Management of Osseous Materials

for Processing Artifacts in the

Eneolithic Boian Settlement
of Radovanu La Muscalu
(Romania)
Archaeologia Bulgarica
XVIII, 3 (2014), 1-34

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN /

Valentin DUMITRACU
Abstract: The goal of the present paper is to make known an extremely interesting
archaeological assemblage, coming from the archaeological research carried out by
Eugen Coma (1960-1990) at the settlement of Radovanu, belonging to the Boian culture (5000-4450 cal BC), already published in a truncated form. The methodology we
have used aimed not just to identify the operational schemes used for the manufacture
of different typological categories, but also to look at the ways in which the Eneolithic
communities exploited the animal environment in order to obtain artifacts belonging to hard animal material industry, and at the way in which these objects are reintegrated in the cycle of use this time as a means of exploitation of the environment.
The study is all the more important as the information on the hard animal material
industry in the Boian culture on Romanian territory is quasi-absent. Discussion of
this material could make a decisive contribution to our understanding of an exploitation model for the animal resources in the respective period.
Key words: Boian Culture, archaeological context, raw materials, operational
schemes, functional stigmata.
Site and Chronology

The Boian Culture generally developed in the first half of the Vth
millennium B.C. and comprises four phases: Bolintineanu, Giuleti,
Vidra and Spanov (Coma 1974). Some authors consider (Pandrea
2000) the Bolintineanu cultural phase to be an independent culture.
Geographically, it covered the region formed by the greater part of
Wallachia, partially Dobrudja and South-East Transylvania. The pottery from the four phases is represented by a variety of forms (pots,
bowl / basins, cups Steckdose, shells etc.). Their ornamentation is
also quite diverse and includes incision, excision and incrustation with
white paste, painting in red and painting with graphite. Specialists from
both sides of the Danube synchronized the phase Vidra of the Boian
culture with Poljanica I-III, and the Spanov phase with Poljanica IV
(Todorova 1978, table 33).
The settlements were located in a variety of places such as islands,
terrace edges or hills mouths. There are some tells-dwellings. Among
the most famous settlements are those from Glina, Tangru, Aldeni,
Boian A, Vidra and Radovanu. Some of them have one or more enclosure ditches. Dwelling types in the settlements comprise pit houses
and houses constructed on the surface, information derived from archaeological research and complemented by studying the models of
clay dwellings discovered at the settlements (Coma 1974).

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

The most important funerary discoveries were made at Cernica

(with over 350 graves), Glina, Andolina, Boian A, Vidra, Izvoarele,
Radovanu-La Muscalu (Coma 1974), Popeti-Vasilai, Sultana-Valea
Orbului (Lazr / Opri 2012). Some of these graves contain rich inventories such as Spondylus objects, stone axes, objects made of copper,
flint or other stones brought from great distances, while others have
no trace of any sort of burial inventory (it is possible they contained
perishable grave goods). These observations raise the issue of the existence of some kind of social stratification during the Boian Culture
in the Lower Danube. Are the richer grave assemblages proof that the
deceased had a higher social status compared to the deceased in graves
where there were few, if any, grave goods?
Eugen Coma researched the site of Radovanu-La Muscalu for
three decades (1960-1990). The settlement is situated South-East of
Romaniei, 1.5 km West from Radovanu village, in Clrai County (fig.
1/a).We must also add the fact that, outside the settlement, on a terrace
edge surrounded with a ditch, another opened settlement existed on
the hill slope in an area where a weaving workshop and the necropolis
of the settlement were discovered (Coma 1990) (fig. 1/b). The main
settlement includes four evolving stages of the Spanov phase of the
Boian Culture. The dwellings are constructed in wattle-and-daub with
floors glued on split trunks, and they contain hearths, clay benches on
the north side and special areas for grinding grains. The settlement
contains rich archaeological material comprising ceramics, models of
dwellings, flint, bone and antler tools; jewellery; bones of animals etc.
At the same time, the flint objects, Spondylus artifacts and numerous
pottery fragments from other cultural environments demonstrate the
close connections between the community living at the Radovanu La
Muscalu settlement and the surrounding ones (Coma 1990).
Regarding hard animal materials industry discovered during archaeological excavations in this site, several comments are required.
Starting from the fact that the Boian settlement was researched over
three decades, we might have expected the discovery of hundreds of
objects of bone and antler. However only 204 objects are available for
study, of which 68% are finished objects (see further on). There may
be two reasons that the numbers are lower than expected. The first is
taphonomic. Many of the objects we studied present a strong surface
degradation, generated by multiple post-depositional processes. This
however, does not completely explain the picture presented by this
industry (the lower percentage of sub-products in the operational sequence). Most likely, these low numbers are the result of old excavations
techniques, which led to the elimination of debitage waste, extremely
useful for specialists in prehistoric technology. It thus raises an important problem: is the reevaluation of old collections useful? In this case,
the virtual absence of any studies concerning hard animal material industry from Boian Culture means that, even with the bias introduced
by the excavation methods employed during these old excavations, the
material still contributes to the delineation of a model for the way animal resources where exploited in this industry in this period.
Methodology
The limited space available does not allow us to present details of the
methodology employed in the research; however, we would like to

Management of osseous materials for processing...

Fig. 1: a Location of the Radovanu

La Muscalu settlement; b The settlemet
of Radovanu La Muscalu
(after Coma 1990, modified)

present the method of observing the objects that led to the interpretations presented in this study. In the first stage, an analysis chart was
drawn for each artifact, with observations on raw material (raw material type, species, skeletal element etc.), the type of object (waste, blank,
preform, finished object), and morphology; then followed investigations into the manufacturing technique (two main operations: debitage
and shaping) and, finally, proposing a hypothetical function, resulting
from identified use wear. In the next stage, in order to correlate the data
offered by each artifact, the analysis was largely dependent on specific
raw materials (such as bone, antler, bivalve shell and tooth), because, as
we will observe in this study, the different mechanical characteristics of
raw materials limited the manufacturing techniques used.
Within the main categories of raw materials, the artifacts were
subdivided following their degree of finishing, resulting in four categories; the presence of all the constitutive elements of an operational
sequence offered clues regarding the in situ or exterior processing of
the necessary toolkit for the community. The definition of typological
categories in which the finished objects were included was based upon
the Fiches typologiques de lindustrie osseuse prhistorique (e.g. CampFabrer 1990; 1998; Patou-Mathis 2002), starting from the active side

