BONE ARTIFACTS FROM CHALCOLITHIC FUNERARY CONTEXTS IN THE EASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN IBERIA: POINTED FLAT RODS

Abstract

One of the most characteristic bone objects in the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic funerary record of the south-eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula is the so-called “pointed flat rod”. They have been mentioned in many of the papers published since the beginning of the 20th century. However, their identification, description and functional attribution have not ceased to be problematic. This paper has focused in the manufacturing techniques employed in the production of these bone artefacts and evaluates the different hypotheses related to their supposed use as hairpins, awls or cosmetic palettes —among others— taking into account the archaeological contexts recorded in some recent excavations and the analysis of ancient collections stored in museums.