Marina Évora

Use-Wear Methodology on the Analysis of Osseous Industries

In this paper I present an overview on use-wear analysis of osseous materials based on the previous works of several researchers working in this field of science for the last 40 years. Researchers are now using the most diversified tools to work on the osseous industry when performing the use-wear analysis. The experimental programs and the ethnographic information are important for macroscopic and microscopic analysis. These resources together provide a better understanding and interpretation of the traces left on the bone surface.

A Review of the Osseous Projectile Points from the Upper Paleolithic of Portugal

In this chapter, I provide an overview of Portuguese Upper Paleolithic projectile points made from mammal bone and red deer antler. These artefacts were recovered from nine archaeological sites, located in two geographic regions: Estremadura and Algarve. The majority of the Upper Paleolithic osseous assemblages from Portugal come from old excavations, and as early studies of the points are rare or only preliminary in nature, our understanding of this industry in Portugal is poorly understood. Consequently, this chapter will address morphologic and functional variability of the Portuguese technology, and focus on several aspects including fracture and stigmata patterns remaining from their manufacture and use. As a preliminary conclusion, it appears that these osseous projectile points share features with similar others from the Southern Iberian region.