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

morphology, which, subsequent to this study, proved not to represent

a criterion for function determination.
When the degree of preservation permitted, the objects were examined with a digital microscope VHX-600, between 30x and 150x
magnification; the pictures were focused with the aid of a camera
incorporated within the microscope. Analytical criteria for the technological and functional interpretation of micro-stigmata were established based upon the comparison with recent publications on
the osseous industries in prehistory (Buc 2011; Gates St-Pierre 2010;
van Gijn 2007; Legrand 2007; Legrand / Sidera 2007; Maigrot 2003;
Sidera / Legrand 2006). The decipherment of different technological
and functional marks was also based on our own experimental studies
which have made a significant contribution to the understanding of
the origins of the traces present on artifacts and the development of
use wear, depending on the contact material and gestures employed.
Management of the raw materials
The osseous industry from Radovanu obtained its raw materials from
both domestic and wild animal species as well as from imported shells.
An extremely diverse range of bone (skeletal element) was exploited
(see table 1), although there was much lower variability in the species selection. We identified a constant in the selection of the species,
which are predominantly domestic: Bos taurus comprises 40% of the
total processed bones, along with Ovis/Capra at 14%, followed far behind by bones from other species. These percentages correspond to the
archaeozoological results, which identified over 90% domestic species
among the faunal remains (Blescu et al. 2005, fig. 78), in which the
faunal assemblage Bos taurus holds first place (between 42.11% and
59.20%) (Coma 1990). However the second most common species in
the faunal assemblage was domestic pig followed by the bones of Ovis
aries/Capra hircus. As for the high proportion of artifacts made from
antler: since in Boian communities hunting is thought to have had a
secondary role in the paleo-economy compared to animal breeding,
the high number of Cervus elaphus antlers representing more than
half of all the artifacts (both products and sub-products of the operational sequence) may be explained primarily by collecting activities.
In most cases, we cannot tell for sure whether an object was made
from fallen antler, since the outer burr was eliminated during manufacturing. In any case, at Radovanu, Cervus elaphus comes first among
the hunted species (Blescu / Radu 2001; Blescu et al. 2005, fig.
85), so the antler may have come from this source as well, at least in
part. This type of economy seems to have been different from that of
Boian settlements to the south of the Danube, where the contribution of hunting was extremely important, accounting for up to 48% of
bone remains at the settlement of Ovarovo (Vasiliev 1975, quoted by
Blescu et al. 2005).
Table 1 identifies a serious contradiction between the acquisition
mode of wild and domestic species. In the former case, the raw material remains are not by-products that result from an animal killing,
but, instead, are predominantly acquired as a result of some organized
expeditions. In the latter case, we may conclude that the osseous material exploitation suggests animal raising and killing activities, and is
reflected in the domestic character of the set composition, including

Management of osseous materials for processing...

Shell

Antler

102

Canine
Astragalus

1
2

Mandible

Rib

Radius

Humerus
Ulna

Spondylus sp.

Indeterminate sp.

Lepus europaeus

Canis sp.

Capreolus capreolus

Cervus elaphus

Sus sp.

Ovis aries/Capra hircus

Bos taurus

SKELETON ELEMENTS

Table 1. Numerical distribution of the differents types of raw materials and their selection by species and skeletal elements at the settlement of Radovanu La Muscalu

1
1

Metacarpus

Metapodialus

10

Femur

Tibia

Metatarsus

Long bone
diaphysis

TOTAL

39

14

1
1

1
3
1

106

35
35

the repurposing of food waste as artifacts to be used in domestic activities (skin processing, vegetable, even ceramic, etc.).
According to the experts, the fallen antler is more suitable for
processing, since it is completely developed and the cross-section (the
area used for processing) has a compact tissue. For the prehistoric
populations it was essential to know the specific features of each material, as well as its morphology and anatomy, in order to select the
best materials and to exploit the most suitable areas for technological
processing. As for the Cervus elaphus species, the antlers reach their
maximum development in September and fall in February-March;

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

therefore, we can assume the existence of a seasonal acquisition cycle towards the beginning of spring. Experiments have already proved
the particular resistance of weapons and tools made of antler, and the
presence of a possible stock of blanks suggests that the resources
were renewed.
The object made of Spondylus sp. shell though singular highlights possible connections with the Mediterranean area or a transfer from one group to another, like in the kula type of exchanges
(Malinovski 1989). Some authors have suggested that the Spondylus
valves may have been gathered from fossil deposits, and might not
derive from exchanges with the Mediterranean areas. However, a series of studies, based on isotopic analyses, like those of Shakelton and
Elderfield (1990), or, more recently, of Bajnczi et al. (2012), for the
Neolithic site of Aszd-Papi (Hungary) seem to confirm the use of
fresh valves. Moreover, Miller (2003), introducing another argument
in favor of the use of fresh valves of Spondylus, shows that those gathered from the beach are more fragile during processing, and tend to
break, unlike those gathered while alive.
Maybe more than other types of raw materials, those of animal
origin necessitate the selection for the processing of a certain type of
artifact by their anatomical form. Apart from the properties of the
raw materials (Margaris 2012) well known in the Prehistoric communities their cultural significance within the group seems to have
been equally important in the selection process. The two determinatives (efficient technology and cultural traditions) seem to complement one another in that the knowledge concerning which parts of
the animal skeleton may be used were recorded in the communitys
myths (Choyke / Darczi-Szab 2010); thus, changes in the selection
of raw materials were consistent over long periods of time, although
there were fluctuations of species availability (Choyke et al. 2004; Luik
2009; 2011).
The animal material industry from the Radovanu settlement totals 204 objects, which can be assigned to the four product and subproduct categories mentioned above. Their distribution is uneven, favoring the finished products, which total 138 (68% of total products),
whereas the objects under processing are 26 (13%) and the blanks
and wastes amount to 15 items (7%). We have also added the important category of undetermined, which includes 25 artifacts (12%).
Nevertheless, we have to mention that such a substantial category of
preforms is rare in sites inventories; it points to in situ manufacture
and to an interest for achieving a manufacture stock. Thus, the result
is a reserve for the immediate replacement of fractured objects and a
strict management of the raw materials.
Concerning the finished objects numerical distribution, linked to
raw material, the picture stands thus (table 2):
Technology management
Bone
Bevelled objects (N = 36). At least 32 objects feature bevelling on flat
blank, for which the chosen bone types were Bos taurus tibia (6), radius (3), metapodial bone (2), and long bone diaphysis (3), Canis sp.
humerus (1), Ovis/Capra humerus (1) and long bone diaphysis of indeterminable species (16). To obtain the blank, percussion was applied

