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Notes on bone tools from GaJi12

  There are a number of bone tools from GaJi12. Among the more interesting are those that have been created entirely through utilization, with little or no prior preparation. Fairly common are ribs with edge polish and striations that were evidently used as scrapers. However, the specimen pictured here is something quite different. Its broken proximal end is rubbed smooth and empregnated with clay. Since the associated Iron Age pottery is not burnished, it is unlikely to be pot burnisher. However, it could have been used to kneed and fold the clay body, or as a paddle to flatten flatten coils. It is also pitted, suggesting use as a small anvil.

The header image is taken from the surface of this tool, with the proximal end at the left.

The white scale bars seen in the images are each 1 cm. long.

Close-up of the pitting, some of which evidently occurred after the deep scoring of the surface.

Long bone fragment with a typical, diagonal rolling fracture that has been highly polished through use, possibly as a hide stretcher.

  Reverse, showing the transverse fracture.

  The polished end.

  Detail of the polished end. Note the outer layer of bone, which is beginning to lift away.

  The butt showing polished projections where it was held in the hand. These may have been ground down a little before polishing.

  Ostrich eggshell bead blank with drilled from the inter surface ...

  ... and popped out on the exterior.

Beads and bead blanks are found widely scattered on the spit, from GaJi12 westward as far as the cut bank had formed up to 1995.

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