Bone tools: an experimental approach.

Abstract

Recognizing bone tools is important in the understanding of ancient people. When people first used bones as tools, animals became a source of raw material for artifact production, and local fauna was exploited for specific bone characteristics. No one yet knows for sure when bone was first used and for what purpose or under what circumstances bone was preferred to stone. Controversies remain regarding claims for bone tools in both North America and the Old World. An actualistic, experimental approach to identifying bone tools is presented. The materials and methods used include: bone tool replication and analyses of original tools; an analysis of hydraulic abrasion (which accounts for hydraulic transport and sedimentary abrasion); and analyses of aeolian abrasion. An explanation is given regarding how to interpret the results: careful comparison of the microscopic morphology of the working edges with those of known bone tools.