[Bonetools] The two pieces of the Louvre.

François Poplin poplin at mnhn.fr
Sat Mar 23 09:53:24 CET 2013


I prepared the following linez that night. I'll answer in your message 
afterwards.

I did not want to tell you what I thought of the function before, in 
order not to kill the discussion. Just two remarks now, and an addition :

- what is the question coming now ?

- we have to pay attention to (for ?) words. In french, I would not 
speak of "écarteur de perles" but of "écarteurs de rangs de perles" (An 
"écarteur de perles" would be between two beads). In english, something 
as /bead row spacer/, but "spacer" is involved not inly in rows and 
files, but also in crosses, rings, etc., many kinds of arrangments in space.

And : besides "perle" in french, are two terms in english, /pearl/ and 
/bead/, the first being refered to (linked with) mother of the pearl, 
the second not. Formerly, /bead/ had a brother in french, "grain" (ie. 
"de chapelet"). Do you know, without looking neither in the 
dictionnaries nor in Google, the origin of /bead/ ? The prayer, whith 
(through ?) an old term /bede/ related with (relative of) german /beten/ 
"to pray" (the transformation is similar with /bed/ and /Bett/). In 
french, a chaplet/rosary/beads maker (or bead, in that case ?) was 
called a patenôtrier, build on the beginning /Pater noster (qui es in ...)./

Addition : I have seen recently, in a paper provided by my colleague 
Simon Davis as first author, such "spacers" made of bird bone. Would you 
like some more comments ?




Le 22/03/2013 19:47, FARRELL E.R. a écrit :
> Dear all,
>
> These spacer beads do seem to be the most similar form to what I have; 
> the two from the Louvre, the neolithic Greek examples, and one from 
> Dr. Ayalon's Caesarea Maritima publication all seem to be roughly the 
> same size and shape with similar treatment of the holes.

No. The neolithic thing of Kyrios Ifantidis are conical holes (from both 
sides, I presume), which is normal at that time with flint, etc. There 
is a chronology in piercing/drilling, and so forth.
>
> Based on the comparisons I suspect the object I am working with is a 
> spacer bead, or at the very least that represents the most likely 
> interpretation available at the moment. My one concern with my 
> specific example is the wear pattern. The second picture of examples 
> Mr. Ifantidis provided gives several different arrangements using a 
> spacer bead and I can understand how the wear might be different 
> depending on that arrangement.
>
> I cannot manage to figure out a way to arrange beadwork which would 
> wear only one hole. Even the furthest hole on the obviously broken end 
> (very little of that furthest hole remains, but it can be seen) shows 
> no wear. It seems as if it should have wear on at least two holes at 
> each end to have use as a spacer bead, which would imply that both 
> ends have been broken and reshaped, and several centimeters in length 
> are missing.
>
> Also, for the two examples at the Louvre, Dr. Poplin, do you know the 
> date or culture they originate from? Considering I now know there are 
> similar items from Neolithic Greece and Roman Syria I doubt I can make 
> a judgement of date for my object based on comparisons, but I would 
> still very much like to know, particularly if the Louvre objects are 
> from an Egyptian collection.
>
Being in the coptic collection, the things comes definitely from Egypt. 
As quoted by Marie Delassus, the origine is old (Ils proviennent de la 
collection Clot-Bey acquise en juillet 1852", and without data - the 
same as for you. Dr Bey brought lots of things, even a (living) girafe, 
the skeleton of which is here in our collection.

Simply typing "écarteur perles" on Google, you get lots of informations. 
The oldest case I know is paleolithic ; there are things like that in 
Mycenian, etc. I had in hand a marvelous book named "Beads", I would 
like to see again. But they are more then ten now on Google....

