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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dear Fiona and all, <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Hope you enjoy the reading and happy New Year to all!<br>
<br>
Best, <br>
Marta<br>
<br>
El 08/01/2014 0:47, SA O'Connor escribió:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:20140107234704.14004tb6j7f726uc@webmail.brad.ac.uk"
type="cite">Dear Fiona,
<br>
<br>
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.
<br>
<br>
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.
<br>
<br>
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.
<br>
<br>
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!
<br>
<br>
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.
<br>
<br>
Could they be Rosary beads?
<br>
<br>
All the best,
<br>
<br>
Sonia
<br>
<br>
Quoting fiona beglane <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:fionabeglane@yahoo.com"><fionabeglane@yahoo.com></a>:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">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?
<br>
Thank you all
<br>
<br>
Fiona
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
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: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:marta.moreno@cchs.csic.es">marta.moreno@cchs.csic.es</a>
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