Management of osseous materials for processing...

to produce a longitudinal bipartition of the bone (26 cases) (fig. 2/a),

then the fracture plan was shaped by longitudinal scraping (9 objects)
(fig. 2/c) or abrasion (14 cases). One object (fig. 2/d), shows a shaping
of the fracture sides by diffused percussion, a procedure seldom encountered at Eneolithic settlements. Another procedure of bone bipartition was double grooving (fig. 2/e, f), applied on a single object. In
five cases, we were not able to identify the bipartition procedure, either
due to the burning process through which the objects went, or due
to their fractures and surface deposits. The active front development,
in the case of the chisels, was carried out either by bi-facial abrasion
(26 objects) (fig. 2/b, g), or by scraping (2 items), while in the case of
four objects we were not able to identify the active front development
procedure.
The Bos taurus ulna (fig. 2/h) was selected for the manufacture
of four chisels, and the blank was preserved in its anatomic volume.
Unfortunately, the objects are either fractured, or they exhibit considerable surface deposits, which makes the stigmata identification difficult. It seems that the epiphysis was removed by percussion, and the
Table 2. Numerical distribution of finished objects
No.

Typological categories

Bone

Antler

Shell

Tooth

1.

Adornment

2.

Harpoon

3.

Handle

4.

Point

5.

Object with circular extremity

6.

Bevelled object

39

36

35

7.

Needle

8.

Processed astragalus

Burin

10.

9.

Scraped bone

11.

Ring

12.

Hammer

13.

Spatula

14.

Undetermined object

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Fig. 2: a, d, e, h bevelled objects made

of bone; b, g shaping by abrasion; c, i
longitudinal scraping; f grooving

fracture plan remained unfinished. For the active front development,

a new percussion was applied, and then the fracture plan was shaped
either by bi-facial abrasion or by longitudinal scraping (fig. 2/i).
Points (N = 39). This typological category was created by putting
into practice several types of operational schemes of different complexity. Thus, fourteen objects were processed on flat blank. This was
obtained from Bos taurus metapodial (3) and long bone diaphysis (1),
Ovis/Capra tibia (1), femur (1) and long bone diaphysis (1), Sus sp.
tibia (1), and long bone diaphysis of an indeterminate species (6).
The method of debitage was bipartition1 (6 objects) (fig. 3/a) or
successive partition until one quarter of the original diameter was
reached (1 object) (fig. 4/a), by the percussion procedure. The debitage procedure is indeterminable in seven cases, either due to a very
thorough abrasion of the surface (1 object), or due to the fact that the
surface was damaged (6 objects). The active front development was
carried out either by longitudinal scraping (fig. 3/b, e) applied on the
fracture sides in order to create a sharp morphology of the point (5
objects), by abrasion (fig. 3/f, fig. 4/b) applied on the active front level
(5), or, in one case, by the combination of the two techniques. For

1
We have used the terminology proposed by Aline Averbouh (2000).

Management of osseous materials for processing...

Bevelled objects
Radius
Humerus
Ulna
Metapodialus
Tibia
Long bone diaphysis
Points
Radius
Humerus
Ulna
Metacarpus
Metapodialus
Femur
Tibia
Metatarsus
Long bone diaphysis
Needles
Metapodialus
Metatarsus
Processed astragalus
Astragalus
Spatulas
Rib
Burins
Long bone diaphysis
Scraped bones
Metacarpus
Ring
Tibia
Hammer
Femur
Preform
Mandible
Blanks and wastes
Long bone diaphysis
Undetermined objects
Radius
Metapodialus
Metatarsus
Long bone diaphysis

Indeterminate sp.

Lepus europaeus

Canis sp.

Cervus elaphus

Sus sp.

Ovis aries/
Capra hircus

SKELETON ELEMENTS

Bos taurus

Table 3. Numerical distribution of the different types of artifacts and their selection
by species

3
1

4
2
6
3

16

1
1
1
7

2
1

1
2
2
1

1
3
1

14

1
1
2

2
2
2
1
1
1
2

1
1

1
3

three over-burned objects, the development procedures of the functional side are not known.
For 20 objects, the blank was obtained by grooving (fig. 3/d). The
necessary time for the manufacture of this kind of point is different
from the time required for the manufacture of the previous category
but we cannot tell whether this technological difference also led to

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Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Fig. 3: a, c, g points made of bone;

b, e, h longitudinal scraping; d grooving;
f abrasion

different uses. The selected matrix was Bos taurus metacarpus (1),
metapodial (4), and metatarsus (2), Cervus elaphus metatarsus (3),
Ovis/Capra metatarsus (2), and diaphysis of an undeterminable species (8). In ten cases, the blank was obtained by longitudinal bipartition, by means of a double grooving procedure. In the case of other objects, however, the blank represents approx. of the matrix diameter,
so we may deduce a successive bipartition method, either by double
grooving (7 objects) (fig. 3/c) or by a combination of grooving and
percussion procedure (3 objects) (fig. 4/d). Only for seven points was
the bone epiphysis preserved, with no modification of the anatomic
morphology.
Out of blank in volume (fig. 3/g), five points were processed, and
the selected matrix consisted of Lepus europaeus tibia (1) and diaphysis bone (1), Ovis/Capra tibia (1), Canis familiaris humerus (1) and Bos
taurus ulna (1). In two cases, the bone epiphysis is preserved with no
technological intervention. For the active front development, percussion was used, and then, in the case of four objects, a longitudinal scraping (fig. 3/h) was applied on the fracture sides (4 objects). For five items,
a bi-facial abrasion was applied only on the level of its extremity.

