Scraper

Add to album

This bone scraper was found at the site of the Neolithic village of Skara Brae in Orkney. It was probably used either as a skinning knife or as a smoothing tool in leather working, sometime between 3100 and 2450 BC.

The scraper is a thin polished slice of bone with a sharp working edge.

There were three stages to prepare a skin. First the hide was removed from a dead animal using knives. Next, it was cleaned, by loosening hair and fat, then scraping flesh, muscles and tendons with scrapers such as this one. Then the hide was preserved.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-100-040-359-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HA 476
• Date: Between 3100 and 2450 BC
  
• Material: Bone, slice of long bone especially the matpedial, cattle; quadrangular; upper face ground down to form one or more edges; both faces polished, the outer convex and the inner concave, with traces of marrow cavity
  Implement / knife, skinning / smoothing tool, leather working
  
• Dimensions: 55.90 mm L
  
• What: Implement / knife, skinning / smoothing tool, leather working
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Orkney, Skaill, Skara Brae
  
• Event:
• Description: Thin polished slice of bone with a working edge, probably used either as a skinning knife or smoothing tool in leather working, from Skara Brae
  
• References:
• Translations:
• Related Records: