[Bonetools] Fwd: [ZOOARCH] Inquiry about a bone artifact. Philippines

[Alice Choyke]

Dear colleagues,
      The Zooarch mailing list received a request about a grave find made
from dugong which I am forwarding here. Dr. Rogus has suggested  it may be
a dugong (based on ZooMS) skeletal element. Someone on Zooarch also
suggested it might be a highly worked incisor. Anyway, if anyone knows of
parallel artifacts or has a better idea of which skeletal element this
artifact might be - please let the list know as well as Dr. Juan Rofus. We
are all curious.

Best,
Alice

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Juan Rofes <00004d50bd68712e-dmarc-request at jiscmail.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, Feb 3, 2026, 08:11
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Inquiry about a bone artifact. Philippines
To: <ZOOARCH at jiscmail.ac.uk>


Dear Zooarch community,

May I ask your help regarding the bone artifact pictures of which are
attached here?

This element comes from the Acosta Property in Sabaltan, northeast of the
island of Palawan, Philippine archipelago. The best age estimates from
sediments at the site ranged from the 6-10th centuries CE, what is locally
known as the Metal period. It was found associated with a human burial.
Other findings include imported glass and stone beads and metal objects.

A ZooMS analysis has established it was elaborated from a dugong bone.

Our initial interpretation is that this was a piece used for personal
adornment (part of a necklace?) and likely, given its context, a mortuary
offering associated with the adult buried there.

Has anyone in this mailing list seen something like this before anywhere in
the world either from archaeological or ethnographic records?

In case yes, is there anything published about it or anything we can refer
to? It does not need to be made of dugong bone, any other animal will do.

There is a limit of 5M for attachments here, but I can send more pictures
with details if needed.

I would greatly appreciate any reference, clue or suggestion.

Kind regards,


*Juan ROFES*
*UP Scientist III*
*Professor*
*Head of the Zooarchaeology Laboratory*
School of Archaeology
Albert Hall, Lakandula St.
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101, PHILIPPINES
E-mail: jcrofes at up.edu.ph
Phone: +632 89818500 local 2446

*Research Associate* [Correspondent]
Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, pratiques et environnements
UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle/CNRS
CP56, 55 rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, FRANCE
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/55+rue+Buffon,+75005,+Paris,+FRANCE?entry=gmail&source=g>
E-mail: juan.rofes at mnhn.fr

*President of the UP International Faculty Alliance*
School of Archaeology
Albert Hall, Lakandula St.
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101, PHILIPPINES

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