An examination of the worked bone and antler assemblage at Uğurlu (Gökçeada, Turkey)

Abstract

Worked bone and antler tools were regularly used by prehistoric societies in northwest and western Anatolia to create and maintain everyday items. Uğurlu, one of the most important pre­historic sites in the north east Aegean, shows extensive evidence of bone and antler tool manufac­ture. This article examines the Uğurlu osseous assemblage from its inception during the Early Neo­lithic (6800 cal BC) to the middle Chalcolithic (4300 cal BC). A typology is established which labels the 534 items uncovered thus far, supported by contextual information. A comparison with other bone tool assemblages in the region is also presented, highlighting group similarities and type differences. The results show that few bone tools were found in the Early Neolithic Phase VI (6800– 6600 cal BC), while pointed tools dominate Phase V (6600–5900 cal BC). The established Neolithic Phase IV (5900–5600 cal BC) witnesses a dramatic growth in the number of bone tools produced, which is steadily adapted with the advent of the Chalcolithic Phase III (5500–4900 cal BC). During this transition between the Neolithic and Chalcolithic, certain tool types decline in number and manufacturing style changes. In the middle Chalcolithic Phase II (4500–4300 cal BC), bone objects seem to be crudely made, possibly reflecting the emergence of local traditions.