Rozalia Christidou’s research while affiliated with American School of Classical Studies at Athens and other places

Worked specimens of proximal phalanges of Equus have been discovered in the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B levels (8700–8200 CAL. B.C.) at Dja'de el Mughara, a tell site in the Middle Euphrates Valley in northern Syria. Prior to the present study, one was published as a human figurine (Coqueugniot 2000: 70). Similar objects, dated to the Khiamian and Pre-Pottery Neolithic A periods (10,000–8700 CAL. B.C.), have been recognized at Tell Mureybet in the same region. Analysis of 22 specimens from Dja'de el Mughara reveals morphological variability and different styles of shaping within the sample.Anthropomorphic figurines in the prehistoric Near East have been approached as a distinct group of representations, often considered in terms of symbolism. Rarely are the raw materials (mainly clay and stone), technology of manufacture, and variations in fashion considered. Here, the major steps of figurine manufacture from whole proximal phalanges of equids at Dja'de el Mughara are described and a classification system based on technological and morphological criteria is proposed. It is hoped that this presentation of the Dja'de el Mughara bone figurine sample will stimulate recognition of analogous finds at other prehistoric sites in the Near East.

The recognition of the metal tools used to work bone in archaeological sites can aid in the reconstruction of patterns of bone artifact production. Moreover, when metal tools are rare as a result of past curation practices or preservation conditions, the analysis of the manufacturing traces on bone is essential for ascertaining the presence and specific uses of these tools. This paper presents research on the application of experimentation and high-power optical microscopy to the identification and description of the manufacturing traces created on bone by bronze knife-blades and burins, and focuses on two activities, scraping and grooving. Analytical data suggest the presence of distinctive micro-wear patterns associated with the use of these tools.