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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dear Marina and David,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Just a few more thoughts. I would be very cautious about ascribing a use to these fish bones. They look very rounded and ‘worn’ even in-situ in the fin where they clearly have not been used as a tool or modified by human agency. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I am also dubious about them being used in the consumption of shell fish having prepared and consumed quantities of both oysters and mussels in my time! You need a stout knife or a sharp and robust stone blade for the oyster and an empty mussel shell makes a perfect pair of ‘tweezers’ with which to eat the delicate cooked flesh of other mussels. The sturgeon fin bone would not be useful for either role and is even too blunt for extracting the cooked flesh from marine gastropods such as cockles and winkles. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Most likely the pile of bones found in Hamburg is just residue from fileting sturgeon. The skin is likely to have been removed as a piece with the characteristic boney scutes for processing into leather. Cutting off the fins at the fish market would make it easier to stack, roll or fold the skin for transportation from the fish market to the tanners. If the heads were left on the skins the fin bones would be one of the few persistent skeletal elements left behind as the sturgeon has a largely cartilaginous skeleton. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>All the best,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Sonia<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dr Sonia O'Connor </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>PhD FSA FIIC ACR Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of York</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Post-doctoral Research Fellow<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Archaeological Sciences<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Division of AGES, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>University of Bradford<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, UK<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>tel 01274 23 6498 (office) 5210 (lab)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>fax 01274 23 5210<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Bonetools [mailto:bonetools-bounces@listserv.niif.hu] <b>On Behalf Of </b>marinaevora@sapo.pt<br><b>Sent:</b> 15 April 2014 14:11<br><b>To:</b> Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the study of object and waste of bone, antler. ivory and horn.<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Bonetools] mesolithic artefact<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>Thank you David and Sonia for your comments, no wonder I couldn't find parallels, I was not looking in the right place.<br><br>David, could you point me to the complete reference of the page and images you provided?<br><br>Best,<br>Marina<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Quoting S O'Connor <<a href="mailto:S.Oconnor@bradford.ac.uk">S.Oconnor@bradford.ac.uk</a>>:<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 6.0pt;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>That looks a pretty close match, for the sturgeon dorsal fin elements</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>See</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://web.pdx.edu/~virginia/white_sturgeon/images/caudal_fin_dorsal.htm">http://web.pdx.edu/~virginia/white_sturgeon/images/caudal_fin_dorsal.htm</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>part of</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://web.pdx.edu/~virginia/white_sturgeon/white_sturgeon.htm">http://web.pdx.edu/~virginia/white_sturgeon/white_sturgeon.htm</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Sonia</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dr Sonia O'Connor</span> <span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>PhD FSA FIIC ACR Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of York</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Post-doctoral Research Fellow</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Archaeological Sciences</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Division of AGES, </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>University of Bradford</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, UK</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>tel 01274 23 6498 (office) 5210 (lab)</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:72.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>fax 01274 23 5210</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Bonetools [<a href="mailto:bonetools-bounces@listserv.niif.hu">mailto:bonetools-bounces@listserv.niif.hu</a>] <b>On Behalf Of</b> Dave Constantine<br><b>Sent:</b> 15 April 2014 11:28<br><b>To:</b> Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the study of object and waste of bone, antler. ivory and horn.<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Bonetools] mesolithic artefact</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Dear Marina,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Is it possibly a fish bone? Attached are a couple of pages discussing the possible use of Sturgeon bones for eating shellfish and the bones look rather like yours.<br><br>Regards,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>David Constantine</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:whitesmoke'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'>From:</span></b> <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="mailto:marinaevora@sapo.pt" title="marinaevora@sapo.pt">marinaevora@sapo.pt</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:whitesmoke'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'>Sent:</span></b> <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'>Tuesday, April 15, 2014 11:03 AM</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:whitesmoke'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'>To:</span></b> <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="mailto:bonetools@listserv.niif.hu" title="bonetools@listserv.niif.hu">Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the study of object and waste of bone, antler. ivory and horn.</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;background:whitesmoke'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'>Subject:</span></b> <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:black'>[Bonetools] mesolithic artefact</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Dear all,<br><br>I'm sending you two pictures of an artefact recovered from a mesolithic shellmidden site in Portugal. I believe it is made from mammal bone. Do you have/ know of similar objects? I have been searching for parallels and I didn't find it.<br>Thank you.<br><br>Best,</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><br><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Marina Évora</span><br><br><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Webdings;color:green'>P</span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:green'>Please consider the impact on the environment before printing this message.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>_______________________________________________<br>Bonetools mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Bonetools@listserv.niif.hu">Bonetools@listserv.niif.hu</a><br><a href="https://listserv.niif.hu/mailman/listinfo/bonetools">https://listserv.niif.hu/mailman/listinfo/bonetools</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></blockquote><p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>Marina Évora<br><br></span><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Webdings;color:green'>P</span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:green'>Please consider the impact on the environment before printing this message.</span></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>