TY - JOUR
T1 - Making silent bones speak
T2 - The analysis of orphaned osseous tools illustrated with Mesolithic stray finds
AU - Ivanovaite, Livija
AU - Bjørnevad, Mathias
AU - Philippsen, Bente
AU - Hoggard, Christian Steven
AU - Enghild, Jan J.
AU - Scavenius, Carsten
AU - Vasiliauskaite, Asta
AU - Dručkuvienė, Gerarda
AU - Jensen, Peter
AU - Maring, Rikke
AU - Dodd, James Andrew
AU - Serwatka, Kamil
AU - Riede, Felix
PY - 2018/12
Y1 - 2018/12
N2 - Orphaned osseous tools are very often perceived as having a high aesthetic value, but are usually under-examined. This article illustrates the research potential of these artefacts, with a case study of Mesolithic stray finds from Lithuania. Four bone points from the River Šventoji, Vaikantonys, Obšrūtai and Kamšai were subjected to AMS dating, tandem mass spectrometry for animal species identification, and technological and use-wear analysis. The results revealed that all four bone points could be dated to the Boreal period, and imply an Early to Middle Mesolithic date. Harpoons from the River Šventoji and Kamšai were most likely made of aurochs bones. All of the bone points were produced from long sections of tubular long bones, and three of the points show signs of reuse. Overall, the analysis revealed similarities with contemporaneous material in northern Europe. Within the context of the present research, the paper briefly describes other scientific methods which could be applied to orphaned bone and antler tools, including biomolecular and stable isotope analysis. Digital recording methods can be useful for bone artefact recording. This is relevant today, as the demand for good-quality digital representations is increasing, in order to apply software for further analysis, such as geometric morphometrics. As a result, more widespread and systematic applications of these new methods to orphaned osseous finds would lead to a significant activation of these finds in a scientific and outreach context.
AB - Orphaned osseous tools are very often perceived as having a high aesthetic value, but are usually under-examined. This article illustrates the research potential of these artefacts, with a case study of Mesolithic stray finds from Lithuania. Four bone points from the River Šventoji, Vaikantonys, Obšrūtai and Kamšai were subjected to AMS dating, tandem mass spectrometry for animal species identification, and technological and use-wear analysis. The results revealed that all four bone points could be dated to the Boreal period, and imply an Early to Middle Mesolithic date. Harpoons from the River Šventoji and Kamšai were most likely made of aurochs bones. All of the bone points were produced from long sections of tubular long bones, and three of the points show signs of reuse. Overall, the analysis revealed similarities with contemporaneous material in northern Europe. Within the context of the present research, the paper briefly describes other scientific methods which could be applied to orphaned bone and antler tools, including biomolecular and stable isotope analysis. Digital recording methods can be useful for bone artefact recording. This is relevant today, as the demand for good-quality digital representations is increasing, in order to apply software for further analysis, such as geometric morphometrics. As a result, more widespread and systematic applications of these new methods to orphaned osseous finds would lead to a significant activation of these finds in a scientific and outreach context.
KW - AMS dates
KW - Mesolithic
KW - Osseous tools
KW - Protein-based analysis
KW - Use-wear
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85084811942
U2 - 10.15181/ab.v25i0.1830
DO - 10.15181/ab.v25i0.1830
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1392-5520
VL - 25
SP - 53
EP - 70
JO - Archaeologia Baltica
JF - Archaeologia Baltica
ER -