Mária T. Biró: The Bone Objects of the Roman Collection. (Catalogi Musei Nationalis Hungarici. Seria Archeologica 2; Budapest, 1994)
VI. BONE OBJECTS OF EVERYDAY USE AND TOOLS MADE OF BONE - 4. Tools of women's housework: sewing needles, spinning and weaving equipments
smooth. The smooth surfaced, undecorated knot loosener from Szőny is smaller than the former ones. There is a central bore on its broader end. (No. 490.) There is a similar tool in the Collection from Dunapentele only the size of the latter is bigger. Lengthwise the bone there is a groove probably worn by the thick rope deeply into the fungous substance of the bone. At the excavation conducted by A. Radnóti an antler tool similar to the above knot looseners was the grave furniture of a Roman cremation burial. (No. 493.) As opposed to knot looseners, this tool was not perforated on its broader end but there were three reversely perforated holes in the middle. Similar bone tools were used in the prehistoric age and in the Migration Age as mouthpieces of bits. (No. 492.) Judging from parallels from the Early Middle Ages the other two carvings from Szőny must have been also mouthpieces. 103 Arrow-heads. We are presenting in our Catalogue three bone arrow-heads. (Nos. 494-496.) All three arrow-heads were attached to some wooden or metal objects. It must have been the accessory of some unknown tool. The way of fastening is also different. On the bone arrow-head of Koronczó there is a deep circular bore while the bone arrow-heads from Szőny respectively Nagytétény were fitted into the stick with an U-shaped groove on both sides. They were probably the arrow-heads used for killing smaller game. Punchers or perforators. (Nos. 497-498.) Two bone tools with pointed end were determined by me as punchers or perforators. The broader end of both bone tools is decorated. Their decoration, especially the scratches of square-net pattern are Late-Roman motifs. The finishing of the puncher from Nagytétény is the finer of the two. 4. Tools of women's housework: sewing needles, spinning and weaving equipments Fig. 19. Standing woman with hand distaff One of the activities of women at home was — depending on the social position of the family — the preparing and mending of the family's clothing: sewing, spinning and weaving. Sewing needles. (Nos. 499-526.) Sewing needles were made not only from metal but of bone as well. The forming of the needles was subjected not only to the technical equipment of the carvers but also to the purpose it was prepared for; the shape of the needle depended on the quality of the yarn. Therefore, I have ranged sewing needles according to the shape of the needle eye. Surveying several hundred bone sewing needles I could outline four types. In the Collection of the Hungarian National Museum there are but three types to be found. From the needle type pointed at both ends identified at the Tác and dated to the 4th century there was none to be found in the Collection. Group A.: (Nos. 499-510.) With this group the hole of the needle is rectangularly carved. Judging from the longitudinal hole I suppose that in this case thick yarn or leather strap was used for sewing. (Nos. 499-504.) If the eye of the needle is flat and closed in a
