Folia archeologica 47.
István Vörös: A Denevér úti kovabánya agancsleletei (Budapest-Farkasrét)
90 ISTVÁN VÖRÖS Three tines (triple ) crown - 15 pieces Triple crown of a juvenile antler 5 pieces, triple stage crown of a middle-aged antler 10 pieces. Crown of digitated form six pieces: one piece 1 + 1 + 1 (123.), 5 pieces 1+2 (forking) (8, 69, 117, 128, 147.). Cup-shaped crown 9 pieces: 5 pieces 1 + 1 + 1 (separate tines 17, 34, 40, 65, 111.), 4 pieces 1+2 (forking) (87, 79, 127, 169.). Four tines crown - 3 pieces All of them are on middle-aged antlers, though their shapes differ from each other the two cup-shaped antlers belong to a type with isolated tines 1+3(1 + 1 + 1) (122+125), and to the double forking type (2 + 2) (74.) while the only digitated crown has a tine set 1+3(1 + 1 + 1) (70.).' Six tines crown - 1 piece The tine set of the cup-shaped crown is 1 +5[/l + double forking (2 + 2)](18.). Among the 19 crowns suitable for study 12 ones are cup-shaped and 7 ones are digitated. Among the first tines broken or removed from the crown there are 10 pieces which at their lower (proximal) end bear a "tine-ramification part" as well. These pieces might belong to at least two tines crowns or those crowns which has even more tines. The length values of crown tines differ from each other very much: they are between 23 and 340 mm. The length value distribution of separate first crown tines F4.1. is the following: n - 49 45 - 340 mm 17 45 - 96 22 100 - 190. 8 200 - 293 2 315 - 340 Considering the number of crown tines it is highly probable that - supposing also the presence of brow tines - the antlers of middle-aged red deers were in stages of 12/14 or 18 points. 4.5 Techniques to cut up antlers into pieces The cutting up of antlers, the removal of tines were made by two techniques, well known in prehistory, that is by carving and by the so-called cord cutting. Carving Carving was the most widespread method to cut up antlers. Most probably it was made by hard, sharp stone tools. Traces of carving can be seen on different antler pieces, first of all on antler beems refer to the use of two techniques. The trace of the first one appears as a wide, shallow, V-shaped stripe around the beam and/or the tine. These traces refer to the use of a large-sized ' adze" (Fig. 10. 1, 4). Finds: CI.- Sc.f. O., 1: 68.; C2. - Sc.f. 3.; 35, 37, 53, 75, 142, 143, 155, 156; D1.-18, 86, 88; D2.- 57, 69, 72, 160, 164; F4. 2.-93, 95, 134; F4. 3.-117. In the other case carving was made in a narrow stripe. The traces of this method refer to the use of a small-sized tool (Fig. 10. 5). Finds: C2. - Sc.f. 2. 154. If stems were cut up it was the hard cortex (wall) which was carved through circularly first and after it, following the partial - not total - cutting through of the spongiosa, the beems were sundered. It occurred quite often that when sundered tne beam was cleft not along the carving but either over or below it, leaving a stub. In these cases if the presence of these stubs hindered the use of the tool they were later cut off. Cord-cutting (cutting by a cord ) A typical method of cutting up bones in prehistory. The cord was made of animal gut, sinew or of some plant fibre. The trace left after this cutting is narrow, of hardly 1 mm wide which used to pass over the half of the surface of the bone/
