Category:Bone

Bone was frequently used to make combs and seax handles.

Worked and unworked bone

Throughout the period certain "natural" looking handles seem to be avoided. The many examples of antler handles have the crown and the outer surface removed, just as bone handles have the epiphysis removed. All handles from the simplest awl to the most ornate saex seem to have been at least smoothed and usually have a minimum of simple ring-&-dot, incised lines or similar for decoration.

A good example of simple tool handles can be found in the 8th C Birsay box (http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/.../archiveDownload...) page 189.

Health and safety note: when grinding antler and or bone, please do wear a mask. The particles are toxic and can easily lead to the same diseases as asbestos! If you are creating bone dust wear a FFP3 or N100 level dustmask. Further details of respiratory safety while bone working can be found here.

Availability of animals

Further information on the range of animals evidenced from the British Isles in the early medieval period is available in the File:LHE - Datasheet 005 v1 - Availability of Animals.pdf. With thanks to Dave Constantine.