Whatcha think?

[GatorBoy]

It came from the right context

 

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[redbeardrelics]

I think I wish I knew more about bone artifacts. I am just assuming it is bone, as I am pretty much clueless about such things. It does look ancient to me, and it certainly looks like the one end has been cut and maybe smoothed rather than broken. I am curious to hear what you and the others here experienced with such artifacts can tell us about it. Nice find, and HH.

 

[GatorBoy]

It is bone..
It looks to me to be modified on one end as use for a handle of some type.. Not 100% sure though.. It's not one of those knock you over obvious things like artwork carved into it or something

 

[-=METAL=-]

It would be really cool if it was a bone handle... but cool anyway

 

[GatorBoy]

Thanks.. A little less question with this one

 

[The Grim Reaper]

It could be a Bone Handle. It is definitely worked on that one end.

 

[GatorBoy]

Thanks for your input yeah I'm leaning that way myself there's a lot of broken stuff at that particular site that end definitely had something done....oooold old site

 

[painterx7]

I think it's freaking cool !!!

 

[GatorBoy]

Haha..me too

 

[redbeardrelics]

Gatorboy, I wouldn't doubt at all that both of those you have pictured are bone handles. They are what I envision many of my "unfinished base" stemmed points were once hafted, or maybe I should say were once "socketed", into. What are your thoughts on what these were handles for, chipped stone knives, or something else?
I once read a study on stemmed points found up here in the mid Atlantic area. The study argued that most of the stemmed points had very consistent width measurements, when measured right below the shoulder area. The study also noted that microscopic wear or unintentional chipping could be seen on the upper stem right below the shoulder area, and contended that it was evidence that those points were once socketed into bone handles, producing the microscopic wear at the contact points between the stone and bone. This all makes me curious to know if you can see any evidence of wear on your bone handles, in the areas where a stone point would have been in contact with them?

 

[yakker]

Isn't that interesting?? From where I'm sitting, it doesn't look particularly sturdy. Thoughts? Could it have been a HUGE ornament you think maybe? (wild shot in the dark) Ya know, when I first glanced at it- just the first pic, I thought pipe. Then I continued down the post and understand it really can't be. But that was my knee-jerk reaction. Did N.A.s ever create 2-piece pipes? I know absolutely nothing about bone artifacts. Cool piece-- thanks for showing + HH! Yak

 

[GatorBoy]

Thanks for your input everyone I'm almost 100 percent certain the second one I showed is indeed a handle for lots of reasons including context and visible work.
The second one also shows some obvious ...to me at least ...alterations on one end.. the rest is just a natural rib bone.
It's fairly common archaeological knowledge at this point that many if not most of the larger tools we collectively call projectile points were actually used as knives.
It's also known that bone was used as material for making handles for these as well as wood.
Florida in particular has many areas with neutral pH and very very low oxygen levels that promotes preservation within these sites.
There's also been a wealth of archaeological specimens found intact with hafting material still preserved.

 

[yakker]

Yeah, I have a bone handle too- I posted it long ago. The second item is a handle for sure. I was just curious about the first, cause it's so thin-looking. It's very cool, and you're probably right. A handle. Y.

 

[GatorBoy]

It could have been used as a socket handle for something as simple as an punch made from the center column of a shell.. Just saying not necessarily for a blade

 

[joshuaream]

I think you are spot on with the idea that it might not have been the handle for a large stone point, shell or bone might have gone in there.

In the Caribbean I used to dig a lot of little bone handles for use with stingray spines or bone pins. These were all dug insitu with the spine still in the handle.

 

[GatorBoy]

Awesome addition to my post thank you very much for that

 

[rock]

Very nice find GB. No bone here that I can find.

 

[GatorBoy]

Thanks rock

 

[old digger]

Interesting piece you got there! By the thickness of the bone it looks like it could be from a bear? It's quite possible that your item may have been utilized as Joshua mentioned.

 

[yakker]

This is what I was thinking of when I said 'pipe' -- maybe not something you'd find down in the Florida area, but not so uncommon up here. Yakker

Native Americans have used soapstone to make smoking pipes and pipe bowls. They used soapstone because it is easy to carve and drill. Its high specific heat capacity enabled the outside of the bowl to have a lower temperature than the burning tobacco inside. Image © Gill André,