Artefacts

2024’s top finds – worked bone

Sunday, December 29, 2024 (11:29 AM)

Worked bone point from Structure Thirty-Four. (📷 Anne Mitchell) — Worked bone point – one of three found in Structure Thirty-Four in 2024. (📷 Anne Mitchell)

As we’ve explained before, the acidity of the soil at the Ness means worked bone and bone tools are something of a rarity. There’s no doubt that they would once have been plentiful but few have survived.

2024 stood out however, with four examples recovered in remarkably good condition.

Three of these came from the area around Structure Thirty-Four, their preservation perhaps related to the quantities of ash inside the building.

Bone pin from Structure Thirty-Four. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

Bone pin from Structure Thirty-Four. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

Bone pin from Structure Thirty-Four. (📷 Anne Mitchell)

Bone pin from Structure Thirty-Four. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

And last, but not least, a bone point from Structure Five – one of a number of artefacts that had been placed in and around the remains of the building’s stone furniture features.

Trench J supervisor Paul points out the location of the bone point. (📷 Jo Bourne)

The bone point in situ. (📷 Jo Bourne)

The Structure Five bone point. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

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