Microscopic features on natural antler surfaces and identification of archaeological bone tools in Paraná wetland (Argentina)

BUC, N. ; A. ACOSTA

Congreso; 13th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group; 2019

Antler is one the main raw materials from animal sources used in bone technology. Its ductility and resistanceexplain its ample use all around the world to perform varied kind of tools in different chronological periods.However, detection of archaeological artefacts in some contexts rely on the identification of natural markssuch as rounding, fracture and striations. In this paper we explore the natural surfaces of Blastocerosdichotomus and Ozotoceros bezoarticus antlers, both cervid species of the souther portion of Southamerica.Our aim is to conform an acualistic database useful in the identification of cultural antlers, recording theirmacro features but also using high magnification. Finally, we use our results in the analysis of thearchaeological assemblage of Late Holocene sites from the Low Paraná wetland (Argentina).