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11

Fig. 4: a, d points made of bone;

b abrasion; e longitudinal scraping;
c, f details of the active extremity

Needles (N = 2). To this category belong two objects with perforation on the proximal side and pointed morphology on the distal
side. The first object was processed out of a Bos taurus metapodial,
through longitudinal bipartition, with no possibility of identifying the
procedure, as the whole object surface was developed by longitudinal
scraping that was more intensive on distal level (for providing the side
convergence), followed by a rather rough abrasion. The perforation
was realized by bifacial rotation. The active extremity is fractured and
the proximal one is smooth, suggesting that it may have been used
in indirect percussion. The second needle (fig. 5/a) was obtained out
of an Ovis/Capra metatarsus, using the bipartition method, by double grooving (fig. 5/b). The perforation was realized by bifacial rotation (fig. 5/c) and the active front by longitudinal scraping (fig. 5/d).
Unfortunately, the active extremity was fractured.
Processed astragalus (N= 4). This category includes four objects,
two Ovis/Capra and two Bos taurus. For the sheep/goat astragals, one
modification by abrasion is evident on one side, while the second object (fig. 5/e) preserves a perforation made from the lateral towards the

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Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Fig. 5: a needle; b grooving;

c perforation by rotation; d longitudinal
scraping; e, h processed astragalus;
f area with abrasion; g perforation;
i ring; j, k stigmata of sawing

medial face by unifacial rotation (fig. 5/g), after which both the medial
and the lateral faces were intensively processed by abrasion (fig. 5/f)
until the object disappeared (it was no longer possible to hold it). The
two Bos taurus astragals (fig. 5/h) do not show specific abrasion stigmata, except for a perforation, made through rotation.
Spatulas (N = 2). The first object (fig. 6/a) was processed on a
longitudinally bipartitioned rib, with no possibility of identifying the
procedure, as the fracture sides and lower face were very thoroughly
processed by abrasion (fig. 6/b), and the cancellous tissue was eliminated. This resulted in an active rectilinear extremity spatula. On its
upper face, the active front consists exclusively of wear. On the proximal level, as much as the extremity is available, we can identify a perforation made through bifacial rotation (fig. 6/c), very worn, since the
sides are rounded and the rotation traces cannot be seen anymore. The
second object, having a convex active part, is very much degraded on
its surface, which has made it impossible for us to identify the shaping
or functional stigmata. The rib bipartition was realized by percussion,
with no development of the fracture sides.
Burins (N = 2). In this category are two objects (fig. 6/d) processed
on a long bone diaphysis of a large mammal. A flat blank was used, ob-

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13

Fig. 6: a spatula; b abrasion;

c perforation; d burin; e grooving;
f extremity with traces of wear;
g scraped bone; h area with scratches of
scraping; i impact traces

tained in the first case by grooving (fig. 6/e), followed by detachment

through indirect percussion, and, in the second case, by percussion.
Abrasion was used in making the active front, extended on variable
surfaces. An oblique active front resulted and the object wear does not
extend on its faces but on its sides (fig. 6/f), hence the assumption that
the object was laterally used, in an action similar to that of a burin.
Scraped bones (N = 2). Two objects of Bos taurus metacarpus (fig.
6/g) raise problems concerning their functionality. The technological information is quite clear: on three faces, a persistent longitudinal
scraping (fig. 6/h) was applied, which caused the generation of a concave
area, and the thinning of the bone at the medial level, which also resulted
in its fracture. Over that scraping, a macroscopic polish is present, which
is hard to interpret. Furthermore, on one of objects, at the basis of the
scraping area, there can be seen stigmata resulted from the impact with
a material (stone?) (fig. 6/i).
Ring (N = 1). An Ovis/Capra tibia (fig. 5/i) was segmented by sawing (fig. 5/j, k), at its both extremities. No shaping occurred.
Hammer (N = 1). A Bos taurus distal femur (fig. 7/a) was shaped
in order to be transformed into a hammer. At its proximal level, it was

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Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Fig. 7: a hammer made of bone;

b undetermined object; c abrasion;
d perforation; e bevelled object made
of antler; f longitudinal scraping;
g transversal abrasion

endowed with a perfectly cylindrical perforation, made by rotation. At

its distal level, the object seems to have had a bevelled type development (on blank in volume), but the longitudinal fracture does not
allow us to identify the development procedure. Its active extremity
is damaged, showing important material losses. We therefore think it
was used in a percussion action.
Preform (N = 1). We identified one single preform processed out of
bone, a Sus domesticus mandible fragment (fig. 12/a), which preserves
the stigmata coming from an incipient perforation, made by rotation,
but not finished.
Blanks and wastes (N = 2). A diaphysis of small vertebrata Aves/
Rodentia was segmented (fig. 14/a) on both of its extremities by sawing along the median of the bone diameter, followed by the detachment of the epiphyses by bending (fig. 14/b). This could have been a
blank from which tubular pearls might have been obtained.
One blank preserving the diaphysis anatomic volume (fig. 14/c)
illustrates the ring obtaining procedure: the segmentation by sawing
(fig. 14/d) around the entire circumference.

Management of osseous materials for processing...

15

Undetermined objects (N = 6). One object from this category is processed on flat blank (fig. 7/b), proximally fractured on the level of a circular perforation (fig. 7/d), made by bifacial rotation. We do not have any
information about the procedures used for its detachment because its
whole surface has been thoroughly processed by abrasion (fig. 7/c).
Five objects showing fractures on variable surfaces were also included in this category. The first two, processed out of a Bos taurus
metatarsus and a Cervus elaphus metapodial, preserve only the mesoproximal side. They were processed on a flat blank, obtained by the
longitudinal bipartition of the bone, the procedure (grooving) being
identifiable in just one case. A thorough abrasion of the fracture sides
and of the proximal extremities followed.
The third object, on blank in volume, was developed along an Ovis/
Capra radius by oblique percussion, which led to the appearance of the
active front. One of the fracture sides was processed by abrasion, for
providing the side convergence. Unfortunately, the active extremity is
missing; if it had been present, we would have been able to include it
in one of the typological categories.
The last two are hardly fractured. The first may be a fragment of a
point and the second preserves a small surface of a perforation.
Red deer antler
Bevelled objects (N = 35) represent the most important typological category for objects made of Red deer antler. In order to present
them, we have grouped them according to their features but the common element is given by the development of a bevelled-type extremity. In the first category we included 20 objects, 17 of which had been
processed on the tine, two along the beam, and one undetermined (due
to its fracture), which preserves the blank in anatomic volume and has
a perforation intended for holding at its proximal level. The proximal
extremity is preserved in only four objects, two cases illustrating a segmentation procedure by percussion around the entire circumference,
and two cases are indeterminable. The remaining objects are fractured
in dents de scie (fig. 8/d), at the level of a perforation having a circular
morphology, realized by bifacial rotation. For the latter, we identified
two main procedure types, meant to develop the active front: a bifacial development by longitudinal scraping (fig. 8/a-b), which provides
convergence of two sides, and a unifacial development by percussion,
sometimes followed by abrasion (fig. 8/f), leading to the creation of an
active part, oblique by comparison to the object axis. In that group, a
bevelled object processed along the beam is very particular (fig. 9/a).
It is in a complete accordance with the above description (a fracture on
the level of a circular perforation, active part developed by percussion
followed by abrasion), but on the upper face, ornamentation consisting of two series of five semicircular points was achieved by the rotation of lithic equipment. The same design can be found on the lower
face, as well-namely, six points developed in a semicircle.
Finally, a third procedure (fig. 9/d) involving an active front development, is identified only in the case of one object. This consisted
of the application of debitage by percussion, through breaking, which
caused an oblique fracture. Then an abrasion towards extremity was
applied on the lower face (fig. 9/e). Moreover, the proximal part is
very smooth (fig. 9/h), up to the disappearance of the extremity and

