[Bonetools] Magdalenian pointed tools, unknown function

[Alice Choyke]

Prehistorically some of these are hafted awls, projectile points and fish
gorges, pin-beaters but they are certainly used in a variety of ways that
may be very culture specifiic.

Alice

On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 6:20 PM, Marloes Rijkelijkhuizen <
marloesrijkelijkhuizen at hotmail.com> wrote:

>  Dear Alice,
>
> It seems that this is a very convenient tool. Any thoughts on the function?
> By the way, they are also made of wood.
>
> Marloes
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:27:46 +0100
> From: h13017cho at iif.hu
> To: bonetools at listserv.niif.hu
> Subject: Re: [Bonetools] Magdalenian pointed tools, unknown function
>
>
> 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
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
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