[Bonetools] Special Issue “Current Studies on Archaeological Worked Bone Heritage” in Heritage.

[Grzegorz.Osipowicz at umk.pl]

Dear colleagues,

We would like to draw your attention to the Special Issue “Current  
Studies on Archaeological Worked Bone Heritage”, published in Heritage.

The Special Issue is devoted to current research on archaeological  
osseous artefacts and other objects made from animal-derived raw  
materials, including technological and functional studies, use-wear  
and residue analysis, taphonomy, experimental archaeology, advanced  
imaging, and physicochemical approaches.

So far, seven papers have been published:

Monica Mărgărit, Anca-Diana Popescu, Mădălina Stănescu, Rodica-Mariana  
Ion, Sofia Slămnoiu-Teodorescu, Daniela Cristea-Stan
Adornments in Funeral Contexts: Analysis of a Necklace from the Bronze  
Age Cemetery at Cândești, Romania
Heritage 2026, 9(3), 106
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9030106

Simona Arrighi, Erika Moretti, Matteo Rossini, Jacopo Crezzini,  
Stefano Ricci, Annamaria Ronchitelli, Francesco Boschin
A Swan on the Water? Technical Execution and Graphic Strategy in an  
Epigravettian Portable Art Object from Grotta Paglicci
Heritage 2026, 9(5), 188
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9050188

Jie Shen, Wenquan Fan, Jie Yu
Worked and Working Bones—Wild Resource Use in an Agricultural  
Neolithic Community at Miaodigou Site, China
Heritage 2026, 9(8), 319
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9080319

Grzegorz Osipowicz, Justyna Orłowska, Mariusz Bosiak, Ilga Zagorska,  
Mieczysław Cieszko, Zbigniew Szczepański
Ceremonial Tools or Just Hunting Weapons? A Multidisciplinary Approach  
to Mesolithic Inlaid Osseous Points from Lake Lubāns, Latvia
Heritage 2026, 9(8), 325
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9080325

Jean-Marc Pétillon, Élise Tartar, Laura G. van der Sluis, Krista  
McGrath, Lucía Agudo Pérez, Leire Torres-Iglesias, Ana B.  
Marín-Arroyo, Christian Normand Orieux, Camilla Speller, Antoine  
Zazzo, Alexandre Lefebvre
The Elephant in the Room: The Use of Mammoth Bones for the Manufacture  
of Objects in the Upper Paleolithic of Southwestern France
Heritage 2026, 9(8), 330
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9080330

Emma Cleminson, Jerome P. Reynard, Justin Bradfield
Processing and Production: A Comparative Technological and Functional  
Study of Worked Bone from 14–8 ka in South Africa
Heritage 2026, 9(9), 348
https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9090348

Björn Wallebom, Erika Rosengren, Anne Jörgensen-Lindahl, Joen Leffler,  
Crista Wathen, Aija Macāne, Sara Gummesson
On the trail of Preboreal forest dwellers. Rediscovering three 2  
Eurasian moose antler axe/adze heads in the collections of the 3  
Historical Museum at Lund University, Sweden
Heritage 2026 (in press)

The Special Issue remains open for submissions until 31 January 2027,  
and we warmly invite colleagues working on archaeological worked bone,  
antler, tooth, ivory, shell, and other animal-derived materials to  
consider submitting their research. Contributions addressing  
technology, function, residues, experimental archaeology, taphonomy,  
symbolic aspects, and new analytical or imaging approaches are  
especially welcome. We would be very pleased to receive further  
contributions😊

Best regards,
Grzegorz Osipowicz and Justyna Orłowska
Academic Editors




-- 
Dr hab. Grzegorz Osipowicz, prof. UMK
Institute of Archaeology NCU,
Lietuvos istorijos instituto (Lithuania),
Leader of the PARTS Project
Editorial board:
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications (Nature Portfolio)
Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology
Lithuanian Archaeology

Correspondence address:
Institute of Archaeology
Nicolaus Copernicus University
Szosa Bydgoska 44/48 Street
87-100 Torun
Poland