16

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Fig. 8: a, e bevelled objects made

of antler; b longitudinal scraping;
c active extremity; d, h perforation
by rotation; f, g abrasion

the generation of an area of macroscopic wear. We wonder whether at

this level the object was used (becoming therefore a double tool) in an
action that resulted in wear on its extremity.
A second group refers to six objects processed in volume, of which
five on the tine and one along the beam, which seems to confirm a
recycling procedure, and proves a strict management of such objects.
All objects were fractured on the level of their circular perforation,
because of their use (fig. 7/e, fig. 8/e). Above the fractured area, a
second perforation was developed, by the same bifacial rotation procedure, which remained unfinished in the case of two objects (fig. 8/h).
The active front development experienced the same two main types of
shaping procedures: percussion, followed by abrasion (fig. 8/f, g), or,
in two cases, scraping (fig. 7/f), followed by abrasion (fig. 7/g).
Only five bevelled objects were processed on flat blank (fig. 9/b),
two along the beam and three on tine. Because of the multiple fractures present, we were able to identify only one case of segmentation
procedure by percussion, which allowed the detachment from the
branch. In the second stage, the bipartition method was applied for the
manufacture of the needed blank through percussion, followed, in the

Management of osseous materials for processing...

17

Fig. 9: a, b, d bevelled objects made

of antler; c, e abrasion; g smooth
extremity; f perforation; h proximal
extremity

areas where we were able to identify the stigmata, either by abrasion (2

objects) or by scraping (1 object). The active front was realized either
by bifacial abrasion (2 objects) (fig. 9/c) or by bifacial percussion (1
item). An intensively burnt black object is particularly interesting: its
technological stigmata are illegible because of the burning the object
has gone through, but on its proximal extremity we can see a small
area of perforation. This makes us wonder whether originally it was
an object on blank in volume, then it got fractured and was recycled to
become an object on a flattened blank.
Points (N = 3) are represented by three objects, processed on tine,
having the anatomic volume preserved. In just one case, the proximal
extremity is present (fig. 10/a). The segmentation out of branch was
realized by direct percussion around the entire circumference (fig.
10/c). In the proximal area, a circular perforation with conic morphology was developed through unifacial rotation (fig. 10/e). The
tine extremity was not technologically processed. On both faces of the
object, at the perforation level, the surface was initially processed by
percussion (fig. 10/b), in order to create two flat surfaces. This action
clearly occurred after the perforation. Could the object redevelopment

18

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

have been used to obtain the morphology of a chisel? The other two
points present a proximal fracture, at the level of their perforation with
a cylindrical morphology. First, the active front was developed at the
distal level only, on a single face, by the application of longitudinal
scraping for flattening the surface; second, the anatomic morphology
of the tine was preserved. In all cases, the point is smooth, showing a
macroscopic polish (fig. 10/d), but it is difficult to decide whether it
was functional or it occurred during the animals lifetime.
Objects with circular extremity (N = 5). This category includes five
objects on blank in volume which were endowed with a perforation and one extremity with a hammers morphology (fig. 10/f). Four
of them were processed along the beam and one on its tine. The first
common element is the presence of a perforation with a cylindrical
morphology, obtained by rotation and fractured through use. The second element is the development of a circular active front, through the
rigorous abrasion of the active front (fig. 10/g).
Handle (N = 1) was processed out of outer burr and the basic zone
of a fallen antler, preserving the blank in anatomic volume (fig. 10/h).
We have no data on the branch segmentation procedures, but on the

Fig. 10: a point made of antler;

b shaping by percussion; c proximal
extremity; d distal extremity;
e perforation by rotation; f object
with circular extremity; g scratches
of abrasion; h handle

Management of osseous materials for processing...

19

segmentation plan level, the cancellous tissue was eliminated, creating

a receiving element.
Harpoon (N = 1), the single object in this typological category (fig.
11/a), features barbs in a unilateral development, and convex morphology. Unfortunately, the object is much too intensively damaged in
surface, so that it is only possible to identify the procedure of putting
into form of the barbs by bifacial sawing.
Pendant (N = 1). This object was processed on a flat rectangular
blank, obtained through longitudinal debitage of an antler (fig. 11/b).
The initial procedures applied were impossible to identify, because of
further interventions. The shaping at the distal level was realized by
sawing (fig. 11/d) and the perforation by bifacial rotation (fig. 11/c).
Then, the entire surface of the object was very thoroughly processed
by abrasion, which destroyed the stigmata of further actions and removed the whole cancellous tissue. It is certain that the object was
suspended at the perforation level for a long time, as all the traces of
the rotation action have disappeared and the perforation edges are intensively rounded.
Fig. 11: a harpoon; b pendant;
c perforation by rotation; d detaching
the shape by sawing; e pendant made
of valve of Spondylus; f perforation;
g pendant made of Sus sp. canine;
h perforation; i scraping

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Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Preforms (N = 25). The most important preforms category includes

bevelled objects in processing (11 objects). The situation demonstrates
the particular importance of these tools within the economy of the
Radovanu community. Apart from the fact that they are the most numerous antler finished objects, there was also a stock of rough preforms, only a few steps away from finishing for replacing fractured
objects.
The first type of preform shows active front development by oblique percussion, only extended on the upper face at distal level (fig.
12/b, c). In some cases, the development of a perforation was initiated
on proximal level by bifacial percussion (fig. 12/b) or rotation. On
that level, the object is usually fractured, and that fracture must have
been the reason for which they were abandoned during the preform
stage. One item illustrating a mending procedure after the fracture is
particularly interesting (fig. 13/a). On proximal level, the object was
endowed with a perforation made by unifacial rotation (fig. 13/c). The
object got fractured and the re-shaping began, through the incomplete
removal of the fractured zone by percussion (fig. 13/b). Moreover,
processing by bifacial percussion was initiated on the active part. In
this case, we cannot exclude the possibility that it is a finished object,
Fig. 12. Preforms processed in bone
(a) and antler (b-h), with detail
of segmentation (f)

