Reinterpreting an intriguing osseous assamblage from Chitila-Fermă (Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

The 2001– 2004 archaeological excavations at Chitila-Fermă (Bucharest, Romania) uncovered features and archaeological materials attributed to 4th century BC– 1st century AD and the 2nd– 5th centuries AD. To the 2nd– 5th centuries AD were assigned a few osseous items interpreted by V. Boroneanț as bearing the remains of an ancient form of writing. This assemblage, curated nowadays at “ Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology in Bucharest makes the scope of the present paper. Our attempt focused on the morphology of the items and the operational sequence(s) they were subjected to prior to their discard. This inevitably led us to different conclusions regarding their function. Our own results, correlated to various publication and ethnographic parallels indicate they were used as anvils for sawtoothing iron sickles. Nevertheless, their presence at the site testifies to local metallurgical activities connected to the production and repairmen of iron sickles.