[Bonetools] forwarded question

[Joerg Schibler]

Lionel Gourichon schrieb:
> Dear all,
>
> The following picture shows a calcaneus of Gazella gnawed and 
> partially digested (from a PPNB site of Syria: Jerf el Ahmar).
> Indeed, similar features can be observed on the phalange pictured by 
> René.
>
> Best,
>
> Lionel
>
>
> Lionel Gourichon
> Archéorient (CNRS, UMR 5133)
> Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée
> 7 rue Raulin - 69007 Lyon (France)
>
>
> Anne Brundle a écrit :
>> Andrea Smith's account of perforated phalanges from Pool and other sites in Orkney also supports the theory that they are probably gnawed.
>>
>> Anne
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu [mailto:bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu] On Behalf Of Haskel UofM
>> Sent: 29 January 2010 11:38
>> To: Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for thestudy ofobject and waste of bone,antler. ivory and horn.
>> Subject: Re: [Bonetools] forwarded question
>>
>> I would agree. It is similar to canid gnawed material that I have seen.
>> Haskel
>> Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Christian Küchelmann <info at knochenarbeit.de>
>> Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:09:44 
>> To: Rene Kysely<kysely at arup.cas.cz>; Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the study ofobject and waste of bone,antler. ivory and horn.<bonetools at listserv.niif.hu>
>> Subject: Re: [Bonetools] forwarded question
>>
>> Hi René, dear all,
>>
>> This paper deals with perforated phalanges:
>> Uerpmann, Hans-Peter (1969): Untersuchungen zu den Kleinfunden aus  
>> S'Illot (Mallorca). - Madrider Mitteilungen 10, 139-140, TafelBest, 
>>
>> But looking at the shown specimen I have to admit that the irregular  
>> perforation appears to me like a carnivore puncture. Especially as  
>> the edges of the bone show a texture that looks like digestive acid  
>> corrosion.
>>
>> Best
>>
>> Christian
>> --
>> KNOCHENARBEIT
>>
>> Hans Christian Küchelmann
>> Diplom-Biologe
>>
>> Konsul-Smidt-Straße 30, D-28217 Bremen, Germany
>> tel: +49 - 421 - 61 99 177
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Am 28.01.2010 um 20:18 schrieb Alice Choyke:
>>
>>   
>>> Here is a letter from a Czech archaeozoologist who is not on the  
>>> mailing list: I will forward all your answers to him or, if you  
>>> want to respond directly, his address is:  kysely at arup.cas.cz.  
>>> However please cc the list as well because I am sure many of are  
>>> curious about such objects.
>>>
>>> Alice
>>>
>>> Dear Alice,
>>>
>>> such perforated cattle phalanges (attachement) are relatively  
>>> common in czech middle Eneolithic. Please, can you advice me  
>>> literature or give idea what can be the function of them?   
>>> (weight?, playing tool?)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> René
>>>
>>> <Dvory - BT - Ph I-2Kysely.jpg>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Bonetools mailing list
>>> Bonetools at listserv.niif.hu
>>> https://listserv.niif.hu/mailman/listinfo/bonetools
>>>     
>>
>>
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>>   
Dear Colleagues,
sorry to say that, but the holes of the Neolithic Phalanges are 
definitively made with flint tools. I have seen a lot of such finds. 
They are common in Swiss Neolithic lake dwelling and therefore they are 
in a excellent preservation state and gnawing traces and flint tool 
traces can surely be distinguished. There are examples with one 
perforation but a lot phalanges have both sides perforated! For loom 
weights they are definitively too light. Other interpretions are music 
instruments: signal pipes used during hunting for the ones that have 
only one perforation or for the examples with two perforations together 
with a cord to produce noises by "thrilling". I don't know if this is 
the right English expression for the German word "Schwirren". Perhaps 
Alice can help!
Single perforated Reindeer Phalanges are also known from french 
palaeolithic sites where they also have been expained as hunting pipes. 
It is really possible to play on single perforated phalanges. I have 
heard it played by a flutist!
All the best!
Jörg

-- 
Prof. Dr. Jörg Schibler

Institute for Prehistory and Archaeological Science (IPAS)
Institut de Préhistoire et Science en Archéologie (IPSA)
Institut für Prähistorische und Naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie (IPNA)
Basel University
Spalenring 145
CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
Tel +41 61 201 02 12
Fax +41 61 201 02 55
email: joerg.schibler at unibas.ch
homepage: http://pages.unibas.ch/arch/start.html