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21

Fig. 13: a, d, f preforms processed

in antler; b debitage by percussion;
c perforation by rotation; e bifacial
percussion; g longitudinal scraping

in case of which recycling and transformation into another object were

attempted after the perforation fracture. An alternative (fig. 13/d) for
the active front development consists in bifacial percussion (fig. 13/e),
applied at distal level, in order to create the convergence of the edges
and the active front specific to chisels. A third preform alternative implies that the active front development through longitudinal scraping
gradually deepened (fig. 12/d). On the proximal level, a perforation by
bifacial rotation is preserved.
Two chisel preforms are the biggest, and are processed along the
basic beam. One of them comes from a fallen antler. The first chisel
(fig. 12/c) was detached at the proximal level by percussion, applied around the entire extremity. Its basic tines were eliminated by
percussion. The active front development was made by percussion,
throughout the object length. It remained in that stage, but it is extremely interesting since it illustrates the operational sequence steps.
In the second case, the outer burr was eliminated by percussion. On
one of the faces, the surface was shaped by percussion, thus developing the active front, too. Also, at the proximal level, the develop-

22

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

ment of a perforation by percussion started. On the opposite face it

can be seen that one of the basic tines was eliminated by percussion
and, on the distal extremity, the stigmata of direct percussion are
preserved, which, in our opinion, come from a transversal segmentation. However, it facilitates the bifacial development of the active
extremity.
One single chisel preform was processed on a flat blank (fig. 13/f).
The bipartition of the antler looks like it was made by percussion. The
processing of the active part followed, initiated by percussion, after
which the shaping of the active part by longitudinal scraping began
(fig. 13/g).
A part of the preforms, even if they do not hold an active front
development, preserved perforations in various finishing stages. The
identified manufacture procedures are bifacial rotation and percussion. The remaining object was either kept in raw state, or it was subjected to shaping by scraping.
In the same category of preforms in volume, we include an antler
tine (fig. 12/e), on which shallow grooves in direct alternate percussion occurred around its circumference (fig. 12/f). We cannot define
the object. Was the object intended for the segmentation of small rings
or was there a pattern created on the object?
The number of preforms processed on flat blank is lower but the
category includes some special specimens. One extremity of a beam
fragment illustrates segmentation by direct percussion, followed by
longitudinal debitage through percussion (fig. 12/g). Also, the form
was created by percussion.
A tine point was segmented by direct percussion, followed by longitudinal bipartition, also through percussion. On the upper face, the
surface was shaped by longitudinal scraping, hence the conclusion
that it was a preform perhaps an arrow point considering its small
size. Finally, a last object showed a circular morphology (fig. 12/h),
like that of a spindle whorl; there was no possibility of identifying the
cutting method, since the whole surface was processed by abrasion.
A bifacial perforation by rotation was initiated, yet this operation remained unfinished.
Blanks and wastes (N = 13). The number of blanks is not very
high, we can enumerate 7 objects preserving the antlers anatomic
volume that resulted from the detachment by direct percussion applied on variable surfaces of the circumference, followed by bending
(fig. 14/e, f). Another blank type is represented by a fragment of a tine
and beam, coming from the antlers branching zone. On two extremities, the stigmata of direct percussion for segmentation have been preserved. The other two extremities are post-depositionally fractured.
As a result of longitudinal debitage (fig. 14/g), three blanks resulted,
coming from the antlers beam. Also, we identified a point made out
of a tine, segmented by percussion, and it may be assigned in the category of waste, considering its small size.
Also, we have to mention two Capreolus capreolus branches, detached from skull by percussion, with no other technological intervention.
Undetermined objects (N = 19). We created this undetermined category because the lot of Radovanu contains 19 antler objects in different fracture stages, which makes it impossible to give a diagnosis

Management of osseous materials for processing...

23

Fig. 14. Bone (a, c) and antler

(e-g) blanks and wastes, with details
of segmentation by sawing (b, d)

regarding their functionality. No less than 15 items have a perforation,

where the fracture usually occurred. Nine were processed along the
tine, and the perforation development was realized either by bifacial
rotation procedure (8 objects), or bifacial percussion (1 object). One of
them preserves the proximal side. We cannot tell what the procedure
of segmentation out of branch was like, because that extremity was
thoroughly shaped. At the other end, a perforation was developed by
bifacial percussion. At that level, the object was thicker and the shape
looks like having been manufactured by percussion, followed by shaping. The object presents an intensive macroscopic wear, but, unfortunately, we cannot tell which the morphology of its active part was.
Another object that caught our attention was processed on blank in
volume, segmented from branch by sawing around the entire circumference (in contrast to most of the objects made out of antler, which
were segmented by percussion). At its medial level, we could identify
a first cylindrical morphology perforation, produced by bifacial rotation, functionally fractured and below this a second one, having the
same technological data. We cannot tell which the morphology of the
active part was.

24

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Eight objects were processed along the beam, and the perforation
procedures consisted in bi-facial rotation (5 objects), in one case, with
the prior development of the perforation zone, by percussion, bi-facial
percussion (1 object), percussion, followed by rotation (in the case of
a basic part of a fallen antler), and undetermined, due to the massive
deposits on the objects surfaces (1 object).
Another three objects are fractured, only small surfaces being preserved, where stigmata of branch segmentation can be identified. We
cannot include those objects in any product or sub-product category
that resulted from the operational sequence, and this is why we have
chosen the name of undetermined.
Shell
This raw material is represented by only one extremely interesting
object, since it illustrates a recycling (curation) procedure (fig. 11/e).
Initially, it was a bracelet, processed out of a Spondylus valve, rectangular in section. The object surface was finely processed by abrasion, so
that we can no longer identify the stigmata of the debitage operation.
The object was broken and in order not to lose it a perforation
was produced by bifacial rotation (fig. 11/f), allowing the object to be
used as a pendant. The same recycling procedure is also confirmed in
the settlement of Isaccea, also belonging to the Boian culture (Micu
2004).
Tooth
A Sus scrofa canine tusk was turned into an adornment element (fig.
11/g). For that purpose, a longitudinal bipartition method was used,
which provided a flat blank. It has been impossible to identify the procedure, given the supplementary interventions on the item. The lower
face was shaped by longitudinal scraping (fig. 11/i), followed by the
abrasion of the fracture sides. The object has four perforations, made
by rotation (fig. 11/h). Towards the object extremities, the rotation
marks are removed because of the development of a macroscopic wear
area, which may suggest an area used for suspension.
Discussion
Experts agree that technology depends on cultural traditions
(Lemonnier 1993; Dobres 2010; Luik / Maldre 2007; Choyke 2009;
Luik 2011). Under these circumstances, the re-grouping of all the elements resulted from an operational sequence, and the identification
of some repetitive operational schemes in the raw material processing
can offer the key for the identification of some cultural indicators. As
Buc and Loponte highlighted (2009, 152), tool design must be understood as constrained by these technological choices and technological
costs (manufacture and procurement costs) should be considered in
the light of its efficiency.
Starting from the inventory composition, within the lot of
Radovanu we identified four types of products and sub-products based
on the application of different operational schemes:
- waste coming from the processing of the blank which cannot
be re-used;
- blanks non-shaped products, derived from debitage, able to be
turned into finished objects later;

Management of osseous materials for processing...

