Faunal Glossary. Laboratory of Archaeology. University of British Columbia

Transcription

1 Faunal Glossary Laboratory of Archaeology University of British Columbia

2 Abraded: See Ground Adze Blade/ Celt Faunal Adze Blades are only made from shell. For antler or bone adze blades see wedge. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Unifacial, Burnt, Grooved, Incised, Polished, Tapered Adzed A manufacturing technique where an adze blade is used. This technique causes flakes to be removed from bone and antler. Awl Made from bone or antler, awls are a piercing tool used to perforate hides, etc. Awls can be made from grinding away one end or by smashing the bone and then sharpening the splintered point. Descriptors: Bird Bone, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Fractured, Gnawed/ Chewed, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Tapered Barbed A series of points projecting backward from the main tip. Bilaterally Barbed: Barbed on two edges Unilaterally Barbed: Barbed on one edge Basal Thinned Describes a point that has had flakes removed at base so that it can be slotted into a shaft.

3 Bead Small, central biconical perforation, made from bone, shell, ceramic, glass, or stone. See Appendix E for measurements. Descriptors: Bird Bone, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Fish Bone, Fractured, Gnawed/Chewed, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Tapered Bead, Bird Bone Made from bird bone, must be polished at both ends and measure less than 5cm in length. See Appendix E for how to measure. Descriptors: Polished, Perforated Bead, Disc Usually round flat and perforated only once. Radius is less than the thickness. Can be made from bone, shell or antler. See Appendix E for how to measure. Descriptors: Polished, Perforated Beveled A tool edge that has been modified by grinding to produce a desired edge angle. Bifacially Beveled: Beveled on two sides. Bilaterally Beveled: Beveled on two edges Unifacially Beveled: Beveled on one side. Unilaterally Beveled: Beveled on one edge. Bi-Point Ground bone object that is tapered to a point on distal and proximal ends. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Fractured, Grooved, Incised, Polished, Tapered

4 Billet Usually made from antler. Used like a hammer and may have percussion marks on one end. Descriptors: Battered, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Grooved, Incised, Polished, Tapered Blade Shell that is ground with a whetstone to produce a sharpened beveled edge. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished Blowmark Point of impact where bone was struck during the butchering process. Blowmarked: See Impacted Butchered Bone that has been culturally modified through food processing. Examples: Cutmarks, blowmarks, etc. Descriptors: Bird Bone, Blowmark, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Fish Bone, Gnawed/Chewed. Button Small perforated disk or knob for attaching to an article, such as clothing, that serves as a fastening device when slipped through a button hole or loop. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/ Zoomorphic, Gnawed/Chewed, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished Calcined Bone that has oxidized due to prolonged exposure to extreme heat. Colour changes to blue and/or white.

5 Club Made from bone, cylindrical, and often perforated at one end. Used as a hunting tool or as a weapon. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered Comb Usually made from bone or antler. Combs will have many thin teeth. Often decorated and or perforated. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished. To be cut. Cut Cutmarked To slice with a sharp-edged instrument. Dentalia Small, slender horn-like Pacific Ocean shell used and traded as beads and wealth items. Digging Stick A wooden, bone, or antler tool used for digging. They are often perforated and some have incised designs near the end. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/ Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Drilled Manufacturing technique to pierce or bore into object. Will produce depression with parallel sides

6 Element A fragment or complete bone that has not been worked into or to be used as a tool. Descriptors: Bird bone, Burnt, Calcined, Fish bone, Gnawed/Chewed Flaked Manufacturing technique used on lithic material by which small pieces of rock are removed by percussion or pressure. Alternative term: Flaked. Forshaft: See Harpoon Forshaft Graver Often made from beaver incisor. A graver can cut a fine line into the surface that is less than 2mm wide Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Unifacial, Burnt, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Ground Manufacturing technique by which small amounts of material are removed from an object by rubbing with a coarse stone or abrasive material such as stone. Alternative term: Abraded. Drilled Gouged Gouged A hole or perforation in object that has not been formed by drilling. Can be accomplished by using a chisel. Gouged holes are asymmetrical. Handle A part of an object made specifically to be grasped or held by the hand. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Socketed,Tapered

7 Harpoon Made from bone, harpoons can be unilaterally or bilaterally barbed. They must show signs of being shouldered or have line guards. Descriptors: Barbed Bilateral, Barbed Unilateral, Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Line Guard, Bilateral, Line Guard, Unilateral, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Shouldered, Socketed, Tapered. Harpoon Forshaft Is one section of a composite toggling harpoon. It has a rounded tip that fits into the bottom of valves. The base of the foreshaft is tanged to fit into a wooden shaft. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Harpoon Head, Toggling The arming tip of a harpoon. It will appear as a single piece and will always have features for attachment such as line guards, shoulders or line hole. It may be barbed. Includes both male and female harpoon heads. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Socketed, Tapered.

