<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Dear All, </span><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My husband, Richard Stallings, who does microwear on stone tools, looked at the photos of this object and enlarged them a bit to look at more detail. He told me that it looked as if the top of the perforation on the end of the object had more wear on it than on the bottom of the perforation, hence wondering if it had been suspended on a string or hung on a peg. But this would be better resolved if the hole was looked at under magnification.</div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Here is what he said: </div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Regarding the bone artifact; Wonder if it was a counting device that was suspended (worn?) on a string or was to be hung on a peg? Would be interesting to see if there is wear in the hole or its margins.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">There appear to be 21 “dimples” on each of the lateral edges. There are also seven dimples within the “Greek key” design, and a possible eighth dimple to the right of the other seven (hard to see).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">The dimples on both faces of the forked end are placed similarly; the exceptions are the “cross” on the one face and an extra dimple on the opposite face. Note the similar position of the dimples on both these faces. The exception being the eighth dimple on the plain face at is positioned at the end of the cross on the opposite face where this none.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Here’s a speculation:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Astronomers divide the lunar cycle into four phases of the moon, new, first quarter, full, and last quarter, each of which lasts approximately 7 days. It may not be a coincidence that there are 21 dimples along each side and seven in the Greek key design. The seven could mark a specific phase. Not sure how the eighth dimple within the Greek key design would have function or if it actually exists.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">The cross on the one face could indicate directions (N, S, E, W) or a four part division, or some measure of passing time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Would be interesting to have an astronomer take a look at this.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.5454540252686px;">Nancy A. Ross-Stallings</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.5454540252686px;">AMEC Environemnt and Infrastructure, Inc.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.5454540252686px;">Louisville, KY</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><br><blockquote style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 255); border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; color: black;">-----Original Message-----
<br>From: Dave Constantine <dkconstantine@btinternet.com>
<br>Sent: Jan 14, 2015 6:57 AM
<br>To: bonetools@listserv.niif.hu
<br>Subject: [Bonetools] unknown bone object (Saxon?)
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<div>Dear all,<br><br>Happy New Year to everyone and here is an unusual,
probably Saxon, bone artefact to have a look at.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>it was found at Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England and seems to have
no immediately obvious use. It has been suggested it may be an end for a belt,
but with nothing really to support that. Equally, there seems to be no specific
polish to suggest that it was a textile beating or weaving tool either. The
dimensions of the piece are 118mm x 11mm x 5mm.<br><br>Any suggestions of use or
known parallels would be gratefully received. <br><br>Regards<br><br>David
Constantine</div></div></div>
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