I don't forget "A piece, two objects" ; i'll turn back later.
>
>
> As I was writing the above, a colleague saw the archaeological drawing 
> of my artefact, and immediately suggested a particular type of loom 
> spacer used to attach a tablet-woven border to a plain-woven cloth on 
> a vertical loom. Apparently it would be tied only at the end 
> (accounting for the odd wear), with loose thread separated in the 
> remaining holes. I have not yet seen a photo or drawing of one of 
> these so don't know if it is a feasible option, but is anyone else 
> familiar with such an object? I know a couple people suggested this 
> might be a weaving tablet early on. I will try to find an image, or at 
> least a better description for comparison.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Erik Farrell
>
> *From:* bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu 
> [bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu] on behalf of Fotis Ifantidis 
> [fotisif at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* 22 March 2013 16:23
> *To:* Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the 
> study of object and waste of bone, antler. ivory and horn.
> *Subject:* Re: [Bonetools] The two pieces of the Louvre.
>
> Dear all,
>
> To add to Erik's inquiry on the interpretation of his multi-holed 
> object, I have two bone objects from MN/LN Dispilio in Greece, which I 
> am almost certain that are spacers for bead necklaces. Also attached 
> is a figure from my 2006 MA study of similar finds from various 
> contexts. I could also provide some other references if you wish.
>
> Best,
>
> Fotis
>
> http://auth.academia.edu/fotisifantidis
>
> visualizingneolithic.com <http://visualizingneolithic.com>
>
> theotheracropolis.com <http://theotheracropolis.com>
>
> kalaureiainthepresent.org <http://kalaureiainthepresent.org>
>
> spondylus.wordpress.com <http://spondylus.wordpress.com>
>
>
>
> 2013/3/22 François Poplin <poplin at mnhn.fr <mailto:poplin at mnhn.fr>>
>
>     Dear Erik Farrell
>     and everybody
>
>     the Providence gives only two pieces, but ideal ones : the one is
>     complete, giving the dimentions and the number of holes, the other
>     is broken (as yours), giving some "interior" comparison points
>     and, maybe, the opportunity to go further into the material :
>     would you go to histological prepartion/polishing on the breake?
>     That was the question behind when I  wrote "Haversian or not
>     haversian, that's the question". I can at least ask at the Louvre.
>
>     The two picture are property of the Musée du Louvre and
>     unpublished. Please, no official use without permission  of
>     dominique.benazeth at louvre.fr <mailto:dominique.benazeth at louvre.fr>
>
>     I have not seen yet the two pieces.
>
>     Your's faithfully.
>
>
>     ------- Message original --------
>     Sujet: 	RE: photos de deux objets en os de la section copte
>     Date : 	Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:38:47 +0100
>     De : 	Delassus Marie <Marie.Delassus at louvre.fr>
>     <mailto:Marie.Delassus at louvre.fr>
>     Pour : 	'François Poplin' <poplin at mnhn.fr> <mailto:poplin at mnhn.fr>
>
>     Je vous fais parvenir sous forme numérique les deux photos que je
>     vous ai imprimées mardi dernier. Ces deux objets sont inventoriés
>     sous le numéro E 328 j.
>
>     Ils proviennent de la collection Clot-Bey acquise en juillet 1852.
>
>     Je vous en redonne les dimensions :
>
>     -objet complet : L . : 4,5 cm ; l. : 0,8 cm ; ép. : 0,33 cm
>
>     -objet fragmentaire : L. : 3,54 cm ; l. : 0,8 cm ; ép. : 0,32 cm
>
>     Je suis tout à fait partante pour que vous diffusiez à vos
>     collègues ces images.
>
>     Marie Delassus
>
>
>     --
>
>     François POPLIN
>
>            
>
>     Directeur honoraire de l'UMR 7209 Archéozoologie, Archébotanique : sociétés, pratiques et environnements
>
>            
>
>     Responsable du Séminaire d'Anthropozoologie
>
>            
>
>     Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
>
>     CP 56
>
>     Ancien Laboratoire d'Anatomie comparée
>
>     55, rue de Buffon
>
>     75005 Paris
>
>     01 40 79 33 11
>
>     fax ------ 33 14
>
>            
>
>     francoispoplin.blogspot.com  <http://francoispoplin.blogspot.com>     
>
>
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>
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-- 
François POPLIN

Directeur honoraire de l'UMR 7209 Archéozoologie, Archébotanique : sociétés, pratiques et environnements

Responsable du Séminaire d'Anthropozoologie

Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
CP 56
Ancien Laboratoire d'Anatomie comparée
55, rue de Buffon
75005 Paris
01 40 79 33 11
fax ------ 33 14

francoispoplin.blogspot.com

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