[Bonetools] Fwd: [ZOOARCH] mysterious tooth tool

[Alice Choyke]

This query just came into the Zooarch mailing list and I thought I would
forward it on to you guys as well.

Alice

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Johanna Sigl <00002b9433a7872a-dmarc-request at jiscmail.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, Jul 3, 2020, 12:56
Subject: [ZOOARCH] mysterious tooth tool
To: <ZOOARCH at jiscmail.ac.uk>


Dear colleagues,

this spring I discovered an unusual tooth tool (?) in the animal remains
from 1800 BCE Elephantine Island, Aswan. The object can most likely be
identified as left fourth premolar of the mandible (P4) of sheep or
goat, but due to the shaping of the thing I cannot be 100% sure. It
might have been drawn or fallen out of the jaw due to infections on its
roots (?), which are still visible in form of deep irregular craters on
the lingual surface (picture attached: second from left). On the buccal
side (far right) the uppermost part of the roots might still be
discernible, however, the roots themselves have been removed or were
already pathologically deformed. The stumps of the roots have been
rounded. Scratch marks on the buccal side just below the preserved
remains of enamel might indicate that it had been mounted in a handle or
derive from the use of the object. The occlusal surface has been worn or
scraped down in a steep angle, forming a more or less straight surface
dropping off from a sharp lingual edge towards the buccal root area. On
the lingual side a small half-moon shaped area had been removed to
counterpoint the occlusal abrasion, thus forming the mentioned sharp edge.

Has anyone ever come across a tooth/tool like this? I would appreciate
any kind of suggestion!

Thanks a lot and all the best

Johanna


____________

Dr. Johanna Sigl

SPP2143 - Entangled Africa

Commission for Archaeology of None-European Cultures (KAAK)

German Archaeological Institute


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