Age and sex determination of fingerprints on ceramic objects from the Late Bronze Age Palace at Tel Beth-Shemesh, Israel

Abstract

Who made figurines for ritual feasting in the Late Bronze Age (LBA) palace at Tel Beth-Shemesh? This article attempts to answer this question by determining the age and sex of fingerprints on five zoomorphic figurines and a lamp from a unique room in the LBA IB–IIA palace that contains an assemblage normally associated with feasting. The age and sex determinations of 59 preserved epidermal print impressions, based upon the analysis of ridge breadth and ridge density, are reported. Accounting for 2–6% clay shrinkage, the results show that at each respective rate, 37–46% of the prints were made by adults, 46–53% by adults or adolescents, 9–10% by children, while 51–60% were male and 49–40% were female. The discussion explores these results in relation to understanding manufacturing practices, the distinction between toys and ritual objects, and the visibility and role of children in LBA I–II society.