Possible ways of use of medieval and early modern bone tools based on results of use-wear analysis, experimental archaeology, and ethnographic parallels

Abstract

A demand has emerged in both Hungarian and international literature for research on the function of a group of rather diverse, yet broadly similar-looking objects made from the long bones of large ungulates, usually referred to as bone skates. These objects were made mainly from metacarpals, metatarsals, or the radius of horses and cattle. Many are perforated in various ways, but there are also some without any perforations. A flat surface can be observed on one side of most pieces—a trait usually considered a prerequisite for identification as skates. The ends of the bones are usually cut to remove the overhanging parts. This paper aims to determine what these bones were actually used for in the Middle Ages and early modern times, relying on use-wear analysis and experimental archaeological methods.