[Bonetools] ivory(?) double bead dumbbell bead

[Marta Moreno García]

Dear Fiona and all,

May be you would be interested in the following paper that I published 
with other colleagues in 2010. There you can find a detailed account of 
the process Sonia has described on her e-mail, regarding bead 
production. In the Spanish case we argued they were rosary beads.

Hope you enjoy the reading and happy New Year to all!

Best,
Marta

El 08/01/2014 0:47, SA O'Connor escribió:
> Dear Fiona,
>
> Thank you for the additional images.  The visible features confirm 
> that the object is bone, most probably turned from a thick strip of a 
> large mammal longbone.
>
> I have attached the two most diagnostic pictures. The whole bead shows 
> the axially oriented, regularly spaced lines of dark spots and dashes 
> formed by the vascular system of the bone. Your photomicrograph 
> clearly shows a branching blood vessel in the bone.
>
> I have some experience turning lace bobbins in bone and I think this 
> 'dumbbell' bead may not be a single complete bead but two unfinished 
> beads.
>
> To make these beads you start with a length of compact bone tissue 
> that is drilled down the centre. Several beads are turned along the 
> bone strip in one go but are left attached to each other. When the 
> shaping is complete the bone strip is removed from the lathe and only 
> then is a cut made between the beads to separate them. If you try to 
> part the beads whilst they are turning on the lathe they will fly off 
> in all directions when the chisel cuts through to the drilled hole!
>
> If you look at the waist between the beads you will see that one side 
> is vertical and the other sloped and marked with a deep groove. These 
> features ensure that the beads are cut apart accurately. Either these 
> beads were dropped before they could be separated or they were 
> discarded because they were sub-standard. Perhaps some of the visible 
> surface blemishes were apparent when the bone was fresh.
>
> Could they be Rosary beads?
>
> All the best,
>
> Sonia
>
> Quoting fiona beglane <fionabeglane at yahoo.com>:
>
>> See the attached image.  I have this double bead which seems to be 
>> made of ivory.  It was found on a medieval and post medieval site in 
>> Ireland.  L=10.14mm, dia=5.55mm and is perforated.  I know that 
>> double beads have been found in early medieval sites in Ireland - 
>> usually made of glass.  Does anyone know of any other bone or ivory 
>> examples from Ireland or elsewhere?
>> Thank you all
>>
>> Fiona
>
>
>
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-- 
Dra. Marta Moreno-García
G.I. Arqueobiología.
Instituto de Historia
Centro de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales (CCHS). CSIC
Albasanz 26-28. 28037 Madrid. Spain
Tel: +34 91 6022384
e-mail: marta.moreno at cchs.csic.es

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