8 Side Front Harpoon Head, Slotted Toggling It will appear as a single piece and may have features for attachment such as line guards, shoulders or line hole. It will be slotted at one end in which an arming tip could be inserted, and socketed at the other end to receive a forshaft. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Socketed, Tapered. Harpoon Line Guard Brief protrusions at base of harpoon. The function of a line guard is to create a spot where the line can be fastened. Bilateral Line Guard: Line guard on two edges. Unilateral Line Guard: Line guard on one edge Harpoon Valve Made from bone. Two valves hafted together form the mid section of the composite harpoon in between the end blade and the foreshaft. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Unifacial, Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Socketed, Tapered Hole A change in the surface of the object that is concave and deeper than 2mm, but does not perforate. If perforation occurs then see: Perforation in glossary. The opening of the hole must be less than 25% of the side of the object on which the hole occurs. Hook Usually made from bone. Hooks can be made from two pieces of bone lashed together, a sharp metal or bone barb, and a line. Much smaller one piece hooks can also be found. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered.

9 Impacted The striking of an object against a bone creating an indentation or fracture. Alternative term: blowmarked. Incised To cut a fine line into the surface less than 2mm wide. Inlaid An object decorated by insetting/fitting a secondary material in its surface. Ladle Often made from bone or sheep horn. Ladles are a long-handled utensil with a cup-shaped bowl. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Line Guard: See Harpoon Line Guard Needle Made from bone, with a perforation at the opposite end from the point. Occasionally needles have been found with the perforation at the same end as the point. Descriptors: Bird Bone, Burnt, Calcined, Fractured, Grooved, Incised, Perforated, Polished, Tapered Net Guage Used to ensure evenness when making a net. They were usually made from wood, however, scapulae could also be used. The top and bottom edges of the net gauge often show a high polish from years of wear. Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished. Notched Describes a small steep indentation in the side, base or corner of object to facilitate hafting.

10 Painted Coated or decorated with paint (solid coloring matter mixed with liquid). Pendant Small hanging ornament. Usually Used for personal adornment Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Bird Bone, Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/ Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Perforated Describes an object that has a hole all the way through. Pin Pins were used to hold a blanket around the wearer s shoulders. Most pins are narrow, pointed, and curved due to being made from antler tine. Decoration at the head was also common. Descriptors: Bird Bone, Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/ Zoomorphic, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Point Made from bone, can be unilaterally or bilaterally beveled, or may have barbs. A barbed point must not exhibit signs of having line guards or shoulders. Like lithic points, bone points can be notched, stemmed, or basally thinned. Descriptors: Barbed Bilateral, Barbed Unilateral, Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Serrated Bilateral, Serrated Unilateral, Stemmed, Tapered. Pressure Flaker Usually made from small antler tine, a pressure flaker was used to remove very small flakes during lithic tool manufacture. Descriptors: Burnt, Cutmarked, Fractured, Gnawed/Chewed, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered.

11 Polished Describes an object that has been made smooth or glossy by rubbing or friction. Rope A strong line, commonly composed of twisted or braided strands. Sawed Manufacturing technique by which a toothed tool is used in a back and forth motion to cut through a material. Scraper Made from bone or shell to scrape wood or the hide of an animal. Descriptors: Beveled, Bifacial, Beveled Bilateral, Beveled Unifacial, Beveled Unilateral, Burnt, Calcined, Fractured, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished. Sculpture Common name for object that has been shaped, often is zoomorphic or anthropomorphic Descriptors: Burnt, Calcined, Decorated, Decorated Anthro/Zoomorphic, Fractured, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered. Serrated Describes an object where the edge has been cut to form consistent notches or teeth for the entire length of the edge. Bilateral Serration: Serrated on both edges Unilateral Serration: Serrated on one edge Shaving A small curled or flake like piece of antler or bone that was taken off in the manufacturing process of an object. Commonly produced by adzing.

12 Shouldered Describes feature near base of object where one or both sides protrude, usually to facilitate hafting. Socketed A hollowed section of an object for receiving and holding a part of another object. Tapered Describes a gradual angle that ends in a point. Tine Flaker: See Pressure Flaker Tube Made from bird bone. Must be polished on at least one end and measure greater than 5 cm in length. Descriptors: Bird Bone, Burnt, Calcined, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered Valve: See Harpoon Valve Wedge Used for splitting, shaping, and carving. They are ground and polished with a sharp beveled edge on at least one face. Not as strong as stone, shell and bone wedges are essential to the woodworkers kit. Alternative term: Adze. Descriptors: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Unifacial, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Fractured, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered

13 Whistle Mostly made from bird bone. Will display at least one perforation near the centre. Descriptor: Beveled Bifacial, Beveled Unifacial, Burnt, Calcined, Cutmarked, Fractured, Grooved, Incised, Notched, Perforated, Polished, Tapered