25

- preforms objects in different processing stages, which are important because they carry numerous stigmata of the operational sequence, particularly of the shaping stage;
- finished objects used for different activities.
The integration of artifacts in one of the above-mentioned categories is not, as some might initially believe, very simple: since many
objects create problems, either due to fractures, or because they may
have been compatible with two intentions (for example, an item might
be classified first as waste, when a blank was detached from it for the
manufacture of an object, it might then be considered as a blank, preform, or finished object, if its size still allowed processing and transformation into a finished object, etc.). Another problem is the differentiation between technological/functional stigmata and those that
occurred during the animals lifetime, especially in the case of antler.
Since deer use their antlers as tools, and this triggers fractures, percussion, smooth areas, we should avoid speculative diagnosis.
The study of the above-mentioned categories (see table 4) led to
the identification of the following detachment procedures: a transversal debitage, to which a transformation scheme by segmentation corresponds, and a longitudinal debitage, to which transformation schemes
by bipartition and successive partitions are subordinated. To the above
mentioned procedures, one can add a transformation scheme by direct shaping, identified in the case of the processed astragals and of
the bones with scraping stigmata. As for the techniques used during
the debitage stage, we did some statistics on raw material types, as we
could clearly highlight a different treatment for bone and antler. For
bone, the debitage resulted in two blanks types: in volume and flat.
Considering the percentage, we may state a preference for the use of
flattened blanks (longitudinal debitage 73 objects), followed by those
that preserved their anatomic volume (20 objects). The transversal
debitage was realized by direct percussion (9 objects) and sawing (3
objects). Longitudinally, for the bipartition procedures, the techniques
used were percussion (34 objects), double grooving (11 objects) and
a groove and splinter combination (1 object), while for the successive
partition, the double grooving (8 objects), groove and percussion (3)
or only percussion (1 object) were used.
Within the surface modification procedures (see table 5), abrasion
was the most used technique, closely followed by longitudinal scraping, which was used both for shaping of the fracture plane and for the
development of the active front. These techniques may have been used
in combination on different objects, for the final shaping of the object.
The main technique used for volume modification procedure was perforation, having a single manufacture alternative, namely rotation.
For antler (see table 4), the case is completely different, given the
predominance of the blanks in volume (67 objects) compared to the
flat ones (16 objects). In the case of transversal debitage, the technique
used was direct percussion, except in one case where segmentation
by sawing was observed. The technique used for longitudinal debitage procedures is percussion, as the grooving technique so often
in appearance on bones was not identified. Direct percussion and
scraping were used in surface modification (see table 5), followed by
abrasion in some cases. The volume modification was particularly realized by perforation, rotation (56 objects), or percussion (3 objects).

Needles

Processed astragalus

Spatulas

Burins

Scraped bones

Ring

Hammer

Preforms

Blanks and wastes

Undetermined objects

Blanks and wastes

Undetermined objects

Harpoon

Pendant

Points
Objects with circular
extremity
Handle

Preforms

Bevelled objects

Antler

Double
grooving

Points

Percussion

Groove and
splinter

Debitage by bipartition
(longitudinal debitage)

Bevelled objects

Bone

Typological categories

Percussion

Double grooving

Groove and
splinter

Debitage by successive partitions

(longitudinal debitage)

Debitage procedures

Percussion

Sawing

Debitage by segmentation
(transversal debitage)

Table 4. Distribution of the debitage procedures and techniques, identified by the types of raw materials and typological categories, in the settlement of Radovanu

26
Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

Management of osseous materials for processing...

27

Table 5. Distribution of the shaping procedures and techniques, identified by the types of raw materials and typological
categories, in the settlement of Radovanu
Shaping procedures
Typological categories

Surface modification procedures

Volume modification procedure

Percussion

Abrasion

Scraping

Perforation
by
rotation

Perforation
by
percution

Sawing

Bone
Bevelled objects
Points

Needles

Processed astragalus

Spatulas

Burins

Scraped bones

Ring

Hammer

Preforms

Blanks and wastes

Undetermined objects

Bevelled objects

Antler
Points

Objects with circular extremity

Handle

Harpoon

Pendant

Preforms

Blanks and wastes

Undetermined objects

Another volume modification technique was sawing, used for detachment of harpoon barbs or for decoration of the pendant.
The general picture shows that techniques and procedures vary
rather little, especially in the case of antler, where percussion is omnipresent, but they are well adapted to different raw material types,
illustrating a good knowledge in the field. Besides, a great part of the
tools (points, chisels) illustrate a simplistic development bipartition
by percussion, with a scarce processing of the active front by abrasion;
they may have been selected out of the splinters already obtained while
extracting the bone marrow. This development may have been generated by an ad-hoc use, namely an opportune recovery of the blanks
from the faunal waste, and then the tools may have been abandoned,
after the action for which they had been selected was over. Those tools
were obviously not created by specialists, as the job was at everybodys
hand, but the repeated elements of the operational sequence which
are found within the set illustrate skill or knowledge that is transmitted from one generation to the next.
Within the studied set, the most numerous typological category
is that of chisels (bevelled objects). In literature, numerous tool types

28

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

carry the generic name of chisels, as their common element is the development of their active part through the intersection of two convergent sides. The main question we asked ourselves was whether those
tools had had an identical function since as we could see from the
study that we carried out on the present set they prove a different
wear evolution. For example, in the case of three objects, their extremity shows small fractures on the extremity level, but at 200x magnification, one can see a polished area, with scratches perpendicular on
the extremity (fig. 15/a, b). They may have been intermediate tools,
according to the fracture type, such as splitting wedge for wood or for
tree bark removal. For most objects made both of bone and antler (fig.
15/c, d), the active side shows an intense macroscopic polish, with
fine marks perpendicular on the extremity being increasingly more
extended on one face. As a result, we may consider that they belong to
the transformation tool category, destined for processing soft materials (skin Christidou / Legrand 2005; Raskova Zelinkova 2010; skin
or wood Maigrot 2000).
Most points, including needles, seem to have been related to domestic activities like skin perforation or textile fiber knitting (Campana
1989; LeMoine1991); projectile points, which could certainly be included here, are not present. We think that the different hardness of the
processed materials is also reflected in the different appearances of the
Fig. 15. Examples of active extremities
with traces of wear

