LATE MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN BONE AND ANTLER WORKING IN THE VILNIUS CASTLE COMPLEX

Abstract

Much bone and antler working debris was found from the territory of the Vilnius Castle complex. The bone working debris is rather standardised; most common are sawn off epiphyses of metapodials. Cattle bones prevail among the working waste, metatarsals being much more numerous than metacarpals. Antler working waste is not as standardised as the bone working waste. All parts of antlers are represented in the waste, including both elk antlers and red deer antlers. Shed antlers as well as antlers of hunted animals were used. Presumably the craftsmen working in the Vilnius castles were not specialised in bone or antler working, but used several materials and were rather specialised in the types of products they made.