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Description: | Utilised animal bone of uncertain dateThe bone is incomplete, missing the proximal end (with a surviving length of 216mm and a weight of 333.6g) and is a metatarsal from a large bovine, probably an auroch. The damaged end of the bone is heavily eroded and worn, with a number of worn abrasions near the end, suggestive of animal gnawing. There is a circular perforation (9.5mm diameter) near the distal end, positioned at the centre and adjacent to the medial trochlea. The perforation is regular and parallel-sided, suggesting it was drilled with a metal bit. Other than the perforation, there appears to be no other evidence surviving of human modification or utilisation of the bone. The bone is slightly mineralised and the surface is white and heavily-weathered, probably indicating that the bone originated from a limestone cave. One side of the bone, adjacent to the perforation has slight green staining, possibly corrosion from a copper or copper alloy fitting, although no staining is now evident within the perforation.It is possible that the bone was removed from Pleistocene cave deposits and modified and utilised for some, now unknown function. The date of this later modification is also now uncertain but the metal-drilled hole suggests a post-Prehistoric date.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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