>
>
>
> > From: marinaevora at sapo.pt
> > To: bonetools at listserv.niif.hu
> > Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:07:37 +0000
> > Subject: Re: [Bonetools] Magdalenian pointed tools, unknown function
>
> >
> > Dear J. Marc,
> >
> > We have in Vale Boi Upper Paleolithic site (in Algarve, Portugal) two
> > pointed tools that have similar treatment to your tools, but these ones
> came
> > from gravettian layers. Vale Boi site is also a rockshelter and all the
> > osseous artifacts already studied came from outside the shelter, from the
>
> > slope and terrace. We haven't found any bone or antler tools from the
> > magdalenian layers yet. Only gravettian and solutrean ones.
> >
> > The tool VB1, 2, 3 and 4 (foto) is 138mm long x 8mm large x 8mm esp. with
>
> > circular section. It's fractured in 5 portions, the kind of fracture is
> > vertical and oblique.
> > The other tool VB5, 6 and 7 (foto) is 61mm long x 5mm large x 5mm esp.
> also
> > with a circular section, and is fractured in 2 portions with an oblique
> kind
> > of fracture.
> >
> > I hope it helps.
> >
> > Best,
> > Marina Évora
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jean-Marc Pétillon" <petillon at univ-tlse2.fr>
> > To: <Bonetools at listserv.niif.hu>
> > Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 9:56 AM
> > Subject: [Bonetools] Magdalenian pointed tools, unknown function
> >
> >
> > Here is another guess.
> >
> > These tools were found at the Saint-Germain-la-Rivière rockshelter
> > (Gironde, France), in Lower Magdalenian layers dated ca. 18-20 kyr
> > cal. BP. The excavation is not under the shelter but on the steep
> > slope before it, so preservation conditions are not optimal and
> > post-depositional fragmentation is intense. No tool is complete; there
> > are about 30 fragments.
> >
> > These pointed tools are made on complete sections of reindeer antlers
> > - either the main beam of middle-sized antlers or the tine of larger
> > ones. They are worked by scraping, strictly calibrated in diameter
> > (20-23 mm, circular section) and the biggest fragments are about
> > 180-200 mm long. Close to the active part, the shaping is pronounced
> > enough to completely scrape off the compact tissue and expose the
> > inner spongiosa on one side.
> >
> > What seems to be the active part of the tool is a blunt point that
> > often shows a very strange alteration on the tip (see pictures). The
> > points are sometimes found isolated, apparently broken during use (cf.
> > bending fracture or « tongued fracture ») which seems to show that the
> > tool worked in percussion or in flexion with some force.
> >
> > These tools are not recorded in the Paleolithic literature and I have
> > never seen such alteration on antler before. Our haphazard functional
> > interpretations run from digging stick to ice pick, poker and tent
> > peg. Anyone who has ever seen something like this wins the SAA award
> > (Strange Antler Artifact - what did you think ?)...
> >
> > J.Marc
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jean-Marc Pétillon
> > CNRS
> > Laboratoire TRACES (UMR 5608)
> > Université Toulouse le Mirail
> > Maison de la recherche
> > 5 allées A. Machado
> > F-31058 Toulouse
> >
> > + 33 (0) 5 61 50 24 53
> > + 33 (0) 6 31 07 47 62
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
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