[Bonetools] cross_bone_?

[Günther Karl Kunst]

Dear Sonia, Alice and Salima,
thank you so much for suggestions and observations. Walrus would be an 
option, it is the far north of Austria (bordering to the "Czech 
Canada"). Better images are being made, I will communicate your ideas to 
the excavator.
all the best
Karl

S O'Connor schrieb:
> Dear Karl,
>
> It is difficult to see enough detail from these images but there is a
> possibility they this is walrus ivory - there seems to be a distinction
> between featureless material and an area with a whorled structure.  Antler
> pedicle can also show a similar combination of features but to carry this
> forward I would need to see better images of these different areas and the
> junction between them at higher magnification (with a scale if you can).
> The colour could be deliberate staining or due to the burial environment.  I
> have had some walrus ivory playing pieces that look like dark amber.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sonia
>
> Dr Sonia O'Connor PhD FSA FIIC ACR Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of
> York
> Post-doctoral Research Fellow
> Archaeological Sciences
> Division of AGES,
> University of Bradford
> Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, UK
>
> tel 01274 23 6498 (office) 5210 (lab)
> fax 01274 23 5210
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu
> [mailto:bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu] On Behalf Of Günther Karl Kunst
> Sent: 04 June 2012 11:32
> To: Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the study of
> object and waste of bone, antler. ivory and horn.
> Subject: [Bonetools] cross_bone_?
>
> Der Alice and all!
> Unfortunately, this is not meant as an immediate reponse concerning a
> bonetool of the month, because the circumstances (stray find), property
> issues and identity (material) are still too vague. It was found by a local
> collector in the vicinity of a former castle in a (nowadays) remote area of
> northern Lower Austria. It was shown to me by Sabine Felgenhauer from the
> prehistoric department who carries out excavations in the castle area
> (pottery of High Medieval - 11th-13th c). The oblong object, with a
> cross-engraving on both sides, feels "warm" haptically and has been worked
> (file, saw, ...) all over its surface, and I think/hope it is an animal
> tissue, but not quite sure about that. No original surface left, and what is
> the meaning of the "structural lines"
> (dentine-ivory, antler?)? Excavator put forward ideas about a gaming
> piece/chessman. I attach several pictures I took under not quite ideal
> cicrumstances.
> Any suggestions welcome!
> all the best
> Karl
>
>
>
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