Tárnoki Judit szerk.: Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 19. (2009)

Természettudomány és régészet - Alice M. Choyke - László Bartosiewicz - Telltale tools from a tell: Bone and antler manufacturing at Bronze Age Jászdózsa-Kápolnahalom, Hungary

Természettudomány és régészet Caprine tibia scraper (Schibier type 4/5). (H 11.7%; H-F 10.2%; K 3.8%; S 3.8%) These Class I tools are based on a spiral break towards the proximal end of tibia diaphyses, mostly with the distal end retained (Plate I, f ). Sometimes these tools are made from dog tibiae or occasionally caprine-size metapodia (Plate I, e). These tools often display a very high, glossy polish. Striations run over the fine, thin working edge strongly suggesting that these objects may have been used to scrape leather. This type is characteristic of the Middle Bronze Age east of the Danube, for example at Tiszaug-Kéménytető, Füzesabony-Öregdomb and Törökszentmiklós-Terehalom.

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8 This bone tool type also seems to have a wide distribution across the Pannonian Plain. Examples of this tibia scraper were also found in old excavations at a marsh-dwelling, possibly Middle Bronze Age, in Slovenia near Ljubljana. It is connected to Hungary through the Pannonian Plain. These scrapers also represent an important, consistently used type at JászdózsaKápolnahalom, particularly in the first two occupation phases. Large bevel-ended scraper or wedge (Schiblertype 4/3). (H1.2%; H-F 1.2%; K 1.9%; S -). These Class I-Class II tools are based on scapulae (Plate II a) in the Koszider phase or more typically from cattle-size metapodial diaphyses (Plate I, b-d) in the late and classical Hatvan phases. The strong straight edge suggests these objects may have been used as wedges for splitting wood or even bark peeling. Broad mandible smoother (H 3.5%; H-F 7.8%; K 1%; S 2.5%). At Jászdózsa-Kápolnahalom these characteristic Class I tools from the northern and central part of the Great Hungarian Plain appear in all sub-assemblages. Their distribution within the larger region closely follows that of the sheep/goat tibia scrapers. In the earliest phase at the site, although not so common, they are made on cattle mandibles (Plate II, b, lower mandible). They are common in the middle, Hatvan (Füzesabony style) phase where the preferred raw material for this tool type tends to be red deer mandible with fewer cattle mandibles, mirroring the increase in red deer numbers in the refuse bone sample (Plate II, b, upper mandible), lower mandible. They were also found at Tiszaug-Kéménytető, Füzesabony-Öregdomb and Törökszentmiklós-Terehalom. Their numbers drop off sharply in the late period although the preferred raw material remains red deer mandible. Typically, these mandibular teeth are not removed in these objects. The ramus is broken off crudely. A ca. 2 cm or even broader facet, runs parallel to and below the tooth row on the buccal surface of the mandible. Uneven, criss-crossing striations run parallel to the long axis of the tool possibly suggesting contact with a hide surface with dirt on its surface or even more likely, use on some kind of clay surface, possibly for house wall or 38 CHOYKE, Alice M. - BARTOSIEWICZ, László 1999-2000.65. floor plastering. Middle Bronze age houses contained many flattened clay surfaces in which these mandible tools and astragli and phalanges with abraded, flattened sides could have been used.

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9 Short bones with flattened sides (H 1.2%; H-F 4.2%; K 19.9%; S 42%). These Class I bone objects (based on their very restricted raw materials consist of phalanges from red deer (Plate III, d and f), cattle, horse (Plate III, a), sheep/goat and even pig as well as astragali, particularly from cattle and red deer (Plate III, b, c, e) although there are a few sheep/ goat astragali (Plate III, g). These objects are increasingly made from red deer (astragalus and first phalanx) and horse first phalanges as time progresses. Typically, the mediolateral surfaces are flattened by grinding and polished (Plate III, b) although sometimes all four sides are worn smooth. The same tendency of increasing numbers of red deer bones being used at the expense of cattle can be traced in the astragali and phalanges with flattened surfaces. These are often interpreted as gaming or ritual pieces although it is just as likely that they were used to smooth clay surfaces based on the criss-crossing striations on the flattened surfaces. These flattened short bones are particularly common at Jászdózsa-Kápolnahalom as well as other coeval sites in the east of the country such as Füzesabony-Öregdomb. They represent a common type as well at SzázhalombattaFöldvár. Perhaps these bone tools were chosen because of culturally ascribed characteristics and had both functional and ritual-gaming aspects. In other words ritual-gaming and function need not be mutually exclusive aspects of raw material selection. Small awls (Schiblertype 1/1, 1/3, 1/4, 1/7), (H 11.8%; H-F 6.6%; K 3.7%; S 16.6%). Typically for awls made on sheep-size animals, the specimens from this site are based on various long bone diaphysis fragments and are not intensively modified and not particularly characteristic.

40 This results in higher formal variability in the final products. Awls were most common in the earliest occupation and decrease in frequency towards the top of the stratigraphie sequence. Dog ulnae worked into awls also appear here.

41 Worked dog bones, particularly dog ulnae, tend to be a cultural characteristic of eastern Bronze Age sites. Class II awls of this type are characteristic on sites in the eastern and southeastern regions of Hungary. Dog bone is almost never used at Vatya culture sites. Double point based on long bone diaphysis splinter (Schibler type 2/1). This highly modified type, a very characteristic tool of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic in Hungary is essentially missing at Jászdózsa-Kápolnahalom. 39 For example at Túrkeve-Terehalom, CSÁNYI, Marietta - TÁRNOKI, Judit 1992. 40 CHOYKE, Alice M. 2005, fig. 10, awls 3 and 6, p.138. 41 CHOYKE, Alice M. 2005, fig. 10, awls 1 and 2, p.138. 363 I