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29

Fig. 16. Examples of active extremities

with traces of wear

active extremity wear: the rounded points in the case of the processing of the soft materials (fig. 15/e; fig. 16/a, b), and those which had
suffered significant loss of material in surface, for the harder materials
(fig. 15/f; fig. 16/d). In the case of perforating thick skin, these points
may have also been used in indirect percussion (as it seems to be the
case of one needle) (fig. 16/c) as already stated by other specialists
(Christidou / Legrand 2005).
By their extended and fine usage polish (fine chipping or depressions are lacking) (fig. 16/e, f), spatulas seem to correspond to a functionality characterized by a prolonged movement on soft materials,
such as skins (Averbouh / Buisson 2003; Raskova Zelinkova 2010).
Actually, it was suggested that their manufacturing out of, primarily,
longitudinally cut ribs had the purpose of assuring the flexibility of
the equipment (Tartar 2009). However, other studies suggest the use
of those objects in clay pots processing (Struckmeyer 2011). Our own
experiments on ceramics illustrated, especially for the spatulas with
convex extremity, that they are very useful in homogenization of the
pots surface and in order to remove the excess clay.
For the astragal category processed by abrasion, we may posit, as
a first functional hypothesis, a domestic use; the result of intense fric-

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Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

tion against another resistant abrasive body could be aimed, for example, at finishing ceramics (e.g. Meier 2013). Another hypothesis is
trying to prove the use of those astragals in different games, as there
are testimonies in this sense throughout the time and in the faraway
parts of the world (Neolithic, Bronze Age, Rome, modern Iran and
Mongolia or aboriginals in Australia) (Elster 2003; Korzakova 2010);
moreover, we cannot ignore the possibility that they may have been
used in different rituals, for example in divination (Zidarov 2005).
The processed antler objects with a circular active extremity exhibit the morphology of hammers for stone processing; however, the
functional scratches development seems to correspond to a completely
different operation mode. The active surface preserves fine sub-parallel scratches, identifiable only at magnifications of 100x 150x (fig.
10/g). This is why we consider that they were used in an action of
breaking and friction for an abrasive material. The wear area is quite
well delimited, in some cases having a concave morphology.
There have been continual discussions on the functionality of the
bones like the two objects featuring scraping stigmata (Alexandrescu
1961; Semenov 1964); no final solutions have been reached so far.
Traditionally, the literature called them polishers, as they were used
for the smoothing of ceramics (Semenov 1964). Another hypothesis
speaks about skin processing, but recent experiments have proved that
they were rather inefficient for this operation (http://www.palaeotechnik.de/knochenwerkzeug.html). Having no intention of rejecting
these hypotheses, we would like to insist on the details we were able to
identify. The fact is that some of concave faces resulted from a longitudinally applied scraping procedure using equipment made of stone.
The scraping area is well-defined; the stigmata are very well preserved
and are not removed by the wear which occurred as a result of a polishing process (fig. 6/h). However, we may not ignore the possibility of
the periodic reshaping when the wear was too obvious. This practice is
often confirmed in some prehistoric artifact categories. Furthermore,
we may talk about the possibility of multiple functions, as the impact
stigmata on one of the objects correspond to those that are specific to
the pressure flaker for stone objects (fig. 6/i).
Rings, like that from Radovanu, much too small for an adornment,
may be associated with the procedures related to manufacturing of
vegetal fiber baskets (Sidera 2000).
Traditionally, the literature made a connection between harpoons
and fishing. For the primitive communities, the harpoon was used for
fishing (Amerindians, Eskimos), catching water birds and animals
crossing the water (Eskimos), seals (Patagonia) (Scheinsohn 2010)
or arboreal animals, including monkeys (Agta) (Bion Griffin 1997).
In the settlement of Radovanu, even if fishing was absolutely secondary, some fish bones were recovered, like those of a nine year-old carp
or those of some 7-14 year-old catfish (Necrasov 1973), which might
explain the harpoon presence in the settlement. Finally, the object
shown in figure 7/b might be interpreted as an element of a composite
trap, such was the case for similar objects used in southern Romania
(Coma 1983).
The present study provides data that may be helpful in the reconstruction of daily activities that took place in the site. We were able
to underline a systematic exploitation of the environment, with the

Management of osseous materials for processing...

31

aid of tools made of hard animal materials, by their implication in action of wood cutting, splitting wedge, bark processing or vegetal fibers
processing. In conclusion, we could take a look at the ways in which
the Eneolithic communities exploited the animal environment in order to obtain their hard animal material industry artifacts, and at the
way in which these objects are re-integrated in the cycle of use this
time as a means for exploitation of the environment. Unfortunately,
it brings a timely result since it cannot offer a complete picture of the
hard animal material industry specific to the Boian culture. The only
comparable study we can mention is the one on the Boian settlement
from Isaccea, Suhat point (Micu 2004), which highlighted an archaeological set rather different from the one shown in the present study.
The usual types of bone points may be found in both settlements, but,
for example, in the Isaccea settlement there are not many chisels made
of bone and antler, other than their preforms, which suggests another
type of economy. In any case, the technical and cultural traditions specific to the Boian culture cannot be individualized based just on two
archaeological sets. Comparative studies relating these finds to other
contemporary or successive sets would be needed in order to identify
the cultural innovation and continuity processes in time and space.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National
Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS UEFISCDI, project number
PN-II-RU-TE-2011-3-0133.
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34

Monica MRGRIT / Cristian Eduard TEFAN / Valentin DUMITRACU

(5000-4450 . . .).
.
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Monica Mrgrit PhD
Valahia University of Trgovite
34-36 Lt. Stancu Ion St.
RO-130018 Trgovite
monicamargarit@yahoo.com
Cristian Eduard tefan PhD
Institute of Archaeology Vasile Prvan
11 Henri Coand St.
RO-010667 Bucureti
cristarh_1978@yahoo.com
Valentin Dumitracu PhD
Institute of Archaeology Vasile Prvan
11 Henri Coand St.
RO-010667 Bucureti
validumitrascu@yahoo.com